Media That Sells
Listing over the holidays in LA: media that still looks right in January
A listing that goes live in November or December has two jobs: look inviting to the buyers shopping now, and still look current if it's on the market in January. That means no holiday decor in the photos, twilight built into the shoot while the sun sets early, a plan for rain and the holiday weeks, and video and a 3D tour for buyers who can't get to a showing.
Who's shopping in November and December
Fewer people tour homes during the holidays, and the ones who do usually have a reason to: a job move, a lease ending, a deadline in the new year. They're doing more of their shortlisting online, often from another city or from a phone at a family dinner. Your photos, film and 3D tour carry more of the first showing than they do in spring.
That makes the media more important, not less. Our post on whether professional photos sell homes faster covers the bigger picture. Here's what changes for a holiday launch.
Keep the holidays out of the photos
A tree in the living room looks warm in December. In late January it tells every buyer the listing has been sitting. The same goes for lights on the eaves, garlands on the stairs and a table set for a holiday dinner. Ask the seller to hold off decorating the main rooms and the front of the house until after the shoot, or to take it down for the day.
You can still make a home feel like the season without dating it. A lit fireplace, a throw on the sofa and every lamp on read as cozy in any month. If the decor has to stay up, shoot the rooms where it isn't and save the decorated rooms for the end.
Use the early sunset
In LA the sun sets before 5 in December, so twilight fits into the end of an ordinary afternoon shoot. It's also the best way to make a home feel inviting on a short gray day: warm windows, lit landscaping, a fire table going by the pool. For timing and when it's worth it, see our guide to twilight photos in LA.
Plan around rain and the holiday weeks
Winter is LA's rainy season. A wet driveway and a flat white sky are hard to fix after the fact, so if rain is in the forecast for the exteriors, moving the shoot a day or two is usually the better call. We talk it through on the planning call before every shoot. When a sky is replaced in the edit, we label the frame as digitally enhanced.
Then check the calendar. Photos, aerials and the 3D tour land the morning after the shoot, but the film takes up to 4 business days, and Thanksgiving and the last two weeks of December eat into those. Book early in the week, and give the seller the pre-shoot checklist before their holiday plans fill the calendar.
Give buyers who can't visit a way in
Holiday buyers are often out of town, and relatives who weigh in on the decision may never see the house in person. A walkable 3D tour and a film let them understand the layout and the feel of the home before they book a flight or a showing. Our photo vs. video vs. 3D guide explains which listing needs which.
What it costs
Photo Essentials starts at $400 and Debut at $650. Premiere starts at $1,100 and adds a film or reel, drone, a Zillow 3D tour, a floor plan, 4 virtual twilight images (labeled as digitally enhanced) and a listing website. Signature starts at $2,000 and includes the Signature Film and real twilight. Compare every package on our pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Should my seller wait until spring to list?
That's a pricing and timing call between you and your seller. If the home is going on the market now, the media has to work for a buyer scrolling in December and still look current if the listing runs into the new year.
Can we shoot with holiday decorations up?
We can, but we recommend taking them down in the main rooms and on the front of the house before the shoot. Seasonal decor dates the photos, and buyers notice when a listing still shows a tree in February.
What happens if it rains on shoot day?
LA rain rarely lasts long, so moving the shoot a day or two is usually the best answer for the exteriors. We talk it through on the planning call before the shoot. If a sky is replaced in the edit, that frame is labeled as digitally enhanced.
How do the holidays affect delivery?
Photos, aerials and the 3D tour land the morning after the shoot. The film takes up to 4 business days, so a shoot right before Thanksgiving or Christmas means the film arrives after the holiday. Book the shoot early in the week to keep it on track.
Listing before the new year?
Shoot it before the decorations go up.
Photos, drone and 3D land the next morning. Twilight fits into the same visit.
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