You send the raw video (and sometimes photos, music preferences and branding), and they return a finished listing video, usually within a day or two, priced per video or per package.
Who uses them
- Real estate photographers and videographers who'd rather shoot than edit.
- Media companies with more shoots than their in-house editors can handle.
- Agents who film their own footage but don't want to learn editing.
What's usually included
- Shot selection and sequencing.
- Color correction and stabilization.
- Music, transitions and text overlays.
- Branded and unbranded versions.
- Horizontal and vertical exports.
- One or more rounds of revisions.
How to choose a good one
- Look at their portfolio for real estate work specifically.
- Ask about turnaround during busy periods, not just the average.
- Check what counts as a revision and how many are included.
- Confirm they can follow MLS rules for unbranded versions.
- Agree who supplies the music and what the license covers.
- Send a test project before committing volume.
Editing services vs. AI tools: services make the most sense when you have filmed footage and want a human editor's judgment, for luxury listings or cinematic videos. If you're working from listing photos only, AI tools can often produce a finished video in minutes, which removes the wait and the per-video fee for standard listings.
Many photographers use both: a service or their own editing for filmed shoots, and AI for photo-based videos and quick social cuts.