On Centris, a buyer scrolls through dozens of listings before opening just one. What makes them click, and then call, is the quality of what they see. HDR photos, drone footage, floor plans, 3D plans, videos, Matterport virtual tours: each medium has a specific role, a cost, and a point at which it truly pays off.
This guide is for real estate brokers and agents in Greater Montreal who want to know what to order, for which property, and at what price. It is based on more than 1,000 captures carried out by Panosphere 360 since 2015.
In short: which medium for which need?
Medium
Main role
Starting price
Ideal for
HDR photo
First impression on Centris
$250 (25 photos)
All listings
Drone photo
Ground, roof, environment
Depends on the project
Houses with land, cottages, waterfront
2D floor plan
Understanding the layout of the rooms
Included with the 3D tour
Condos, plexes, multi-storey houses
Real estate video
Emotion, social media
Quote on request
Luxury properties, new developments
Matterport 3D virtual tour
24/7 self-guided tour, 3D view, measurements
$395 (up to 1,500 sq ft)
Houses, duplexes, out-of-region buyers
The prices listed above are Panosphere 360's prices at the time this guide was published. Each package is detailed below.
1. HDR real estate photography: the foundation of any listing
The photo remains the first point of contact between the buyer and the property. It's what appears in Centris search results, on social media and in your mailings. If it's dark or poorly framed, no one will ever look at the rest of your marketing.
The HDR technique (High Dynamic Range) combines several exposures of the same scene. The result: the room is well lit and the view through the window stays visible, instead of a large white rectangle. This is the most noticeable difference between a cell phone photo and a professional photo.
HDR photo: the interior is bright and the view to the outside remains clear.
What a professional session adds:
- A wide-angle lens that shows volumes without distorting walls.
- Straight vertical lines, a consistent framing from one room to the next.
- A sky replaced when the weather doesn't cooperate.
- Full retouching, delivered within one business day in most cases.
On site, allow 30 minutes to 1 hour. Our packages range from $250 (25 photos, small property) to $350 (45 photos, large property), plus taxes. Full details are on our real estate photographer in Montreal page.
2. Drone photography: what you can't see from the sidewalk
Some properties sell as much for their land as for their interior. A swimming pool, a large lot, water access, a park at the end of the street: from above, the buyer grasps in a single image what a paragraph cannot describe.
Drones are particularly useful for houses on large lots, cottages, waterfront properties, and buildings where you want to showcase the roof or parking lot. The price of aerial photos depends on the project: it is confirmed in the quote.
One important point to remember: around Montreal, a large portion of the airspace is controlled (Dorval and Saint-Hubert airports, among others). Always hire a pilot certified by Transport Canada.
3. Floor plan and 3D plan: the number one question from buyers
"Does my sofa fit in the living room?" "Is the master bedroom on the same floor as the children's rooms?" Photos don't answer these questions. A floor plan does.
The floor plan is produced from the Matterport 3D scan of the property. It is accurate to within 1 or 2%, delivered within 2 business days, with a PNG and SVG file per floor and a PDF that includes all floors. It is included with the 3D tour, covering all floors; additional 2D floor plans cost $100.
Many buyers are also looking for a "3D plan". The Matterport tour includes a model view (dollhouse) that shows the entire house in three dimensions, floor by floor. Combined with the 2D plan, it's the clearest tool for understanding a property remotely. See how we produce the 2D floor plan from the 3D scan.
Note: this plan is a marketing tool. For the area stated on the listing sheet or in an offer, refer to recognized measurement standards and official documents, such as the certificate of location.
4. Real estate video: emotion and social media
Photography informs; video stirs emotion. Camera movements, lighting, and music convey an atmosphere that no series of photos can. It's also the format that circulates best on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Video pays off mostly for high-end properties, new developments and listings where location is a key selling point. It also builds your personal brand: a well-crafted video shows your next seller the care you put into your marketing.
Video is quoted on request: indoor and outdoor footage with professional editing, with or without 4K drone footage. Examples and details are on our professional real estate video page.
5. Virtual tours for real estate agents: Matterport 3D
The Matterport virtual tour is a complete 3D model of the property, captured with a LiDAR camera (we use the Matterport Pro3). The buyer can move freely through it, room by room, as if they were actually there. They can switch to a model view, take measurements, and even use a virtual reality headset.
For a broker, the advantages are tangible:
- Better-qualified visits. A buyer who asks to see the property has already explored it online. Less unnecessary travel for you and your sellers.
