A Conversation About Modern Real Estate Media at the Elevate Conference
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Lisa Moravi of Vertigo Marketing Group at the 2026 Elevate Conference. Lisa asked me to talk about what I do, how real estate media has changed and some of the technology we use to help agents market their listings.
We had a great conversation, and I thought it would be worth sharing here because the questions Lisa asked touched on something I think about quite a bit:
“How do you give a buyer a better understanding of a property before they ever walk through the door?”
In the interview, we talked about professional photography, aerial video, 3D virtual tours, floor plans, branded and unbranded media, turnaround times and the different ways agents can use their listing content. We also talked about one of my favorite parts of the business, the technology behind what we do. I’m a bit of a tech nerd, so getting to combine that interest with photography and working with people has been a pretty good fit for me.
The Conversation Continued
The interview gave me a chance to explain what we do, but it also got me thinking about why I believe these different pieces of media work so well together. A photograph, a video, a 3D tour and a floor plan aren’t simply different ways of showing the same thing. Each one helps the viewer understand a different part of the property.
That distinction matters because a home isn’t experienced as a series of individual photographs. When you’re actually standing inside a property, you understand the size of the rooms, how they connect, where the hallways lead and how one space relates to another. Online, you have to find ways to communicate some of that information visually.
That’s where I think modern listing media has become particularly interesting.
A Photograph Shows the Room. A 3D Tour Shows How the Home Works.
One of the things I like about 3D virtual tours is that they allow someone to explore a property at their own pace. Instead of looking at a series of photographs selected by someone else, the viewer can move forward, backward and from side to side, deciding what they want to see.
A photograph might show you a kitchen, for example, but it doesn’t necessarily tell you how that kitchen connects to the living room, where the hallway leads or how the different spaces relate to one another. A 3D tour gives the viewer the ability to make those discoveries for themselves.
I think that’s especially useful because people don’t all look at a house the same way. One buyer may be interested in the kitchen and entertaining space, while another may care more about the relationship between the bedrooms and the rest of the home. Giving people the ability to explore lets them spend time with the parts of the property that matter most to them.
Floor Plans Add Another Layer of Understanding
I also like the way a floor plan works alongside a 3D tour. The tour lets you move through the property, while the floor plan helps you understand where you are within the overall layout.
That combination can answer questions that aren’t always easy to answer from photographs. Where is that bedroom in relation to the kitchen? Is the living room connected directly to the dining area? How does the second floor relate to the first?
When you’re looking at a property online, those details can be difficult to piece together from individual images. A floor plan gives the viewer another way to understand the home, and when it is paired with an interactive tour, the two can complement each other very well.
Different Media Give Buyers Different Perspectives
Still photography is naturally focused on individual views, while video introduces movement. That can change the way a property is experienced because you’re able to move through spaces rather than simply looking at one frame at a time.
Aerial video adds another perspective altogether. A drone can show the property in relation to the surrounding area and provide a view that simply isn’t possible from inside the home. For the right property, that can be an important part of understanding what you’re actually looking at.
I don’t think every property needs every possible piece of media just for the sake of having more content. The interesting part is figuring out what each tool contributes and how it helps someone understand the property.
The Media Needs to Work for the Agent, Too
There is another part of this that I think gets overlooked. Once the media has been created, it needs to be useful to the agent.
The way I work is to provide the finished digital assets in both branded and unbranded formats. The unbranded version can be used where MLS requirements call for it, while branded versions can include an agent’s headshot or company logo for use on social media, YouTube and other platforms.
Everything is delivered digitally, so the agent can download the files and use them where they make sense for their marketing. The listing doesn’t live in just one place anymore, so the media should be ready to support the different places where an agent is promoting the property.
Good Technology Still Needs Good Service
Technology gets a lot of attention in this business, but the technology isn’t the only part that matters to me. The experience of working with the media company matters too.
I believe clients should know where things stand. I make a point of communicating throughout the process so there isn’t a question about what is happening or when the finished media will be available.
Speed is part of that as well. When needed, photography can be turned around within 24 hours, and a full package can be completed within 48 hours. We can also typically be at a property with about three days’ notice, depending on the circumstances.
For me, the goal is to make the process straightforward. The agent has a listing to market, and the media should be one part of that process that feels organized and dependable.
The Point of All This Is Understanding the Property
One thing I took away from the conversation with Lisa is that there are a lot of ways to talk about real estate media. There are cameras, drones, 3D technology, floor plans, video and digital delivery, but I don’t think the technology itself should be the focus.
The focus should be what the technology allows someone to understand.
A photograph can give you a sense of a room. A video can help you experience movement through the home. A 3D tour can let you explore the property yourself, while a floor plan can help you understand the overall layout. Aerial media can show you the property from a perspective you simply can’t get from the ground.
Put those pieces together thoughtfully, and you’re giving a buyer a much more complete picture of the property.
I’m grateful to Lisa for taking the time to have the conversation with me at Elevate. It was a lot of fun, and it gave me a good excuse to step back and think about why I enjoy this side of the real estate business in the first place.
If you’re an agent in Nassau County, Suffolk County or elsewhere on Long Island and you’re thinking about how to present your next listing, I’m always happy to talk through what combination of media makes sense for the property.