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Agent Uses Video To Move Properties

Posted by ActiveRain Video on 06/08/2008 04:26 PM

Comments (35)

real estate video

35 Comments on Agent Uses Video To Move Properties

JUN

2008

Ok, I get the point...get a video camera and start making videos now!!!

I'm with Jeremy on that concept, there's no better time than the present.

Video is probably the future of real estate sales, however I could sit through one. I hate the Real Estate Channel and cannot watch it.

I don't doubt this is the new wave of the future. Due to the fact that my time is too important and requires a high dollar amount per hour I am finding I can no longer watch TV. The commercials and wasted time is too much to bare. I love being able to point and click to see the news and information I am specifically interested in.

I believe our Real Estate Industry will be affected as such. A customer will expect a video tour before taking their time for a personal viewing. I don't blame them.

Later in the rain~Deb

Any advice on how to find a person that can do a video tour?

Brett - there are quite a few companies that can do video tours for you, some are costly and some priced competitively, but you might consider a 150.00 video camera and doing some experimenting on your own. If you need help finding someone in your area, let me know, I can show you some sources available on the web.

JUN

2008

I have found that Visual Tour.com has been a very successful marketing tool for me. You can create a video tour or still photo tour. It is very user friendly...has great features. Very economical.

I'd love to see these videos he's paying 500-700 for. Anyone know the name or this agent's website? I can't read the tiny print :-(

Ok, I found it in case anyone else is interested:

http://www.prudentialelliman.com/Listings.aspx?ListingID=985248

I couldn't hear it it kept stopping

I'm not so sure he's on the money. Last year Realtor.com launched video uploads for the Showcase members and I figured it would have taken off like the greatest next best thing, and yet a year later very few videos and even fewer are the # of views by the prospect buyers.

One thing that will be debated until the end of time, is when do we give too much information. People forge the purpose of a visual media is to create interest, not show so much that you eliminate demand. What happened to that age old question "If you don't like this home, do have time for me to show you a few others?" While I am a video proponent, if we are not concious of the fact that we need a video that ends with the prospect in the car and if the video doesn't do that it's not a good video. I don't want my videos to rule out the house, I want it to create enough interest that I get a phone call.

Additionally, I think before everyone runs out to buy a $ 149.00 video camera, you do need to know that his camera man surely had one with professional features, better lenses, and much more. I think for many it's easier to control the lighting on a still photo than video.

I use video to overview my communities, but rarely use it inside the house. I am a realtor in Boca Raton Florida and work for http://www.bocaexecutiverealty.com

Here is a sample of how I use video to increase my prospect calls...to get them in the car. PGA National Homes For Sale

Stevenschafer@att.net

I have been doing online video fr a few months now. I shoot and produce the videos myself. Does not toake a huge investment or budget.

JUN

2008

I just started with video using my Vado. Still learning how to edit and produce. Hollywood, here I come!

Tina in Virginia

I think that Doug has a GREAT point! Video is the future whether you want to believe it or not. It took a while for many to realize the internet would change the way consumers shop, sell, or prospect for real estate listings and agents...I think video is the same.

However, home sellers and buyers do not want just video they want quality too! In addition I think realtors need a tool that, as Doug said, guarantee's them the listing....

Check this out... http://realtytimes.com/newscast/11548TeaTreeLane posted on Realtor.com (if applicable), YouTube, Yahoo & Google video

It is more than a video of the home, but a story on "Why buy THIS house" and it is a great sure way to secure more listings and justify the price and that home over any other home on the market.

You can also use a video newsletter to market your listings as well. Visit www.NorasNews.com

There are many video solutions out there and you should look for quality, professionalism, and affordability

For more information email CMoreno@RealtyTimes.com or support@realtytimes.com

Colleen, Doug Heddings is from NYC and works with Prudential Douglas Elliman. He found his videographer (Teddy) on WellcomeMat and now creates a video for just about every listing. He's a video pioneer that's for sure. Watch their interview on ActiveRain.

James, very good point. Who wants to sit through a whole tour more than once when maany of us are only interested in seeing (at least first) particular parts of the home (bedroom, bathroom, kitched, etc,.). That's why WellcomeMat invented chaptering. Add chapters (scenes) into your videos and click. Anyone can do it, even one of the Co-Founder's Grandmom can add chapters to her videos

Deb, you speak well of video!

Brett, you can find local video pros on WellcomeMat that will shoot, edit and upload a video for you. Post a job to the video production board and local filmmakers will quote your project. You can look at their work and decide who to pick

Steven, Video provides transparency. The more infomation the consumer has, the more likely they are to make the right decision. In time, you would find that video brings in qualified customers that truly have interest in the property. Doug knows all about that. Video of local communities is a great idea. Glad to hear you're doing that! If you have any questions about video, send them my way! That's what I'm here for.

- Mat Man

A video is deifinitely a differeniator and the agents that are showing their clients this kind of marketing are bound to have an advantage. I just bought a new Flip Ultra camera and plan to do some playing with it!

