Eye in the sky

Aerial photos become more commonplace

Anyone can photograph a home for sale, but what about an undeveloped 10-acre commercial parcel? To properly showcase many commercial properties, you need an aerial view that accurately represents the land and its surroundings. That’s where satellite images enter the picture.

While not new, satellite images recently have become more comprehensive; industry experts predict most of the U.S. soon will have been photographed. New advances such as stitching, which "knits" different images together to form a continuous picture, have improved the resolution and utility of satellite photographs. And the Internet provides an easy, efficient way to view and acquire the images. Sites like GlobeXplorer (www.globeexplorer.com), Pixxures (www.pixxures.com), and AirPhoto USA (www.airphotousa.com) allow you to search for an image by street address, center the photograph on the section you want, and zoom in and out. If two-dimensional images bore you and your clients, software technology can add hills and valleys to the pictures. AirPhoto USA and Pixxures offer such programs.

Some images are free, but many require payment. However, a small fee pales in comparison to the cost of commissioning a photographer to fly over your property.

Photo © Corbis Images.

Buyers & sellers, visit www.texasrealestate.com.
REALTORS®, visit www.texasrealtors.com.