Guides for Perth agents and sellers
Listing Media Guides
Plain-English answers to the questions that come up before, during and after a Perth listing shoot — drone rules, staging disclosure, floor plans and light.
These guides cover the four listing-media questions Perth agents and sellers ask us most: whether you can fly your own drone over a listing in WA, what you have to disclose when a photo is virtually staged, whether a listing needs a 2D or a 3D floor plan, and what time of day a house should be photographed. Each one gives the short answer first, then the detail, and links the authority it relies on — CASA for drones, the Australian Consumer Law, the ACCC and Consumer Protection WA for advertising. They are general information, not legal advice.
Start with your question
| Question | Short answer | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Can I fly my own drone over a listing? | Yes, but it is commercial flying: you need CASA operator accreditation, a registered drone and the standard operating conditions. | Drone rules in WA |
| Can drones fly near Perth Airport or Jandakot? | Not under the standard rules — drones over 250 g stay 5.5 km from controlled aerodromes. | Drone rules in WA |
| Do staged photos need a label? | No WA rule sets the wording, but a label on the image itself is the simplest way to keep the overall impression accurate. | Virtual staging disclosure |
| Is a 3D floor plan better than 2D? | Not on its own. Every listing needs the dimensioned 2D plan; 3D is an add-on for spaces buyers struggle to picture. | 2D vs 3D floor plans |
| What time should the shoot be? | When the sun is on the front of the house: mid-morning for east-facing, mid-afternoon for west-facing. | Best time to shoot a house |
The guides
Drone rules for real estate in WA
Flying a drone to photograph a property for sale or lease is commercial use under CASA rules, even with a small drone. The guide covers operator accreditation and registration, the standard operating conditions (daylight, line of sight, below 120 metres, 30 metres from people), the airport no-fly zones around Perth Airport, Jandakot and RAAF Base Pearce, neighbours and privacy, and what to ask a drone operator before you book.
Virtual staging disclosure
Virtual staging is legal in WA, but a staged or edited photo is still a representation about the property. The guide explains how the Australian Consumer Law and the WA agents’ Code of Conduct apply, why the ACCC says fine print can’t contradict the main message, the difference between staging a room and changing the property, and practical labelling rules.
2D vs 3D floor plans
What each kind of plan tells a buyer, when a 3D plan earns its place (off-the-plan, empty homes, apartments, unusual layouts), when a site plan matters more than either, and why every marketing plan should say what its area includes and carry a matching disclaimer. Includes a side-by-side comparison and Baker’s pricing and turnaround.
Best time to photograph a house in Perth
An interactive sun planner: pick the direction the house faces and a date, and see when Perth’s sun reaches the front and the backyard, plus the twilight window. It also covers which shots need which time of day, how summer and winter light differ in Perth, what happens in bad weather and how to get the house ready for its time slot.
Where each guide fits in a listing
Most of these questions come up at a predictable point in a campaign, so it helps to read them in order.
Before you book. Decide what the listing needs. If the block, the outlook or the distance to the beach is part of the story, you want aerials — and if you were thinking of flying them yourself, the drone rules guide sets out what CASA requires and where Perth’s airport zones rule a flight out. Then pick a time: the sun planner shows when the front of the house is lit, which matters most for west- and south-facing homes. A twilight shot is booked around sunset, which moves by about two hours between winter and summer in Perth.
On shoot day. The house only gets one shoot, so preparation counts. The best-time guide ends with a prep checklist. If the property is tenanted, the rental photography page explains the notice and entry rules that apply in WA and the tenant’s say over advertising photos, with links to Consumer Protection WA.
After the shoot. Two decisions follow the photos. If an empty room is going to be staged, or a photo edited beyond normal colour and exposure correction, read the disclosure guide before it goes on a portal. And when the floor plan is ordered, the 2D vs 3D guide helps you decide whether a 3D plan or a site plan is worth adding.
How these guides are written
Each guide starts from the primary source rather than another photographer’s blog. Drone rules come from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which regulates drone flying in WA. Advertising and disclosure come from the Australian Consumer Law, ACCC guidance, the WA Code of Conduct for agents and Consumer Protection WA. Sources are listed at the bottom of each guide so you can check them yourself.
Where a guide gives a Baker price, it matches our pricing page. Where we could not find a rule — for example, published REIWA guidance specifically on virtual staging — the guide says so rather than guessing. The regulatory guides carry a “current as at” date; rules change, so for a specific campaign check the source, your licensee or REIWA.
Guides — common questions
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