Here is a link to a Tour that is really cool. It is for Standard Pacific Homes.

JUN

2008

I like the concept of video tours... it gives the consumer more than just pictures... I'm going to start doing these and seeing if it increases my business.

Matman- So why would someone pick your company as opposed to posting on googlevideo? How does Welcome Mat get spidered? ....point well taken about qualified buyers.

Dana---Shame on you! Agents get on here to become better agents. Just as I commented that an agent doing their own tour might not be the best marketing, you post a link to one of your own VIRTUAL TOURS not a video. The link you posted to is a Pano Tour, photos stitched together and converted to flash...for shame, I'm pretty sure this discussion is on Video.

JUN

2008

Boca - Good question. First off, I'm just happy to read that more people are at least open to the idea of using video. That puts a smile on my face (of course you'd never know it ;). That said, why WellcomeMat over Google Video, Vimeo, YouTube, etc.? Let's start with the fact that many of these sites don't want your tours. In fact, for a few of the major video sites, posting commercial video (real estate, etc.) is against their Terms of Service. Now there are many reasons why you might choose WellcomeMat (100 percent focused on real estate and local video) over the others but I'm not going to go there on someone else's post. I'll write up a post later as I get asked that wquestion all the time. Short story is this, I'm here to spread the word and show just how effective video can be for your buisness. If the crew over at WellcomeMat builds the best product and continues supporting their members (as they have in the past), the rest will take care of itself. Go Video! p.s. Yes Videos are crawled daily.

JUN

2008

Matman- Certainly Video is here to stay and it will be a good thing, I still want to throw out one last caution to real estate agents. You wouldn't dream of painting your own sign...make sure the quality of the video is in keeping with impression you want to make on someone you've net met before.

Steven

OKAY!!!!!

Videos do work! For those of you, who are interested in making a difference, or a change, please visit www.weuuzit.com. This is a REAL ESTATE ONLY, website, with VIDEO & Still Photo capability. That anyone, including the FSBO's, AGENTS, BROKERS, & BUILDERS..can advertise for FREE, their properties on. I am a real estate broker, and have advertised for FREE, our offices listings on there, with video. Our office also has video on our website. Weuuzit was the only real estate based website out there that I found, for free, that would allow us to advertise our sellers properties, with Video capability along with still photos. For me, shooting the video was the easiest thing to do. I used my SONY Cybershot digital camera. No special or expensive equipment or camcorder required. All though if you have one, use it. My camera has a movie function right on there. I shot 4 or 5 ( 2 minutes only) videos, under 100 mb, and uploaded directly to the website. Like anything else, practice makes perfect. For inside shot, I just made sure I stayed clear of bright windows. Outside videos, I tried to shoot on cloudy days. But you know what, try it yourself. If anyone, wants any help or has any questions, feel free to let me know. It is about time, that with everything else going to video, that the real estate industry did as well. With gas prices, and buyers doing most of their shopping first online, why wouldn't you want to shoot a video? If you can take a picture, you can shoot a video. The sky is the limit... and this industry needs to evolve, let a video say it all. Hooray !!!!

06/11/2008 11:54 AM

by Michele Yeager

JUN

2008

I don't think videos are the thing of the future I think they are here! This is the future.

Have A Great Day

JUN

2008

Unlike Virtual Tours (360 degree tours) or just plain photos video tour delivers multimedia experience to the viewer and demands instant attention. You have flexibility to show your clients your property 24/7 in high definition video at their leisure.

http://www.viamediatours.com

JUL

2008

The most impressive Real Estate Video Tours are available on www.TidewaterVideoTours.com . We are a new company in Virginia Beach, Virginia and we are a Professional Video Tour Provider and Host. Our Videos are 4 times the size of our Competition and are Stutter and Shake Free.

www.TidewaterVideoTours.com is voted unanimously the Best Real Estate Video Producer in Virginia and North Carolina.

Here's a Direct Link to one of my Favorite Tours. http://www.tidewatervideotours.com/389_deep_neck_rd/video/389_deep_neck_road.wmv

We are sure you will love it.

AUG

2008

I am very happy that video is finally making an impact in the Real Estate Industry. I have been producing Video tours since the early 90s when we used Betacam SP and had to dub onto vhs for our agents to hand out at open houses. Technology has come a Long way.

As I have stressed before just going out and buying a camera is not going to impress the ever so demanding market. You have to deliver quality and expertise. Having a video option in your sales portfolio that is comparable to network television is going to catch the attention of sellers and buyers alike. My children and their friends are up to date with technology and own toys I could never have dreamed of as a child. These kids who are now in their late teens and early 20s are going to be hitting the house market very soon. Do you really believe that with such a high expectation of technology, they will even consider using a Realtor or watch a video tour that is "Mickey Mouse". Quality says it all, if you can do it yourself and have the artistic edge as well as experience, then good for you, go for it! for the rest hire a professional, it is the only way to not only deliver the best for your clients but to keep yourself at a professional level. Your clients will thank you.

