Novacut

How to edit real estate video: 7 decisions that matter

Updated

Editing real estate video comes down to seven decisions: room order, clip length, which facts go on screen, typography, color, music, and versions. Get those right and a phone-shot listing looks professional. Below is what to do for each, with the exact words we used to have Novacut make each decision from a listing's MLS description.

Seven walkthrough clips and an MLS description became a beat-synced listing video. Sped up. Phone-size version.

1. Room order

Exterior, entry, living, kitchen, dining, bedrooms, baths, outdoor: the way a buyer walks. "Open on the exterior… use each clip only once."

2. Clip length

3–5 seconds per shot for a 30–60 second video; let the best room (usually the kitchen or the view) run longer. Cut before a slow movement ends; never cut mid-pan to a wall.

3. Facts on the right rooms

One or two per room, only what the shot shows. Paste the MLS description and ask for "one or two facts from the description, but only facts the shot actually shows". Novacut put "Island with stools · hanging range hood" on the kitchen and "Fireplace · wood floors" on the living room, and left the Miele appliances and spa bath off screen because no clip showed them. Keep Fair Housing in mind: describe the property, not the buyer.

4. Typography

Two typefaces at most: one for names and the address, one small and widely spaced for facts. "The address and room names in an elegant serif, the facts in small, widely spaced capitals." Novacut chose Playfair Display with small, spaced Inter capitals. More on the listing edit →

5. Color and stabilization

Match warm and cool rooms so the house looks consistent; brighten dark corners; stabilize handheld clips. "Match the color of the interior shots and brighten the darker ones." · "Stabilize the hallway shot."

6. Music on the beat

An elegant, upbeat track around 100–120 BPM for most homes; cuts on the downbeats. Every cut in our example landed on the beat of a 115 BPM track. Music guide →

7. Branding and versions

  • "Design a simple Maple Realty logo and keep it small in the bottom-right corner… end on an agent card."
  • "The price just dropped to $2,295,000."
  • "Add an 'Open house · Saturday 1–4 PM' banner over the first 5 seconds."
  • "Make a 30-second vertical version for Instagram Reels."
  • An unbranded copy for the MLS. MLS rules →

FAQ

Can I still edit on a timeline?

Yes. Everything lands on a normal timeline you can adjust by hand, and you can export to Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve or Final Cut.

What if a label is wrong?

Say so: "Change the lounge's label to 'Den · office or lounge'." One message changes one label and leaves the rest of the edit alone.

Should I use transitions between rooms?

Mostly straight cuts on the beat. An occasional dissolve between floors or from inside to outside is fine; flashy transitions look dated.

What resolution should I export?

1080p is enough for listing pages, the MLS and social; export 4K only if your footage is 4K and your site supports it.

Sources: HUD fair housing advertising guidance. Checked October 2026.

Footage: Kindel Media on Pexels (Pexels License). Address, price, listing text and agent are fictional.

Related guides