There is a difference between a video that looks pretty and a video that sells. The former collects likes, the latter generates showings and offers. Scripts sit at the center of that difference. They keep the story tight, match visuals to customer intent, and give the camera a purpose beyond capturing square footage. After two hundred plus shoots with agents across price points and property types, I can tell you this: a strong script doesn’t sound like a script. It guides the viewer’s eye, anticipates objections, and lands a clear next step, all while staying human.
This guide blends strategy with field notes, and includes modular script templates you can adapt to your market. It also folds in production detail, because a good script respects how real estate video, real estate photography, real estate aerial photography, HDR photography, 360 virtual tours, real estate floor plans, and real estate virtual staging work together. A script that follows the camera’s strengths always reads better.
Start with the buyer’s mission, not the property’s features
Watch a dozen listing videos on any MLS feed and you’ll hear the same cadence: “Welcome to 123 Maple Street, a stunning three-bedroom, two-bath…” The agent is narrating a spec sheet. Buyers aren’t memorizing specs. They’re imagining a life: will this cut my commute, will my dog have a yard, will my clients be impressed when they come for dinner. A script that converts cuts straight to those missions.
When I storyboard, I write two sentences before anything else: the viewer’s first worry and their first hope. Everything in the script earns its place by addressing those two threads. This also decides what we film. If the target is a remote worker moving from a city condo, I want a shot sequence that sells quiet, light, and reliable internet infrastructure more than the guest bath.
A few real examples that changed the tone of scripts:
- “I need my teenager to walk to school” led with a stabilized walk from the front door to the crosswalk, and the opening line mentioned the eight-minute walk time. That one cut down questions in the comments and boosted saved searches. “I cook with my mother on Sundays” meant we opened on a wide HDR photography shot of the kitchen from the island, then a close-up of the double oven preheating. The line wasn’t “gourmet kitchen.” It was “two ovens, three generations, and enough counter for twelve pierogies.”
You can hear the difference. It’s human, specific, and persuasive.
Script architecture that earns attention in the first 10 seconds
The opening either hooks or loses. On social feeds, average view duration sits under 10 seconds unless the first line grabs. On MLS, viewers scrub through your timeline in chunks, not in order. So the script should front-load value, then hold rhythm and variety.
Here is the structure I use for most listing videos between 60 and 120 seconds:
- Open with a stake and a scene buyer care about, then name the location and property type in plain language. Avoid clichés like “nestled” or “stunning.” Transition to three proof points that matter for this buyer segment: function, cost of ownership, and lifestyle. Proof is better than adjectives. Close with a direct, simple call to action that matches your platform.
The “proof” stage is where many scripts wobble. Proof sounds like: “2021 roof with transferable warranty,” “average PSEG bill under $140 a month thanks to spray-foam insulation,” “0.4 mile to the Blue Line.” A script that stacks proof points feels crisp even if the music swells.
A word on pacing. Plan for one idea per shot, 3 to 5 seconds each, with a visual that literally shows the line you’re saying. If you mention “south-facing windows,” let the shot flare for half a second as you pan across the light. If you say “dead-end street,” show the street sign and the cul-de-sac. Your script should not argue, it should demonstrate.
Matching your script to different video formats
A listing reel on Instagram reads differently than a YouTube neighborhood guide or a 360 virtual tour. The intent is different, the attention window is different, and the visuals you can control are different.
Short vertical reels under 60 seconds want three tight beats, quick captions, and a single call to action like “DM ‘Maple’ for details.” The script should be voiced with short, punchy lines. Long YouTube videos for relocation audiences earn deeper explanations and neighborhood cutaways. A 360 virtual tour stands on interactivity, but an intro narration of 20 to 30 seconds can frame where to explore and what to look for, especially on mobile where users can get lost.
I track engagement patterns. Vertical reels do best with a first sentence that starts mid-scene: “You’re home seven minutes after your train pulls in.” YouTube performs when the value is stated upfront: “If you’re comparing Elmwood and Brookfield, this bungalow in Elmwood sits within the walk zone for two A-rated schools, and I’ll show you both.”