- Remote buyers. People moving from another city, investors, families abroad: they can move forward without travelling.
- A self-guided tour open 24 hours a day. The link is added to your Centris listing and can be shared by email or text message.
- A selling point for winning listings. Showing a 3D tour during your listing presentation to the seller sets you apart from other brokers.
The price depends on the floor area:
Area
360 Photos
Price
Up to 1,500 sq ft
up to 50
$395
1,501 to 2,500 sq ft
up to 75
$495
2,501 to 3,500 sq ft
up to 100
$595
3,501 to 4,500 sq ft
up to 100
$695
4,501 to 5,500 sq ft
up to 150
$795
5,501 to 6,500 sq ft
up to 150
$895
6,501 to 7,500 sq ft
up to 150
$995
7,501 to 8,500 sq ft
up to 200
$1,095
8,501 to 9,500 sq ft
up to 200
$1,195
9,501 to 10,500 sq ft
—
$1,295
Over 10,500 sq ft, you receive a written quote within 24 hours. One year of Matterport hosting is included. Google options and pricing are in the complete virtual tour price list. For examples and all the features, visit our real estate virtual tour page.
6. Free or do-it-yourself virtual tours: a good idea?
There are mobile apps and consumer-grade 360 cameras that allow you to create your own virtual tour. Some platforms even offer a free plan. For rental properties, or to test the concept, they can be useful.
For a listing for sale, the calculation changes:
- Time. A capture takes 1 to 3 hours on site depending on the floor area, not counting training and retakes. That's time you're not spending with your clients.
- Quality. Without a LiDAR sensor, rooms are stitched together less precisely and the measurements are less reliable. There is no usable floor plan either.
- The limitations of free plans. They generally limit the number of tours online at the same time and the available features.
- Your image. The buyer doesn't know who made the tour, but they can see if it's blurry, dark or poorly stitched. So can the seller.
In short: DIY is fine for small jobs and trials. For a property where you want to get the best price, a professional capture quickly pays for itself.
Winning combinations by property type
Property
Recommended combo
Why
Condo
HDR photos + floor plan (+ 3D tour)
The buyer compares similar units: the layout makes the difference.
Single-family home
HDR photos + 3D tour + floor plan
The trio that answers most questions before the visit.
Plex or income property
3D tour + floor plan of each unit + HDR photos
Investors analyze remotely, often before traveling.
Prestige, chalet, waterfront
HDR photos + drone + video + 3D tour
The land and surrounding environment are part of the price.
Commercial premises or office
3D tour + floor plan
The prospective tenant approves the layout before visiting.
For commercial real estate, our Matterport 3D virtual tour in Montreal is useful to both brokers and property managers. A concrete example: 3D scan of an office space at 4200 Saint-Laurent.
Preparing for the session: the broker's list
- Combine everything into a single visit. Photos, 3D scan and drone on the same day: your sellers are disturbed only once.
- Turn on all the lights and open the blinds, even in broad daylight.
- Clear the counters and put away personal items (family photos, mail, medication).
- Clear the driveway: cars, garbage bins and toys out of the frame.
- For 3D scanning: open the interior doors, keep pets outside and make sure no one moves around the rooms during the capture.
- Plan the time: 30 to 60 minutes for photos, 1 to 3 hours for a scan depending on the floor area.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a virtual tour cost for a property listing?
At Panosphere 360, a Matterport 3D tour starts at $395 for a property of 1,500 sq ft or less, with one year of hosting included. The price then increases with the size of the property.
Does a virtual tour replace photos?
No. Photos are still what the buyer sees first on Centris. The 3D tour comes later, when they want to know more. The two complement each other.
Is the floor plan accurate enough to indicate the area?
It is accurate to within 1 or 2%, which is more than sufficient for marketing purposes. For an official area measurement, rely on recognized measurement standards and the property's legal documents.
How long does the session last?
Photos take 30 minutes to 1 hour, and a 3D scan takes 1 to 3 hours depending on the floor area. When everything is done on the same day, your sellers are disturbed only once.
Which regions do you serve?
Montreal, Laval, the South Shore and the North Shore, with no travel fees. Elsewhere in Quebec, fees apply depending on the distance.
Where to begin?
If you could only choose one medium, go for the HDR photos. If you can choose two, add the 3D tour with the floor plan: this combination answers the most questions even before the first visit.
Have a new listing coming up? Call us at 514 262-9248 or book your session online.