Light, weather and when to shoot
June through September is the exterior season and the one buyers picture; fall foliage extends it into October. Winter exteriors are honest and often beautiful on snow but should not be the only set for a summer camp. Coastal fog is common in the mornings — wait it out; the clearest light on the water is early afternoon.
What sells here, and what buyers want to see
Portland sells on neighbourhood, walkability and older houses; the southern coast on beach access and elevation. Lake camps sell on frontage, the dock and whether they are winterised. Island and midcoast properties sell on the water view, the wharf and how you get there. Everywhere, buyers want the heating system and the septic explained.
The clips to make
- View push to the water from the living room; balcony pull-back from the deck.
- Camps: backyard reveal from the porch down to the dock.
- Older Portland houses: staircase climb; a condition clip of the basement and boiler.
- Drone fly-over of a peninsula or island lot from a licensed pilot's summer stills.
Rules worth checking
Maine requires a seller's property disclosure on residential sales, including water supply, waste disposal and heating — the three things a buyer from away asks first, so give them clips. Shoreland zoning restricts docks and vegetation removal; say what the shore frontage and dock permit cover.
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
Can I list a camp in winter with summer video?
Yes, and you should — the summer set is the one buyers are buying — with a caption that says when it was shot. Add a winter exterior if the camp is winterised and used year-round.
How do I show island access?
A clip of the ferry or the wharf and the walk up to the house. It is the first practical question, and answering it saves a wasted visit.
Read next
- Waterfront Listing Video: Showing the Water Without Overselling ItHow to make a video for a lakefront, riverfront or oceanfront home: the moves that show the water and the access, when to shoot, and how to keep the video honest about what the property actually has.
- Vacation Rental Video for Airbnb and VRBO ListingsHow short-term rental hosts make a video that books: the experience-first shot list, the moves for pools, decks and views, where to post it, and what platforms allow.
- Real Estate Video in Connecticut: Colonials, Commuter Towns and the SoundListing video for Connecticut agents: colonial and cape housing stock, Fairfield County commuter buyers, shoreline homes on Long Island Sound, four-season exteriors and the state's property condition report.