I have been perusing through properties on the MLS that are marked as "view" properties and I found yet again agents marketing properties as having a view but not a single photo from the ground or house shows any meaningful view. Then the drone shot from a few hundred feet above the property shows this lovely view.
This is unfortunately rather deceptive and buyers may arrange to view the property expecting a view, only to be disappointed that the view is limited to your drone unit buzzing overhead. If you are a buyer and a view is a big part of your selection be sure to ask your agent to verify the house actually has a view if the only view photos in the listing are from a drone.
Agents can get away with a little deception on this issue because a view is highly subjective. Who is really to say what a view is or is not. A lovely view of the neighbors wrecking yard, look at all those lovely fall tones on the rusted metal ;)
As a long time agent specializing in city condos and view properties I always show a picture of the "view" I am pitching. If I say there is a Mount Hood view then by golly there is a Mount Hood view. If it is seasonal then I say seasonal. If it is partially obstructed or peek-a-boo then I say so. Deception is not a good look for an agent but that doesn't stop some from wearing it.
Drone images serve a purpose beyond a view. They show the surrounding area around the listing or in the case of rural acreage an overview of the property that is difficult to show from the ground. So I am not at all opposed to using them in listings. But if the property is listed as having a view, the agents ought to show a photo of that view from the property.
