1. Separate the condo into four evidence layers
A detached-home video usually follows one property boundary. A condo campaign can combine a private unit, limited-use areas, shared building spaces, and surrounding context. Those layers may look continuous on screen even when their ownership, access, source, or marketing status differs. Name the layer before choosing the scene.
| Layer | Possible media | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Private unit | Interior rooms, unit entrance, balcony or terrace, in-unit systems and finishes | Does the scene show the actual listed unit in its current marketed condition? |
| Assigned or limited-use feature | Parking, storage, patio, roof area, elevator landing, or other identified space | What is the exact legal or association-approved relationship to this unit? |
| Shared building or community | Lobby, halls, gym, pool, roof deck, lounge, grounds, entry, and exterior | Is the media authorized, current, and presented as shared rather than private? |
| Area context | Map, streetscape, transit, business, park, skyline, or other off-property media | Is the source licensed and the location claim objective, current, and relevant? |
Use a visual transition, label, or narration change when the edit moves between layers. Do not cut from a unit doorway into an amenity in a way that suggests the amenity is inside the unit, or from a balcony to a view that was captured from another floor or location.
2. Complete one condo video source sheet
Assemble the current listing record, seller-approved information, association or building materials where applicable, media licenses, and brokerage instructions before scripting. The source sheet is an editorial control: it tells the team which claims may appear and which questions must stay out of the video until resolved.
Unit identity: [address / unit / listing ID / property type]
Current listing facts: [price / beds / baths / area / source / checked date]
Unit features: [feature / source / actual photo or footage / approver]
Outdoor space: [private / assigned / common / access / source]
Parking: [deeded / assigned / leased / available / other / authoritative source]
Storage: [location / relationship to unit / source / whether photographed]
Association fee: [amount / period / effective date / source / approved wording]
Fee inclusions: [item / governing source / checked date]
Amenities: [name / current availability / access / photo source / permission]
Rules worth directing viewers to: [current document / neutral next step]
View claim: [actual capture point / direction / permanence not implied]
Media restrictions: [building / seller / photographer / resident privacy]
Required identity: [brokerage / agent / equal-housing / other approved elements]
Update owner: [person / review triggers / public removal path]
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau notes that condo or HOA dues are usually separate from the mortgage payment. That makes the current amount and what it includes useful buyer context, but the marketing copy should come from the responsible transaction source—not a remembered number or a prior listing. Review the CFPB's condo and HOA dues explanation as general consumer context, then verify the actual property documents.
3. Choose one viewer job before choosing the opening
“Tour the condo” is still too broad. Decide what the video should make easier to understand, then give the strongest supporting evidence the most time. A unit-overview master and a building-amenity short can share sources while remaining separate assets.
| Viewer job | Lead with | Keep secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Understand the unit | Main living relationship, room route, private outdoor space, and material features | Generic lifestyle montage and repetitive amenity scenes |
| Understand a defining view | The real unit view plus enough interior context to identify its relationship | Unverified view labels, other-floor media, or permanence claims |
| Explain building access and amenities | Authorized entry, circulation, and a small set of relevant shared spaces | Every room in the amenity package or access assumptions |
| Promote a launch or open house | Recognizable unit scene, current event record, and one attendance action | Dense fee, rule, or building-document explanations |
4. Plan the unit and building media separately
Give the photographer, videographer, or editor two labeled lists. This prevents the building package from crowding out basic unit coverage and makes permission gaps visible before the production deadline.
Private-unit coverage
- One truthful lead view that still works at small size.
- Unit entrance or enough context to begin the interior route.
- Main living, kitchen, and dining relationships before close details.
- Bedrooms, baths, office, laundry, and storage in a logical order.
- Private or unit-specific outdoor space identified accurately.
- Views captured from the actual unit and associated with the correct room or outdoor space.
- Parking or storage media only when access, privacy, and the unit relationship are approved.
- A deliberate closing frame that belongs to the actual property story.
Shared-building coverage
- Exterior and arrival media that identifies the correct building without exposing avoidable private information.
- Common circulation only when it helps explain access and the building permits capture and use.
- Amenities selected by relevance and current condition—not simply because photos exist.
- People, artwork, screens, access controls, unit numbers, license plates, and resident activity reviewed for privacy and rights.
- Media ownership and campaign destinations documented for photographer, association, developer, or management-supplied assets.
When continuous circulation from the street to the unit is essential, new on-site footage may be the right source. When approved listing photos already answer the unit questions, use the real estate photo-to-video workflow and avoid inventing a continuous walk through unphotographed common areas.
5. Build a unit-first condo video sequence
The sequence below is a starting point for a concise primary listing video. Move a genuine signature view or terrace earlier when it is the strongest property-specific promise, then return to an understandable interior route.
| Beat | Visual job | Copy job |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Identify | Actual unit lead image, defining view, or approved building-and-unit context | Name the property and one visible reason to continue |
| 2. Establish | Main living wide and its real connection to kitchen or dining | Describe the visible layout rather than a generic lifestyle |
| 3. Prove | Two or three distinctive unit features in spatial order | Use only current facts that add meaning to the pictures |
| 4. Complete | Primary suite, supporting room, storage, or private outdoor space | Complete the unit story before leaving private space |
| 5. Widen | Clearly marked exterior or one to three authorized shared amenities | State the shared context and avoid ownership ambiguity |
| 6. Act | Strong unit or building close with readable identity | Give one current next step and maintained destination |
6. Use a unit-first script
Replace every bracket from the source sheet. Keep fee and rule detail on the current property page or in the appropriate transaction materials when the short video cannot carry enough context. The narration can direct viewers to current details without pretending to replace them.