Drone-heavy videos allow a different script cadence. Real estate aerial photography lets you cover macro context: lot size, setbacks, proximity to parks, and the reality of nearby commercial buildings that street-level photography hides. Let the script lean into that power: “The backyard runs 125 feet to the treeline, and there’s a 20-foot buffer you don’t see from the street.”
Templates you can adapt without sounding like everyone else
These templates are modular. Swap details, adjust lengths, and keep your own voice. The goal isn’t to memorize, it’s to remove friction on shoot day.
60–90 second listing video, suburban single-family
Hook: “You pull into a quiet cul-de-sac, and the porch light clicks on before you reach the steps. 34 Autumn Lane, three beds, two and a half baths, and a fenced quarter-acre in Southbrook.”
Proof point 1, function: “Inside, the floor plan puts the living room and kitchen in line, so conversation stays connected. South-facing windows flood the main level. The HVAC and roof were done in 2021, and the crawlspace has new vapor barrier.”
Proof point 2, cost of ownership: “Average electric runs under $130 a month. The spray-foam in the attic and a smart thermostat do most of the work. Taxes are $7,900 last year, and there’s no HOA.”
Proof point 3, lifestyle: “You’re 0.6 mile to the trailhead at Maple Preserve, five minutes to the Blue Line at Oak Station, and the bus stop sits at the top of the street. The yard holds a full-sun patch for tomatoes and a shaded corner for a hammock.”
Close: “Showings start Friday. Message ‘Autumn’ for details or tap the link to schedule.”
On visuals, I’d map this script to a mix of HDR photography stills for clean kitchen and living room coverage, a slow gimbal pass to show those south-facing windows, and a single aerial pullback to emphasize the cul-de-sac 360 virtual tours services and yard depth. Evening exterior for the porch light moment. Keep b-roll tidy: coffee steaming, thermostat adjustment, a close-up of the 2021 permit sticker to validate.
Urban condo under 60 seconds, high-rise with amenities
Hook: “Morning light, two elevators, and a five-minute walk to the Red Line. Unit 9F at CityView puts you on the quiet side of the building.”
Function: “Open concept, nine-foot ceilings, and a bedroom that fits a king with room to walk. Laundry in unit. Windows face southeast, so you’re warm without the glare.”
Cost and amenities: “HOA covers heat, water, gym, 24-hour door staff, and the rooftop deck. Bike room and parking available.”
Lifestyle: “You’re above a grocer and across from a dog park. Commute, groceries, and green space without crossing a major road.”
Close: “Grab the floor plans and virtual tour via the link, then book a time this week.”
For this one, lean on clean interior shots and tight staging. Real estate virtual staging can help if the unit is empty, but avoid staging that misrepresents scale. The script promises a king bed fit, so show a to-scale layout or an overlay from real estate floor plans on a cutaway shot. If you can, layer a quick 360 virtual tour teaser on stories, then drive to the full tour.
Luxury property above $1.5M, long-form with neighborhood component
Hook: “Privacy without isolation. Five acres tucked behind stone walls, ten minutes to River District dining. Welcome to 18 Hawthorne.”
Architectural proof: “The home is a study in proportion, with custom millwork, a barrel-vaulted entry, and sightlines that pull you through the space. Steel doors open to a bluestone terrace. Every bedroom is en suite. The seller rebuilt the copper gutters in 2022 and resurfaced the driveway last fall.”
Operational proof: “The well produces 8 gallons per minute with a UV filter system. Two new condensers feed the zoned HVAC. There is a generator with automatic transfer for the whole house.”
Lifestyle proof: “Walk the perimeter trail in seven minutes and listen for the creek on the western edge. The office sits away from the main living areas for quiet Zoom calls. Horses allowed under township rules.”
Neighborhood overlay: “From the gate, it’s ten minutes to the farmers market and twelve to the river trail. The property sits outside the floodplain. Public and private school options are within a 15-minute drive.”
Close: “The full film, 360 tour, and detailed floor plans are linked below. Private showings by appointment.”
A luxury script benefits from specificity and restraint. Don’t say “impeccable craftsmanship,” demonstrate it with details and materials. Combine macro drone shots to show the envelope, tight lens work on joinery, and twilight work that flatters stone and metal. Keep the narrator’s voice calm and confident, not hyped.
