Jeanette, Thanks for giving us a great idea! Are these actual videos you send to customers? I work with getting people to rent cabins site unseen and struggle to get them to understand what they are looking at renting. Many times they come back and say they didn't realize that it was so nice. How many people don't realize too, and move on to another property? Thanks for the inspiration!

I've done this a couple of times. Along with a video or extreme amount of pics, I insist on a home inspection! I'll also re-measure rooms and send a list of any needed repairs that I notice with close up pics of whatever it is that needs repaired. Even then, it still makes me a little nervous.

Jeannette...My only experience selling to someone site unseen was bad. I showed it to the daughter and she was buying it for the parents. The parents showed up a month later unannounced and went over to the house, and walked around the outside. The owners were inside taking a shower. Everybody got upset, and the sale did not go through. The parents came in the office and created a firestorm. I think the video is a good idea...could have been edited. A home inspection would have been a good idea. all these things are good but they still need to see it. Jerry Gray CRB,CRS / Prudential Carolinas Realty / Winston Salem, NC

Jeannette - I started real estate back when dinosaurs roamed and there was no computerized MLS. At that time agents had to take Polaroid photos of the homes they had to sell. There was only a photo of the front of the house on the MLS tear sheet. I remember thinking it would be so much nicer if we could put photos of the inside of the house. The first condo I sold sight unseen was recorded on a video tape and the bulky cassette was FedEx'd to the buyer. When digital cameras first came out, I purchased this huge ( by today's standards) camera and proceed to sell yet another condo. I have since sold other properties via digital camera. I think the key to this is meeting the people in person and letting them get to know you. I have had buyers tell me, "Just e-mail me your photos and if you think I should write and offer I will." I am currently in the process of trying to find MY BROTHER a foreclosed home here in Naples via digital photos! - Lynn Wilber, Broker-Associate, GRI, e-PRO/Downing Frye Realty, Inc./Naples,FL

Donna's broker was right being concerned about added liability.  I'm not saying don't do this.  In fact I sold a multi-million dollar commercial property this way several years ago.  However, pictures and videos often don't disclose things like the faint staining on the ceiling or the crack in the foundation, or the slightly musty smell (or that of cigarrette smoke or cat urine).  Just remember to convey any and all details that you notice no matter how trivial they may seem and do it in a way that leaves a record (not by phone, etc.)  Also, third party inspections are absolutely imperative in a situation such as this and I'd be very cautious about recommending vendors of these types of services.  You ARE your buyer's eyes, ears, and nose in this situation.  When they walk into a home after closing and notice ANYTHING that they weren't informed about, guess who's going to hang.

Jeannette I live in a military community and started doing this last year as a service to soldiers who wanted to purchase a home. It's a great tool. This also works well when one spouse is deployed and wants the opinion of the other. I have also utilized virtual tours for the same purpose and just uploaded them to my website. This accomplished two things one the objective letting the client see the home two advertizing my services. Many times when the home is chosen the client will share the tour with friends who may also want to purchase a home upon returning to the States.

I like the idea of taking video when you are the listing agent and I can see how it is helpful for out of town buyers-

A novel approach to get the information to the buyer, great job.

I think as agents, we need to get to know our clients and determine the right course of action for them. For some, videos are a great use of technology and for others it might be a liability. Know your clients and do whats best.  Jeannette, you are on the cutting edge! 

I do a lot of pre-screening for out of town buyers.  I find what is key is to look at a lot of homes with them when you have them present so you can get a feel for their taste and they can figure out exactly what they want.  How many times have you seen a buyer fall in love with a house that is nothing like they told you they wanted?

Great idea to record the videos. Now I just need to go out and buy a videocam.

Jeannette:  We had a client who was living in San Diego and moving to the Denver area for work. They came and looked at homes, found one they liked and wrote a contract with a builder. After they got home they asked us to look at another development so we did, taking pictures, documenting everything and sending it off (didn't think of video taping but like the idea). In the end they went with the first home, but it was a good exercise.

That's great service - and why wouldn't they buy once they have seen the walk through video and decided which home they like the best? If the home inspection comes out favorable, it's a deal! Congratulations on closing them.

I love this, I am going to use this and change the way out of town buyers look for homes in BC forever, thanks so much for sharing a wonderful idea on how to use a tool that has been availble to us for the last 5 years. 

 

Cheers!

I just had to do this for a wife that was out of the country...she loved it because she felt like she was almost with us looking at the property!  Great post!

Question:  In Calif. we cant advertise another brokers listings without permission.  How would taking a video of a property be considered?