30-second unit overview
[Property identity] opens with [visible defining feature].
Inside, [main living relationship supported by the scene], followed by [verified unit feature] and [verified unit feature].
The home also includes [accurately characterized outdoor space, parking, storage, or other unit-specific feature].
Shared building features include [one or two current, authorized amenities, clearly described as shared].
[Current CTA] for the latest property details, association information, and showing path.
15-second feature short
See [actual unit feature] at [property identity].
[One sentence connecting the visible feature to the unit layout or view.]
[Current CTA and destination].
Replace vague or risky shortcuts
| Shortcut | Better review question |
|---|---|
| “Private parking” | Is the space deeded, assigned, leased, licensed, available, or otherwise documented? |
| “All utilities included” | Which current fee includes which exact service, according to which source? |
| “Unobstructed views” | What does the actual unit show now, without predicting future conditions? |
| “Perfect for…” | What objective property feature can the video describe instead of profiling a resident? |
| “Full-service building” | Which specific current services matter, and where are they verified? |
NAR's 2026 Code of Ethics says REALTORS® must be honest and truthful and present a true picture in advertising and marketing. Review the current Code of Ethics, applicable law, local MLS rules, brokerage policy, and the fair housing video checklist through the responsible review process.
7. Prepare versions for the actual destinations
| Version | Protect | Verify after publishing |
|---|---|---|
| Property page | Unit-first story, accessible player, current facts, documents route, inquiry action | Correct unit, playback, links, mobile layout, status, response owner |
| MLS or syndication route | Locally permitted link or file, branding state, host, audio, and required fields | Correct listing, player behavior, identity, captions, and portal rendering |
| Vertical social | Unit-identifying first frame, deliberate crop, readable labels, captions, current CTA | UI overlap, cover, sound-off meaning, account identity, and link path |
| Email or agent network | Linked thumbnail, property context, permission, audience, and current destination | Mobile rendering, URL, status, reply path, and tracking |
| Open-house short | Current date, time, access instructions, unit identity, and event action | Event changes, building access, expiration, and removal |
MLS and building rules vary. Confirm the current local process before delivery, and use the MLS video guide plus the branded-versus-unbranded workflow to define each exact file and page.
8. Review and maintain the condo campaign
- Every scene belongs to the advertised unit, an accurately identified shared area, or licensed context.
- The transition from private unit to assigned, limited-use, or common space is clear.
- Association fees, inclusions, rules, amenities, parking, storage, and access claims have current sources.
- Views are captured from the stated location and do not imply guaranteed permanence.
- Media rights and permissions cover the unit, building, residents, artwork, logos, and every destination.
- Generated motion does not alter dimensions, windows, railings, doors, fixtures, views, or room relationships.
- Property language describes the home rather than an imagined or preferred resident.
- Clean, branded, horizontal, and vertical versions use the correct identity and current CTA.
- The published page and player work on mobile with captions, readable text, and a useful fallback.
- An owner can update or remove every placement when price, status, fees, access, amenities, or permissions change.
Approved master: [file / version / date / approver]
Time-sensitive facts: [price / status / fee / access / amenity / event]
Published locations: [property page / MLS path / social / email / ads]
Review triggers: [listing / association / media / permission / destination change]
Monitoring owner: [name / cadence / source]
Correction path: [edit / replace / redirect / remove / archive]
Westby turns approved listing photographs and facts into a cinematic video with generated motion, narration, music, and transitions. It does not add an unseen amenity or verify the association record. If the supported listing photos already tell an accurate unit-first story, create a free listing-specific preview and review the result against this checklist.
Frequently asked questions
What should a condo listing video include?
Show the actual unit first: a useful establishing view, the main living relationship, kitchen, bedrooms, baths, storage, outdoor space, and other material unit features. Add only authorized building exterior and shared-amenity media, label the shift from private to shared space clearly, use verified association facts, and end with one current listing action.
Should condo amenities appear in the listing video?
Include an amenity when the agent has permission to use its media, the current listing record supports the claim, and the scene helps answer a real buyer question. Do not let a pool, gym, roof deck, lobby, parking area, or view dominate the video if its availability, condition, access, or relationship to the unit is unclear.
How long should a condo listing video be?
Set the runtime from the evidence rather than the property label. A compact unit may need only a concise unit-first edit, while a larger residence with clearly documented outdoor space and relevant shared amenities may justify a longer property-page version. Prepare a separate short vertical edit instead of accelerating every room to fit one cut.
Can Westby create a condo video from listing photos?
Yes, when a supported public listing or property submission includes an approved, useful photo set and accurate listing facts. Westby can animate and sequence those photos, but it cannot film missing transitions, prove the building route, add an unseen amenity, or verify association documents for the agent.