New construction community, model home plus builder story
Hook: “Space, light, and a floor plan that makes daily life easier. The Alder at Brookside starts at the mid-400s with three elevations and options for a first-floor suite.”
Build trust quickly: “The builder has delivered over 300 homes in the county since 2012, and this community offers Energy Star packages and a 10-year structural warranty.”
Demonstrate the plan: “The mudroom connects to the garage and pantry, so groceries go straight to shelves. The upstairs loft becomes a study or a lounge. Secondary bedrooms hold queen beds without pushing the closet doors.”
Logistics: “Models are open daily. HOA covers snow removal and lawn care. Fiber internet runs to every lot.”
Close: “Download floor plans, a price sheet, and a 360 tour of the model. Then schedule your lot walk.”
When scripting new builds, buyers crave clarity about what’s standard versus upgrade. Use lower thirds or voice tags to label upgrades honestly. If you use real estate virtual staging in pre-completion phases, partner it with a site walk using real estate aerial photography to show orientation, setbacks, and phase timelines.
How visuals and script work together, and how to avoid mismatches
The fastest way to lose trust is to say one thing and show another. A script that mentions tall ceilings, followed by a shot on a wide lens that distorts the lines, reads as cheating. A line about “quiet street,” cut with music loud enough to drown out a passing truck, doesn’t do the job. Script to your lenses and your light.
HDR photography is a tool, not a style. It rescues dynamic range, especially in rooms with banks of windows. In video, overbaked HDR leaves halos and a plasticky feel that subtle viewers spot. If you need the view out a window in a single take, plan your exposure and set your line to reference the view: “From this sink, you see the eastern ridge,” then rack focus to the ridgeline for half a beat.
Real estate aerial photography buys you geography. Use it at the top or to transition between zones: from home to park, from yard to downtown skyline, from cul-de-sac to the school field. Keep drone lines slow and intentional. Write to the move. “Here’s your walk to the station,” then follow the sidewalk from 200 feet up, dropping as you reach the platform.
360 virtual tours work best when your script gives wayfinding cues. “Start in the foyer, then look right for the pocket office behind the barn door.” Users in VR often miss side rooms. A quick voice intro or a guide overlay keeps people from quitting early.
Real estate floor plans shouldn’t be a throwaway PDF. Pull a still of the plan and overlay a dot showing where the camera is. When you say, “Main level flows in a circle, perfect for circulation at parties,” cut to the plan and animate a loop, then show the loop walk. People can forgive a small primary suite if the circulation is brilliant, but they need to see it in plan and experience.
Real estate virtual staging is a bridge, not a crutch. If the room is tight, staging with undersized furniture will backfire at showings. Script around the real dimensions. “This is a twelve-by-ten second bedroom. It fits a full bed and a small desk. We’ve staged it that way so you can feel the scale.” Credibility sells faster than exaggeration.
Narration, captions, and music: where your words live
A script isn’t always a voice-over. Sometimes captions do the job better, especially in noisy feeds. I aim for voice-over when the story has momentum or nuance that benefits from tone. I choose captions for discrete, scannable facts and for platform-specific needs.
Do not overload either. In voice-over, write for breath and edit for beats. A sentence like “South-facing windows bring in winter sun, and the overhang keeps summer glare out” lands in four seconds and asks for a shot that makes the physics visible. In captions, favor two-line blocks with no more than five words per line. “2021 roof, warranty transfers” reads at a glance.
Music can either energize or distract. Real estate video works with tracks that sit under 85 BPM for luxury and under 110 BPM for modern urban spaces, but the main rule is dynamics. Leave room for your voice. If your music ramps during the drone shot, write a silent beat in the script for a visual moment, then bring back the voice as you drop into the interior.
Handling tricky properties without overselling
Every agent eventually lists a house with an awkward floor plan, a busy road, or a tiny yard. A script that avoids the issue feels slippery. Address it, then redirect to a buyer that fits. For a home on a busier street, I might script, “Yes, Oak Avenue carries traffic. The upside is you’re two turns from the highway and you get a deeper lot than side streets offer.” Then show a backyard that actually invites use, not a patch of grass shot with a long lens.
