What Are the Rewards, Rules and Risks of Flying Your Own Drone for Real Estate Photography?

August 1, 2018 | News

The FAA recently announced that total drone registration in the United States has passed one million drones!The million drone registrations are NOT the total number of drones since many registered drone users own multiple drones. Estimates are that the number of drones in the US exceeds 5,000,000!Drone users are identified as being “hobbyists” or “commercial users.” The FAA has deemed that real estate photography is a “commercial use.” It is estimated that real estate photography accounts for 22% of drone use!Drones are the perfect tool to capture breathtaking videos and still photography for your listings. The question is: Should you fly your own drone for real estate photography?♦♦ THE REWARDS ARE MANY! ♦♦To begin with, it’s fun to fly a drone! For less than $1,000 you can own a quality drone that could pay for itself very quickly.♦♦ THE RULES ARE MANY! ♦♦To fly a drone for commercial use, you MUST have an FAA-issued “Remote … Continued

Neil Boyle

14:14 25 Nov 19

Jim was a professional from the start. He arrived five minutes early and outlined how he does his job, shared his experience to give us confidence in his ability to inspect the home, answered all of our questions and got right down to work. When he was finished, Jim showed us all of the pictures he had taken, explained how he felt about the house, reviewed all concerns with us in person at the house and advised us on how and when the report would be made available. He was very helpful and really put us first time home buyers at ease. The scheduling office was very friendly and Loretta, in particular, was extremely helpful and understanding when we had to reschedule at the last minute to accommodate the sellers. She helped us find a time that worked for us and was very kind and patient. Not an easy task during the busy holiday season. She deserves to be recognized for that. Overall, working with HomePro was a great experience. They are very thorough and worth the money. With an investment this large, it was nice to feel like we were in good hands with HomePro doing our inspection. I highly recommend this company to do your next home inspection. They kick butt!!

Deanna Fike

01:05 18 Nov 19

Brad was fantastic. Arrived on time, was extremely knowledgeable and thorough in his inspection. We are having symptoms of mold allergies, he found the source of the problem (plus other issues that our original home inspector from a different company did not find when we bought the house last year) and presented us with easy solutions. Highly recommend!

Cristy Coats

14:53 12 Nov 19

My experience with HomePro Inspections was excellent from start to finish. Scheduling was easy and they were quick to respond. Andy Toole was my inspector and he was both polite and professional. He took the time to explain certain aspects of the home that I was unaware of but would need to know in the future. In addition, the inspection was so much more thorough than I could have ever imagined. HomePro Inspections uses thermal imaging (infrared) and drones to get a more complete/accurate picture of the property. I even received several free warranties with the inspection package I chose. Most importantly, the HomePro Inspections Team gave me peace of mind regarding the property I selected.

Danielle

16:11 06 Nov 19

HomePro was very quick to get the results to me for a new home. Kyla who called to arrange everything was professional and friendly to work with. The report was thorough and detailed. Inspector was picky and checked everything to a “t”. I’d recommend them for inspections if you need one for a home.

Bonnie Marshall

16:42 04 Nov 19

Jim Wheeler performed my home inspection. He was very thorough, answered all my questions. They were quick to get me on the schedule to accommodate me and my family! I WISH I had used them BEFORE I bought this house! Very professional, very thorough, and had my report the very next morning! Would highly recommend.

Fran Coyne

15:50 07 Oct 19

HomePro was great. They spent a lot of time and attention to detail into their review and write up. I loved their report very detailed, thorough and organized. Everything was detailed and pictured. I really liked the first few pages that were a summary of the things we really had to look at and referred back to the longer document. We used them for a full inspection, 4-Point Inspection, WDO, and Wind Mitigation inspections. Everything came back through a secure site that we could download them. It only took a day to get everything back. Plus they warranty their work. Definitely recommend them and will use them again and refer as well.

Matt Boettcher

17:25 26 Sep 19

Had an inspection conducted on a potential investment property. They did a very complete job, not missing any details. Andy took the time to look at everything. I have been through inspections before and I can say that this is the best job I've ever seen. Highly recommend that you use them!

Sean Wagoner

14:13 25 Sep 19

Andy Toole was awesome! I will use you guys again for sure. The inspection was so thorough with so many pictures. I came back to the property just before Andy finished and he gave me nice walk around summary of the major issues. You guys came highly recommended from a friend and now I see why. Thanks for everything.

Raphael Camilo

20:52 15 Sep 19

My wife and I decided to build a new home in St. Augustine. We wanted to hire a professional who would look at the new build in phases. We went with Home Pros and are not disappointed. Their reports are very detailed and they are always available by phone or email. Jim Wheeler was my inspector and he was thorough and helpful in explaining the processes.

Fred Sargent

14:56 31 Aug 19

Austin with HomePro Inspections was awesome. I got to the inspection early, but he was already busy inspecting. His inspection and report were very thorough and he found issues we never would have noticed, but what may be even more important, he minimized our concerns about issues we had noticed. Austin's experience as an inspector and in the construction field provided valuable insight. So glad I chose HomePro.

Jeffrey Schroer

11:20 06 Aug 19

The inspector was very knowledgeable, experienced, friendly and professional. The company is top-notch. Highly recommend.