Visit our site www.axiomfilmandvideo.com to experience some samples of true creative professional video tours. Take a look at the prices, you do not have to pay much to get high quality. I am sure there are companies like ours that take pride in their work and want to make it affordable for the agent.

Source them out, use them, you won't be disappointed.

AUG

2008

Dear Dough, thank you for the information. I don't think that virtual tours is very different from few good pictures. I am working with Visual tour and it is not effective. I tried to put my listing on You-tub by myself and the video came out to be very foggy and I wonder what went wrong. Can anyone tell me what is the requirement to have a good video on You-tube?

JAN

After reading the many comments posted here regarding effectiveness of video tours as a marketing tool, there is an element I see somewhat unaddressed. That element is the human evolution in regard to technology. Buyers and sellers alike are raising the bar whether they know it or not just by living in this modern technological society. As generations pass, integration of technology couples everyday life experiences. Expectations are on the rise. The transition from traditional media to new media is ever present. The ease and availability of new media is astounding.

In an article written by Channing Dawson titled It's Time To Be Amazed posted at http://www.inman.com/opinion/guest-perspective/2008/09/10/its-time-be-amazed Wednesday, September 10th, 2008 stated

"For instance, in 2012 Internet traffic will be 75 times larger than it was in 2002, and video will constitute nearly 400 times what U.S. Internet backbone traffic was in 2000. In 2012, the equivalent of 7 billion DVDs will be flying around the Internet every month.

Internet video made up about 22 percent of all consumer Internet traffic at the end of 2007. That number will jump to 32 percent by the end of this year (2008), a remarkable one-year leap. By 2012, video will make up nearly 50 percent of all consumer Internet traffic. We're clearly watching a lot of video on the Web.

As humans demand more of the Web, it is spurring what Cisco calls "a new generation of complex, highly personalized, bandwidth-intensive media applications." The Web -- and its offspring -- is continuing to grow, change, adapt, mutate and expand to meet human needs, and all the systems it touches will need to adapt, change and grow as well."

It is becoming more evident what the future will look like when it comes to internet consumption and avalibility. Broadband has surpassed dial-up internet access across America and adoption was a landslide. Even though TelCo companies complain about too much data traffic on their old copper lines new technologies are making it possible and new systems are being integrated now for a very fast internet future. It is true in many ways when you hear it said that the future is now!

An impressive video to watch can be found at http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/kevin_kelly_on_the_next_5_000_days_of_the_web.html presented by Kevin Kelly in 2007 titled Predicting the Next 5,000 Days of the Web. The internet is just over 5,000 days old and look how far we have come. Can you imagine where we will be in the next 5,000 days?

At Theater of Homes, this is what we do and we do it well. We love what we do and have a passion for it. We make beautiful video tours of property listings and so much more. We have been doing it for some time even before the general population was ready for it. Theater of Homes is one of the oldest video tour production companies in the business that produces the highest quality video tours available. I challenge you to look at our tours and those of our competitors. Let your eyes and ears be the judge. I refer to our tours as simple elegance for that is what they portray regardless of the property being captured.

The bottom line is that we are available by phone or email for consultations and they are free. Any one of our team would be happy to speak with you addressing any concern or question you may have. If you knew what I know about the power of marketing with video you would not list another property ever again without a video tour.

Paul Reynolds

http://www.theaterofhomes.com/

I live video and I agree it is the future of marketing property. I do have a concern that bad video might do more harm than none but I'm not certain that is so right now. There is very little video being done except on high end properties and in my market even that is rare. As it becomes more and more common the quality level will increase and you will be forced to have HD cameras, excellent lighting, and a professional narrator or high quality synced music track.

Right now I would say as long as the person doesn't get sea sick watching it and all the light in the house are on you should be able to get by. As you progress you will want to do better video and you will try better image composition, maybe some extra lighting, a little editing, then you need a better camera, accessories for the camera, etc, etc...

JAN

Many households across our country still are not hooked up to an internet speed that allows high definition videos to be streamed properly. I doubt anyone would want to suffer through a choppy video that needs constant buffering. The first few seconds are very critical, and impatience demands the mouse click of "next". Even I won't waste the time watching choppy videos. Technology is there, but the delivery bandwidth is lagging behind. Not every household has the highest speed internet, and corporations are cracking down on employee usage during business hours.

FEB

Simple, walk thru video carefully edited, salt and peppered with local home grown flavor on property is huge. Every broker should be posting on the local schools, the employment market..the local hospital, where to get money, what to do for fun and showing the buyer on the outside looking in what your area looks like. It is crucial in small areas that don't have much on line and in the dark. Turn the light on and start video! Have 300 in the pipeline and the results are super. They serve many purposes..show the flow of the property and how all the pieces fit, impress the seller and the buyer, make the area folks that see them happy..cause hey..that's my home town! The local events videos especially distinguish your area from others that may have nothing posted. Your brand becomes wider known..selling property, yourself, the area over and over.

MAR

I have just recently been using videos to promote my listings. I just stubled upon this site www.expresshometours.com which I was able to post for free too.