If a layout’s choppy, explain how to live in it. “This isn’t an open box. Front rooms give you separation for work, music, or a library, then the kitchen gathers everyone with light from three sides.” The right buyer will nod. The wrong buyer would have bounced anyway.
A small kitchen can’t be made big by staging, but it can be made efficient. Script to workflow: “You can pivot from sink to range in one step, with storage up to the ceiling.” Then film at working height, not from the doorway. Small rooms look smaller when shot from far away.
Agent on camera or voice-over only?
This choice affects your script shape. An agent on camera brings trust and personality. It also adds risk: stumbles, time on set, and the need for B-roll to cover cuts. When we put an agent on camera, I like a cold open for 4 to 6 seconds that sets scene, then the agent enters frame with a single line, and we move to voice-over from there. The script should give them one crisp sentence to land, not a paragraph.
Voice-over only lets the property be the star. It tends to outperform for relocation buyers who care about facts more than faces. If you choose VO, keep warmth in the script. Replace “boasts,” “features,” and “amenities” with what those features do for the buyer.
Scripting with the crew in mind
A good script saves time on set and in post. It also helps the real estate photographer, videographer, and editor line up their shots. I write scripts in blocks tied to shot numbers. Each block carries the line, the shot plan, and the audio note. On a typical 90-second video, we’ll have 18 to 24 shots, including two to three drone passes.
Sample segment note:
- Line: “From the sink, you catch sunrise over the ridge.” Shot: Interior, 24mm on gimbal, slow push to window. White balance locked. Drop exposure as you cross the sill. Audio: VO after capture. Natural kitchen sound at -18 dB under track for realism.
When HDR photography stills are part of the deliverable, the script marks where we’ll hold for them. “We’ll park on this line for the still,” then continue VO with motion shots. If you try to cover every line with motion, your editor loses clean shots for the website gallery. The best packages integrate video, stills, and floor plans so the buyer gets a complete mental model.
Calls to action that respect the platform
Platform matters. On Instagram, the call to action should be native and conversational: “DM ‘Hawthorne’ and I’ll send the full tour.” On YouTube, the link can point to floor plans, and the verbal CTA can be a direct ask for a viewing: “Use the link in the description to grab the 360 tour and book your time.” On Zillow or Redfin, your video description fuels SEO, and your CTA should match: “See documents tab for utility averages, survey, and real estate floor plans.”
Be precise about the next step. If you can remove friction with a calendaring link, say so. If the property needs proof of funds before showings, explain it briefly without sounding harsh.
A production checklist to tighten your script-to-screen pipeline
Here’s a compact, practical list we use to keep scripts honest and visuals aligned.
- Buyer profile and mission: written in one sentence. Script must answer it. Proof points collected: roof, windows, HVAC dates, utility averages, HOA scope, school zoning, transit details, walk times, lot dimensions. Visual anchors: three to five must-show moments that match the lines. Floor plan overlay: confirm measurement and orientation, prep one cutaway with camera position. Compliance and truthfulness: check HOA rules, school boundaries, and disclosures. Adjust lines if anything is uncertain.
This list keeps the project tight without strangling creativity. It also reduces re-edit requests from clients who remember after the fact that the stove is induction or that the backyard shed is excluded.
Tone, diction, and the words that quietly weaken your script
A script that converts avoids fluff and realtorese. Flag these words in your drafts: boasts, nestled, turnkey, exquisite, stunning, entertainer’s dream. They’ve been sanded smooth by overuse and they don’t carry meaning anymore. Replace with specifics. “Turnkey” can become “painted last year, floors refinished, and all appliances under three years old.” “Entertainer’s dream” becomes “the dining room holds a ten-foot table, and the patio seats eight without squeezing.”
Avoid making the viewer do math. Convert distances to walk times where relevant. Replace “0.2 acre” with “about 70 feet of backyard depth,” unless lot size is a selling point. If the school is “rated 9,” say who rated it or just say “A-rated” and offer a source in the description. When uncertain, give ranges: “Electric bills run in the 120 to 160 range most months.”
Keep sentences varied. Too many short sentences feel clipped. Too many long ones lose breath. Read the script aloud. If you trip, the viewer will too.
