Questions & Answers - Scheduling, Licensing, The Shoot

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Appointments can be requested through our online scheduling form or by calling 408-569-4044‬ during business hours Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. We recommend two to three days advance notice but can often accommodate a next-day appointment.

Appointments entered into the online appointment calendar during the workday will be followed up that evening by phone or email to confirm the schedule.

Cancellations owing to inclement weather do not incur a cancellation fee.  With all other cancellations we require at least 24 hours of notice. Cancellations made for the following reasons will incur a fee equal to 50% of the total booking fee, due to travel by the photographer to the property:

1. An unprepared site for shooting that would require more than 30 minutes of preparation to be readied or the client decides to reschedule. 
2. Transportation delays arriving at the property on the part of your client in excess of 30 minutes.
3. The photographer cannot access the property owing to a mistake on the part of the client to adequately arrange for access.

You may reschedule by calling 408-569-4044 or cancel by emailing your request to daveavilla@gmail.com  Please cancel at least 24 hours in advance to avoid a cancelation fee.

There is no cancellation fee if you notify us the day before the photo shoot. For same day cancellations of daytime shoots, there is a $50 fee.

Payment is due as soon as we send you the notice in your dashboard that the media for your property has been completed and available (all media components). An invoice will be e-mailed to you, payable upon receipt.

Licensing Terms

When media is delivered, we grant to you a non-exclusive, royalty-free license for use of the images, video and other media created for you. You are free to use this media to carry out normal business tasks associated with offering real estate properties to the public for sale or lease. This includes uploading the photos to your MLS, uploading videos to YouTube, printing brochures, creating social media postings, etc. This pre-approval to use the content in an unfettered manner also makes it unnecessary for us to complete photography authorization forms required by some MLS organizations. We retain a limited license to use the images and media it captures for our own marketing purposes.

It is up to the client to decide whether the weather poses a sufficient obstacle to a successful shoot. Please contact us promptly with your decision so we make scheduling adjustments. We encourage clients to consider a rescheduling when: 

• Rain is forecasted - since each shoot included drone media, at least the exterior photograph/video would need to be postponed
• Heavy fog is expected owing to the difficulty of altering images to reflect nicer conditions. 

Cloudy days are not at all a problem provided no rain is expected. Often, lighting is best on days moderate cloud cover. 

We can reschedule the shoot to the next available date at no charge. If you prefer to keep the appointment to capture the interior photos and other media, we can photograph the interiors of the home. We will then reschedule the exteriors for a $50 return shoot fee.

Great news: David is a licensed realtor with Supra MLS Key access!  We can enter via a combo lock or Supra Key box. If the homeowners or tenants will be present in the home without an agent, please ensure that they know when the photographer is arriving. It is also vital to make sure the property is ready before the photographer arrives.

A photo shoot alone averages between 45 and 60 minutes.  Our packages also include a video tour, 360 tour, and drone photos and video. Suggested time to allow is 2-4 hours depending on size of the property. 

We want to capture the front exterior when the sun is shining on the front of the property, if at all possible. Below is the best time of day to photograph based on the direction the front faces:

• East – Morning
• West – Afternoon
• South – All day
• North – Does not get direct sunlight. Unfortunately, on sunny days the front will shadow itself. A dusk shoot or overcast day is ideal for north-facing properties. 

It depends on your preference. There are many factors that will determine the selection. Generally, featured rooms (kitchen, family room, master suite) get photos taken from 3 views.  Secondary bedrooms and bathrooms get taken from 2 angles.   Exterior photos depend upon the size of the yard.  We exercise the general maxim "More is better"! 

Of course we can! Though we generally focus on the layout and overall space of a property, unique features that the client believes are worth paying special attention to can and will be photographed upon request. Please let us know in advance all such features that you want emphasized in your photography package.

We cover South County (Morgan Hill, San Martin, Gilroy) and Hollister.  A drive time fee may be applicable to locations that are outside that area.

• 30-40 miles away = $25 Fee

• 40-50 miles away = $35 Fee

For Residential properties, photos will be ready the next business day. We will send you a link via email to our media dashboard. 

All our clients are given e-mail notifications from your dashboard when your media has been processed and uploaded. You will have the ability to download your photos in formats suitable for MLS uploads and for printing. You can download the photographs via a ZIP file to any computer or you may download photos individually.

Standard Floor Plans are delivered in 1-2 business days after the on-site visit to capture the other media.

Aerial Drone Photography is delivered 1 business day after the shoot, whereas video takes up to 3 business days. 

Zillow 3D tours are delivered 1 business day after the shoot.

Walkthrough Video is delivered 3-5 business days after the shoot.

We don’t usually upload media for clients because your MLS listing must be accessed with your account credentials.  Our local MLS does permit assignment of “Assistant” status to someone you designate by submitting an authorization form and the yearly fee of $120. If you are interested in setting this up so your photos can be uploaded for you, reach out and we can step through the process.  An added benefit: we can check the fields in the listing where the media links are entered to make sure your media is in the best location to be picked up by the real estate platforms.

Yes! Dave is a are Certified Zillow Photographer so he can upload your video tour directly to your listing. All you need to do is notify us when the listing is active by e-mailing us at daveavilla@gmail.com and we will promptly submit your media to Zillow for review and publication!  

No.  Our service offering is focused solely on assisting realtors with professional marketing media. There is such a need for help presenting homes online, I’ve committed all my time to that niche. It’s what I love to do!

No, we provide digital media, only.  But, the online dashboard for each listing enables easy creation of several different print media layouts that can be duplicated conveniently at your office.  If you want brochures for an open house, you can easily create them.

Video and 3D tours offer a much more immersive experience than slideshows, and so we do not offer slideshows.

 Video tours are a guided experience. Similar to any Hollywood movie, a video tour is a passive experience that allows the viewer to experience the property the way the videographer wants them to. A captivating story can be told with moving images and music to create an emotional connection. On the other hand, 3D tours are self-guided and allow the viewer to virtually visit the property, moving through it as if they were really there, at their own pace and under their own direction.