Susan Fifield

17:08 04 Jul 19

Jim was VERY thorough, conscientious and professional. My husband and son were there during the entire 4 hours and Jim explained what he was and wasn’t looking for during his inspection. My husband was impressed by his attention to detail. We received his very thorough report the next afternoon - obviously HomePro Inspections has this down to a science. Thank you!

Katie Dorman

22:06 21 Jun 19

We just had our potential first home inspected by HomePro. They did a wonderful job walking us through the process and all the details of the inspection. While the price is high, I would highly recommend this service. It is a great value.

Aaron Johnson

19:56 14 Jun 19

The owner Wallace just spoke to a group of Realtors at our office and I was very impressed with the passion he has for helping customers to understand the home they are buying. I learned a great deal and look forward to Home Pro Inspections being part of our team of professionals we count on to take care of our customers.

Mike Mahan

00:10 29 May 19

Great experience, professional, and detailed! Jim Wheeler represents this Company very well. The review and explanation of the results was very thorough and I felt very confident in the findings. I would utilize this company again and keep my fingers crossed that Jim would be scheduled to do the work.

Robert Kramer

22:18 22 May 19

Great home inspector, was very patient and answered all my questions. Used a drone and a thermal gun. Showed me hot spots in the ceiling where it was hotter than other spots, as well as around Windows and Doors. You might save a couple dollars using another inspector, but HomePro has been the most thorough and technically Advanced inspectors I have ever used. I will use them again on my next purchase.

Shannon Plimmer

15:29 14 May 19

We had a WONDERFUL experience with HomePor Inspections. Our home was already built, just finished construction, when we went to buy it. We loved the house but wanted the reassurance that there weren't any issues with the construction that was done. Our inspector took his time, going through the house thoroughly, and then was very patient as he walked through the house with me, explaining his findings and giving me guidance on how to proceed with any corrections that were needed. In the end, the house is just as perfect as we thought it was - only a few minor adjustments were needed. But the peace of mind we got from the inspection was worth every penny! I highly recommend HomePro to anyone needing an inspection...you won't be sorry!

Steven Clauss

18:23 06 Apr 19

Very happy with the service and inspection received. Walked through every issue and concern I had. Offered guidance/suggestions on the findings. The report is well documented with overall and specific pictures pointing out the exact findings they note. The additional informational booklet received at the end of the inspection is a nice. Worth the money to know what you are walking into with a home purchase. I would definitely use their services again and recommend to others.

Brad Pouliot

00:33 06 Apr 19

I was moving close to my deadline and needed to schedule a inspection and WDO report very quickly due to the fact I ran into some family emergencies. The company answered promptly to my voicemail and set everything up within a timely manner and within a couple of hours I was at the home do an inspection with the gentleman named Larry. He was very intelligent courteous and respectful. He showed very strong detail in his work and drew out the process in a way that I understood everything that we were doing. I was very pleased and I will highly recommend this company at any time of the day. A very satisfied customer.

Saran Nhiev

09:27 23 Mar 18

Home Inspector had all the tools to get the job done; from a moisture meter, recepticle tester, infrared thermometer, ac detector, a drone, and everything else in between. He took about 4 hours. Went in the crawl space, up the roof (two story), ran the water, flushed toilets, ran everything known in and out of the house. He was very knowledgeable and helped explain all findings. Also ordered a WDO as this cost extra but cheaper because we were already on site. Inspector gathered all information, compliled photos and sent me my report the following day.

Shawn Lindstrom

03:51 23 Mar 18

Update: Initially 5 stars until I had a chance to inspect our irrigation system myself tonight.Allen "tested" it during the inspection and didn't note it as an issue on his report. However, after testing it tonight, I found two sprinkler heads in zone 4 were broken and water was gushing out under full pressure. I wasn't overly concerned until I got our first full month's water bill yesterday. The fix is minor and I wish he had noticed it and reported it. The rest of the review still holds true and it's because of their strong process that I'm only knocking off 1 star for this review. Lesson? Trust but verify.It was a pleasure using HomePro for our inspection. The scheduling and follow up has been very comprehensive. Our inspector, Allen, was very thorough and professional. He had already inspected roof and exterior when we arrived for our 9am appointment. The summary he provided at the house after finishing covered the areas of greatest concern. We received the full report a few hours later. It is very detailed and includes general photos, IR, and photos of areas of concern.

Emily Poland

20:17 19 Mar 18

We were misquoted the price for our inspection by the manager, Ryan, he would not honor the quoted price and raised the price by $400 - would not trust this company to do an honest inspection. I was also contacted by the owner requesting I remove my review - which is an honest representation of my interaction with this company

Howell Quindara

03:56 21 Feb 18

We had a great experience with homepro. Austin BArbour was very professional and thorough.He provided us a report with regard to every detail that needs attention. They also have greatcustomer service. Ryan took care of us from scheduling to follow-ups. He was able to fix andaddress our concern as well. We are very satisfied and happy!

David Mackey

03:26 26 Jan 18

I listen to these guys on the Saturday morning radio show. Fun to listen to and informative. Didn't hesitate to call when I needed an inspection myself. We have a home with a big builder and the warranty is nearing expiration. Our guy was right on time, friendly, and thorough. He took the time to ask me questions and explain the things he found that we're of concern. Had a very detailed report that I was able to send to the warranty department. Things we would not have found on our own. I'm glad we called when we did.