Teri you've made another interesting observation. Knowing how sophisticated these next 'buying' generations already are having grown up with cellphones, myspace, youtube, etc. They're not afraid of technology, they embrace it and EXPECT it. I think we would be wise to learn how to use it to our advantage to reach them. Great Post.

Hi Teri and Debbie,

I personally intend to use it when I get my first listing. (Soon I hope).

I'm lucky as my husband is an electronics technician and just has a real knack for this kind of technology. (I can build a website but dont' ask me what plug goes where :) ).

We discussed taking it a little further by doing mini-movie clips. We're still working out the how's and what equipment but the general plan is to make a short video and turn it into a streaming media file that I could offer on my website and as a link from the Indiana MLS Site. I think having a non-stuffy tour of a home and the neighborhood would be a nice touch. I think that's why the whole YouTube appealed to me.

My teenager even went further and said I should include a "Jenny's Bloopers" collection that would provide a little fun for the homebuyer.

I do feel that you have to develop a "niche" and if that means giving potential buyers a giggle now and then because you tripped over a bush or freaked out over a wasp coming too close is something they would remember long after their home search is done.

Debbie - I agree - to stay in business you have to evolve and give your clients what they want. The generation that is looking for their first and maybe even second home doesn't remember a time without computers. They've been taking video on their cell phone for years. They expect to find what they need via the Internet. Seems as though I may need to take a class!

Jennifer - wonderful! Please let us know how it goes, ok? And I like your son's idea of the bloopers - it could be fun.

There have been a lot of articles about this recently - last week one appeared in the Chicago Tribune.   I just did an interview on NPR last week regarding real estate videos and YouTube.  Personally, I don't feel buyers are looking at YouTube for housing - especially since there is no way to really search on that area.  However, those YouTube videos (and a bunch of other similar sites) DO show up in the regular Google search results, where people ARE looking for homes. (for example, this is a search for a town in my local area - a half dozen of MY videos show up on page ONE!) That's the real benefit - for now.  

I like the idea. Another marketing expense to add to budget as I see advertisements for commissions getting lower and lower.....scary. The agents who will not work themselves out of business will enjoy sharing this power of marketing to their clients while the others will be focused on "The Numbers"

Fred

Yes - that is a huge benefit. Advertisers pay a bundle to get on the first page of a google search. The article I read stated that YouTube didn't have a good search for this kind of thing, but it sounds as if they might go that way. Nonetheless, you are right, it is heading in that direction even if only for google hits for now.

Robert - no doubt that these videos will be very powerful marketing tools.

Teri,

Great article on youtube video marketing. This is the future!! I believe that one day with this technology you will be able to make a purchase of your new home right on the web. Now there's an idea!!

Good Day!! have a cup of java and a smile on me :)

www.duayneweir.com  REALTOR in Minneapolis Minnesota

Duayne - My husband just said last night how technology is changing the world. He is so right! In order to make it, we are all going to have to keep up with the changes!

Nothing like bit of Internet research - YouTube is out! GooTube is in!

Well, not really.  EVERYONE has heard of YouTube... virtually NOBODY has heard of GooTube!

There are lots of real estate focused video websites coming online....   I can think of a dozen and there will be more and more...   some wil make it, some won't.  It's all very interesting.  So far, the only one I've seen that gets indexed in the search engines is WellcomeMat.

Gosh... it seems EVERYONE wants to be the keeper of REAL ESTATE content.

Hmmm if it comes to site NAMES being being APPROPRIATE for holding real estate info... then "MY SPACE" wins hands down.

Wouldn't you say?

Me 

Hi Fred - I took a look at your New Hampton video - looks good!

Craig - why my space? 

Hi Teri, I just posted a blog regarding a virtual house tour.  My clients put it together and have posted it on the internet.  I think they did a good job of showing off the house, and potential buyers who view it get an indepth preview of what they will see when they tour the house in person.  Us low tech professionals need to understand, as someone stated in a previous comment, the younger generation will start their house hunting on the internet instead of driving around with an agent.  We all need to take advantage of this technology.  It can be a very effective marketing tool!  Anyone know a 7 year old who can show me how?:-)

Terry Haugen - STAGE it RIGHT!

Hi Teri/Everybody,

 Great post. Video Realty Tours are definitely a rapidly growing industry.

 YouTube definitely started the wave in increasing the popularity of online videos. Of course since YouTube isn't designed to cater to the Real Estate industry, it's difficult, if not impossible, to bring attention to your listings by simply posting them on YouTube. Also, it brings up the question of who's going to produce the videos for you?  MySpace is an option, but again the primary focus of MySpace is not Real Estate, but Social Networking. 

