Light, weather and when to shoot
First and last hour only; noon is white. Summer monsoon afternoons bring dramatic skies and rain — shoot the sky, not the storm. Winter is the season buyers visit and the clearest for exteriors.
What sells here, and what buyers want to see
The Catalina Foothills sell the view and the territorial architecture; Oro Valley and Marana sell newer construction and the community; SaddleBrooke and the 55+ communities sell single-level living and the clubhouse; midtown sells the older ranch and the walk. Buyers ask about the roof, the HVAC and the well or city water.
The clips to make
- View push to the Catalinas; backyard reveal to the patio at dusk.
- Pool glide; drone top-down of a desert lot with the saguaros.
- 55+ communities: a tracking walk through the single-level plan; the clubhouse with permission.
Rules worth checking
Arizona's seller property disclosure statement applies. Desert lots may have well or shared-well water — caption it. Airspace near Davis-Monthan and the airport restricts drones over much of the city; the foothills are partly flyable with a licensed pilot.
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
When is the light right on the Catalinas?
The last hour before sunset, when the range turns colour. Set the exterior shoot for it.
Seasonal buyers are not here until winter. What should the video cover?
The full walk-through, the patio at dusk, the community and the view. They will visit once, with a shortlist made from video.
Read next
- Real Estate Video in Arizona and the Desert SouthwestListing video for Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico agents: desert light, pools and outdoor living, mountain views, retirement and seasonal buyers, and the drone shots that show the setting.
- Listing Video in Phoenix: Desert Light, Pools and a Seasonal BuyerMaking listing video for Phoenix, Scottsdale and the Valley: pools and mountain views, desert light at the edges of the day, seasonal and retiring buyers, master-planned and 55+ communities, and HOA rules.
- Real Estate Video in New Mexico: Adobe, High-Desert Light and Santa FeListing video for New Mexico agents: Santa Fe and Taos adobe and pueblo-style homes, Albuquerque neighbourhoods, high-desert light and mountain views, portals and courtyards, and the seller disclosure form.