A real estate media shoot can involve more than photographs. Depending on the property and marketing plan, you may also need a vertical reel, drone coverage, a 360° virtual tour, specific delivery formats and social media assets.
This checklist helps Newmarket Realtors and sellers decide what to prepare before booking so that the media session supports the listing rather than becoming another last-minute task.
1. Confirm the property basics
- Property address
- Approximate square footage
- Property type
- Number of levels
- Important exterior features
- Listing date
- Preferred media date
These details help determine the scope and whether the property fits a standard package or needs a custom quote.
2. Decide what photography needs to show
Identify the spaces and features that genuinely matter. The photographer will still make visual decisions on site, but knowing that a renovated kitchen, backyard, finished basement or separate entrance is a priority helps allocate time properly.
Photography checklist
3. Decide whether a vertical Reel will actually be used
If the listing will be promoted on Instagram or Facebook, a vertical property reel can give you a ready-made mobile asset. If there is no plan to publish video, do not add it simply because it is available.
Decide whether the video should be property-only or whether the Realtor will appear in an intro or outro.
4. Decide whether the property needs drone
Ask whether the aerial view will communicate lot size, backyard features, property position or useful surroundings. If yes, drone may be valuable. If the aerial view does not add information, ground-level media may be enough.
Remember that drone is subject to appropriate conditions and safe operation.
5. Decide whether 360° adds something different
A 360° tour is most useful when interactive room-by-room exploration helps the buyer. Larger or more complex layouts and remote-buyer situations can benefit more than straightforward properties.
6. Prepare the home
Clean and declutter before the scheduled time. Pay special attention to kitchen counters, bathrooms, beds, cables, pet items, bins and exterior pathways.
For a room-by-room preparation guide, see How to Prepare a Home for Real Estate Photography in Newmarket.
Do not schedule preparation and production for the same hour
The media appointment should be used to create the assets. Cleaning, decluttering and major staging changes should be completed before the media team arrives.
7. Confirm access
Make sure the person coordinating the shoot knows how the media team will enter, whether an alarm is active, whether parking is restricted and whether any rooms or exterior areas require special access.
8. Confirm people and pets
Whenever possible, minimize movement through the property during the shoot. Pets should be safely managed, and anyone who needs to remain in the home should understand that the media team may move between rooms repeatedly.
9. Confirm the deadline
The listing date should be communicated before the booking. If faster-than-standard delivery is required, ask whether rush delivery is available and whether it changes the quote.
10. Confirm what files you will receive
Ask whether the photography includes listing-ready files, high-resolution versions or both. Confirm the final orientation and approximate duration of the video. If alternate edits are needed, include them in the scope.
11. Plan where the media will be published
| Channel | Useful asset |
|---|---|
| Property listing | Professional photography |
| Realtor website | Photos, video embed, property details |
| Instagram / Facebook | Vertical Reel, selected photos |
| Paid social campaign | Purpose-built video or selected listing creative |
| Remote viewing | 360° tour when appropriate |
12. Separate listing marketing from Realtor marketing
One listing needs property media. Your Realtor brand needs ongoing content. Those are related but different goals.
If you regularly need educational reels, market updates, local content or recurring social management, review monthly content creation. If you need a stronger personal website, see web design in Newmarket.
13. Review current package details
Offers and service structures can change, so check the Real Estate Photography & Media page for Newmarket before assuming a specific package includes every item in this checklist.
14. After delivery, organize the assets
Store the final files by property address and separate listing images, high-resolution files, video and optional tour links. This becomes much more important when a Realtor is managing multiple active and past listings.
15. Keep notes for the next listing
If you plan to work with the same media team again, note what worked: shoot duration, ideal property preparation, video style, file organization and any recurring requirements. Repeatable systems save time.
A checklist is useful because every asset should have a job
The goal is not to order the largest possible package. The goal is to make sure the property is prepared, the right media is captured and every deliverable has a clear place in the marketing plan.