Integrating data without turning into a spreadsheet
Data sells when it answers unspoken questions. You can include two or three numbers without losing emotion. I often use utility averages and walk times. Tax numbers need context. “Taxes are $9,400” lands differently depending on county norms. A better line: “Taxes were $9,400 last year, in line with the neighborhood, and there’s a homestead exemption available.”
For condos, HOA coverage matters more than the fee itself. “HOA runs $485 and covers heat, water, trash, door staff, gym, and the roof reserve.” Buyers can now compare apples to apples.
If a property includes something unusual like solar, script the operational result, not the installation year. “South-facing array, average bill under $40 from April through October.” Then add “installed 2019” in captions or description for the detail-oriented.
Common pitfalls and how to adjust on the fly
Sometimes the weather turns, the stager is late, or the neighbor decides to mow during your best take. Scripts need flexibility. Write alternates for three lines you know might be compromised. If the view is fogged in, shift your hook from the ridge to the fireplace or the block’s tree canopy.
Watch for echo and flutter in empty rooms. If you’re recording VO on site, dampen with blankets or record in a car. Do not force lines that require silence if you cannot control it. Record them as VO later and cover with b-roll.
Twilight shoots are gorgeous, but they compress time. If you have ten minutes of perfect sky, script a sequence that hits exterior, terrace, and pool without moving lights. HDR photography will help with interior twilights, but be honest with your editor about what you can deliver. If the interior looks muddy at dusk, save it for daylight.
How photos, floor plans, and tours lift the script beyond the video
Even the best video is one modality. The buyer who loves motion might still want precise dimensions or an interactive path through rooms. Add the other assets and point to them on screen. A line like “Grab the real estate floor plans in the description” does more than offload detail. It reassures the viewer that you aren’t hiding anything. The same with 360 virtual tours. “Walk the house room by room,” paired with a five-second screen recording of the tour, lifts engagement rates double digits.
For out-of-town buyers, I include a downloadable pack: floor plans, property disclosure, utility summaries, and a map with key locations drawn. The script can allude to it briefly. “There’s a buyers’ pack linked with everything you’ll want for a serious look.”
A word on budgets and ROI
You don’t need a Hollywood budget to make a video that converts. You do need clarity and discipline. A 90-second video with a focused script, solid real estate photography, two or three drone shots, and clean cuts will outpace a five-minute wander with music and adjectives. If you can add a 360 virtual tour for properties likely to draw relocation traffic, the ROI is strong. Real estate aerial photography is a must for large lots, waterfront, and neighborhoods where context is a selling point, less critical for condos without views.
HDR photography earns its keep on high-contrast interiors and makes your website gallery pop. Real estate virtual staging is worth it for vacant properties where scale is ambiguous. Real estate floor plans are non-negotiable in markets where buyers have choice. The script should harmonize all of these, not fight them.
Bringing it all together: a live example
A Tudor in a close-in suburb came to market last year. The agent’s first draft read like a brochure: “This charming home features…” We reframed around the buyer’s mission: city access without city noise, and a yard for a dog. The final script opened on the agent walking from the front door to the edge of the yard with a tennis ball, then cutting to a drone shot showing the two-block distance to the commuter rail.
We swapped “charm” for details: leaded glass that had been retrofitted with insulated panels, copper downspouts repaired in 2018, and a finished attic that made a perfect WFH space with a door. We recorded utility averages and put them on screen for two seconds each. We included a 360 virtual tour because we expected relocation eyeballs, and we added real estate floor plans with a highlighted attic to show headroom.
The video ran 92 seconds. It generated 63 direct inquiries in three days, and the first weekend booked out. Three offers arrived, one from a buyer who had not seen the home in person before offering but had studied the tour and floor plan. The seller accepted a number 4 percent above list with clean terms. The agent didn’t spend more than usual on production; they spent more attention on the script.
That’s the value. A good script carries the viewer across the threshold and into a decision. It respects their time, speaks their language, and uses the tools we have - real estate video, stills, drone, HDR photography, 360 virtual tours, floor plans, and virtual staging - with purpose. You don’t need to become a filmmaker to write scripts that convert. You just need to think like the buyer, prove what matters, and let the visuals do the talking whenever possible.