Light, weather and when to shoot
Fog on the west side of the city and the coast most summer mornings; sun on the east side and the Peninsula. Fall is the clearest season in the city. Shoot the view when it is there and caption it as weather-dependent; interiors in the soft fog light are excellent.
What sells here, and what buyers want to see
San Francisco sells the view, the Victorian's details and the neighbourhood; the Peninsula and the South Bay sell schools and the commute; the East Bay sells the hills, the view and the older houses. Buyers ask about the foundation, the seismic retrofit and the permits before the kitchen.
The clips to make
- View push to the bay or the bridge; balcony pull-back from the hills.
- Victorians and older houses: staircase climb; the retrofit clips from the earthquake guide.
- Small lots: interior reveal for flow; façade glide along the block.
Rules worth checking
California's natural hazard and transfer disclosures apply, and Bay Area sales use a full disclosure package that buyers read closely; the video must match it. Seismic hazard zones cover much of the region — see the earthquake guide. Airspace near SFO, OAK and SJC restricts drones across most of the region.
Disclosure, drone and privacy rules change and differ by MLS and municipality; confirm the current version with your broker before you rely on anything here.
Questions
The buyers will have read every page. What can the video add?
The flow of the house, the light at the right hour and the view — the things a disclosure cannot convey — plus honest clips of what they will inspect anyway.
Should I show the seismic retrofit?
Yes: a low glide along the bolted sill and a tilt up the braced wall. Bay Area buyers pay for it and want to see it.
Read next
- Real Estate Video in California: Indoor-Outdoor Living, Views and a Video-First BuyerListing video for California agents: indoor-outdoor moves, hillside and ocean views, small urban lots, wildfire-area honesty, and buyers who expect a polished video on every listing.
- Listing Video in Earthquake Country: Retrofits, Foundations and What to ShowHow to video a home in a seismic region: showing foundation bolting, cripple-wall bracing, a retrofitted chimney and a strapped water heater as features, and where the seismic disclosure belongs.
- Listing Video for an Older Home: Character, Condition and Not Hiding EitherHow to video a historic or older home: showing original features with the right moves, being straightforward about condition, the systems buyers ask about, and where inspection facts belong.