Budgeting for Real Estate Media: What Top Agents Invest in Utah
If you look at the agents who consistently win listings in places like Logan, Ogden, Layton, Syracuse, Brigham City, Cache Valley, and Southern Idaho, they have one thing in common:
They don’t treat real estate media as “whatever’s cheapest this time.”
They treat it as part of their system.
They know:
Which listings get photos only
Which listings deserve photos + drone + floor plan
Which “flagship” properties get the full experience with video, drone, and more
And they already have a rough budget in their head before the sign ever goes in the yard.
Let’s walk through how top Utah agents think about media spending—so you’re not guessing every time you take on a new listing.
Step 1: Stop Pricing Shoots in Isolation
A lot of agents ask:
“How much is photos?”
“How much is drone?”
“How much is video?”
Top agents don’t start there. They start with:
“What will it actually take for this listing to compete online?”
They think in tiers, not one-offs:
Foundation Media – the baseline for almost every listing
Stand-Out Media – the standard for most mid–upper properties
Flagship Media – the “all-in” level for key, special, or higher-price homes
Let’s break those down in Utah terms.
Tier 1: Foundation Media (The Non-Negotiable)
This is your floor, not your ceiling.
If a property is being put on the MLS, serious agents in Utah don’t skip this:
✅ Professional Interior & Exterior Photos
Not phone pics. Not “my cousin dabbles in photography.”
Clean, bright, consistent images that:
Make small rooms feel more open (without lying)
Keep colors accurate (important with Utah’s strong light and mixed finishes)
Guide buyers through the home in a logical way
Where Utah agents use Tier 1:
Lower price-point homes where the seller is very budget-conscious
Condos and townhomes with straightforward layouts
Some land or lots where photos are simple and drone isn’t needed
Top agents know:
Every listing is part of their personal brand
Their next seller is probably judging their marketing from current listings
“I always use professional photos” is an easy promise to make and keep
If you’re building from scratch, start here:
“No matter what, I will never put a listing live without professional photos.”
Tier 2: Stand-Out Media (Most Mid–Upper Listings)
This is where you start to pull ahead of the pack.
For a lot of properties in Northern Utah and Southern Idaho, this tier is the sweet spot.
Typically includes:
✅ Professional Photos
✅ Drone Photos (when the lot or surroundings matter)
✅ Floor Plan
Why these three?
Photos = Emotion
They show buyers how the home feels:
Light
Finishes
Style
Spaces where people actually live, cook, and hang out
Drone = Context
In Utah and Southern Idaho, buyers care a lot about:
Yard size
Space between neighbors
Proximity to parks or open space
Corner lots, cul-de-sacs, nearby fields or views
One or two well-chosen drone angles can answer:
“How tight is this neighborhood really?”
“Where exactly is this on the street?”
“How much usable yard is there?”
Floor Plan = Clarity
Floor plans help buyers:
Understand layout before they step inside
See room relationships and flow
Decide if the home even fits their life
They reduce:
“This isn’t what I expected” showings
Layout confusion
Basic questions that eat up your time
Where Tier 2 makes sense:
Typical family homes in subdivisions or established neighborhoods
Homes with great yards, RV parking, or multiple living spaces
Listings where you know buyers will ask about flow and layout
A lot of top agents set an internal rule, like:
“Above $X in my market, my default is photos + drone + floor plan.”
You can decide what $X is based on your farm area.
Tier 3: Flagship Media (Your “Showpiece” Listings)
This is where you lean in.
These are the listings you:
Use in future listing presentations
Feature in ads and social proof
Don’t mind spending extra on, because they’ll attract more business later
Think:
Higher-end homes
Unique layouts
Amazing views or special locations
Properties you’d be proud to say, “This is how I market.”
Typically includes:
✅ Professional Photos
✅ Drone Photos (and sometimes drone video)
✅ Floor Plan
✅ Walkthrough Video and/or 3D Virtual Tour
✅ Short, social-ready clips (Reels, Stories, etc.)
Why agents invest more here:
Because these listings:
Have way more to show off
Attract more demanding buyers
Come with sellers who notice and remember your marketing
Become your “look what I do for my clients” evidence
Top agents don’t see this as “spending extra.”
They see it as:
“This listing is also a marketing piece for my brand.”
How Top Agents Decide Without Overthinking Every Time
Most experienced agents are not doing complex spreadsheets. They use simple rules:
1. By Price Band
Under $200 → Photos only
$260 → Photos + drone + floor plan
Over $520 → Add video and/or 3D tour
2. By Story
Big lot / views / special setting? → Add drone
Quirky or complex layout? → Add floor plan
A lot of out-of-area buyers? → Add video or 3D
3. By Brand Standard
“My listings always have at least ___.”
“I always use full media on certain neighborhoods or price ranges.”
You don’t need the “perfect” rule—you just need a consistent one.
Where DMD Real Estate Photography Utah Fits Into Your Budget
Here’s what I’ve seen again and again:
Top agents don’t want a random photographer—they want a media partner.
With DMD Real Estate Photography Utah, that usually looks like this:
1. We Map Out Your “Default Packages” Together
Instead of starting from zero on each listing, we help you:
Define your Tier 1, 2, and 3
Match them to your price bands and property types
Get clarity on costs so there are no surprises
So when you take a listing, you already know:
“This one is a Tier 2 listing for me.”
2. We Help You Decide When to “Level Up”
Not sure what a certain property needs?
It’s totally normal for agents to say:
“It’s a standard subdivision home, but with a killer yard—what would you add?”
“This one’s close to the mountains—should we do video or just drone?”
We see a lot of homes, in a lot of conditions. We’re happy to give practical, budget-aware advice.
3. We Help You Reuse Your Media
Smart agents don’t use their photos and video once and then forget them.
They reuse media for:
Just Listed / Just Sold posts
Market update graphics
Listing presentations (“Here’s how I marketed this home…”)
Social proof (“This is our media standard.”)
That stretches your budget beyond just “one listing.”
How to Talk About Media Budget with Sellers
Sellers don’t need your internal tier chart.
They just need to feel confident that you have a plan.
You might say:
“For homes like yours in this price range, I always use professional photos, drone to show the yard and surroundings, and a floor plan so buyers understand the layout before they come. That’s what’s working best in our area right now.”
Or, for higher-end listings:
“Because of your views and unique layout, I’d like to invest in full media—photos, drone, a walkthrough video, and a floor plan. That helps us attract better-qualified buyers and gives people a real sense of what it’s like to live here, especially folks moving in from out of the area.”
You don’t talk about what it costs you—you talk about what it does for them.
A Simple Exercise to Build Your Media System
If you want to get practical, grab a notebook (or your notes app) and:
Write down three price ranges you work in most often.
For each one, define your default media package:
Always photos
When you add drone
When you add floor plans
When you add video or 3D
Share that with us at DMD Real Estate Photography Utah so we’re aligned.
From that point forward, you’re not “deciding from scratch” each time.
You’re just asking:
“Does this listing follow my default, or is it special enough to bump up a tier?”
That’s exactly how a lot of top agents keep their media consistent and scalable.
Ready to Build a Smarter Media Budget for Your Utah Listings?
If you’re working in Northern Utah or Southern Idaho and you’re ready to:
Stop guessing what to order each time
Create a clear, professional standard for your media
Invest in photos, drone, video, and floor plans in a way that fits your brand and your market
We’d be glad to be part of that system.
➡️ Plan Your Next Listing’s Media with DMD Real Estate Photography Utah
Let’s match the right media to the right listings—and the right budget—so your marketing works as hard as you do. 🏡📸✨