 My company, Watch My Listings (www.WatchMyListings.com), is set up specifically to bring buyers to you, the sellers. Please feel free to take a look at the services that we have to offer:

• Home Page
  
• Agent / Broker Profile Page
• Property Listing Page

 We've got some great introductory offers at this time to get your listings online and working for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

We're primarily servicing Los Angeles right now, but we have a nationwide database of professional Photo/Video people, and we're ready to  discuss bringing Watch My Listings to your area.

 All the Best,

 Sean Alvarez

Sean, that's so untrue.  it's quite EASY to get attention to your videos on YouTube and other video sites. I do it everyday and it's in front of eyeballs who are searching Google and Yahoo for prime real estate keywords.  How would you explain that I have SIX videos on page one of a Google search - which is exactly where people are searching for real estate?

Terry - I agree that we all need to keep up with the technology. I also agree, with a hearty laugh, that we need a 7 year old to teach us how!

Sean - I see a lot of new places popping up for real estate listings. This shows how much it is needed.

Fred - I noticed that you are on GooTube. Are you also on You Tube, and other sites? I'd like to know which ones you use. 

I upload to Revver.com, Veoh.com, Yahoo Video, Google Video, Wellcome Mat, Blip.TV, Grouper.com and a few others....

Very interesting.  I think this is the next generation of virtual tours - It's so true that this new generation "expect" technology...

Even I can't remember the last time I used a phone book? You?

Hi Fred,

I agree that posting on these sites is very helpful in getting your videos seen by the search engines. In fact, I also upload my videos to YouTube, Yahoo, MySpace for just that reason and it's been very helpful in bringing traffic back to my site. Sorry if that was unclear.

The goal of my site is to have one place where the primary focus is real estate and interested buyers can come to WatchMyListings.com to search available properties. We shoot it, cut it, post it, host it, and market it. All for a reasonable price.

All the Best,

Sean

my webmaster has been talking about doing video for my listings for well over 6 months (quite a long time in internet world)  I should talk with him about it more and utilize his skills.

I have just starting using video with the real estate agents I work with.  It's nice to see others have started.  Buyers seem to love it more than the old style virtual 360 tour.  Imbedding it on your site seems to have the biggest impact.  I love the tip about WelcomeMat!

Ethan - I have this philosphy - if a techie guy tells me to give it a try and it doesn't cost a fortune, I give it a try - they often know what is the "hot" new thing out there long before it hits the news!

 Tom - Imbedding it in your site is great! Have you considered imbedding it AND posting it elsewhere? Just curious about your thoughts on the matter.

Hi Terri!  We better fasten our seatbelts if we haven't yet!  Real estate becomes more transparent daily - minute by minute!  With this transparency comes the responsibility of ethics and integrity - great post!  

And now the FLIP VIDEO CAMERA will make this even more popular among REALTORS and even FSBO's (dare I say it!).  I bought mine this week and started playing with it yesterday in pre-viewing homes for an out of town client.  CHECK THIS OUT for a first time.

TubeMyHouse.com (http://www.tubemyhouse.com) is a brand new video property listing website.  It's free, just like YouTube.

Sell a home, buy a home, and coming soon... rent a home.  All with user-uploaded video.

TubeMyHouse?  That's got to be the most worthless site I've seen.  Why would anyone use something like that?

Four times I've searched and four times I received 'syntax errors'.

There is only ONE listing in the entire US! In Wyoming!  (presumably the hottest real estate market?)

I can't see why anyone (buyer, seller or realtor) would find value in this.  Sorry.

I am trying to keep pace here and have little hope of getting ahead.

This is not the future it is already here. As a stager again I emphasize - if they don't like what they see - they won't come back!! That applies to virtual or otherwise.

Kathleen, you make a good point. If people do not like what they see in a video, they will turn away the same as being there. Fred from Nashua Tours is so talented that he can make most everything look good. The average person without proper editing skills could actually hurt themselves and their clients with a poor video whereas an in-person walkthrough might make the sale. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. 

I have done several powerpoint style presentations. Amazed at how many hits they got but not sure if it is worth the time. But I will keep on doing it. And it gets easier to do every time I do one. Exposure for your listings and your company!

Our business is selling vacant foreclosure houses in Detroit and we do video walk throughs on every house http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cWGle6PBXY.  We also had a production company create an iMercial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=218e00s-vVA) for our company.

We have had great success with this and will continue doing it for our houses.  You can also embed them into your website for easy viewing or just more information on your house.  You can see how we do it at www.WholesaleMi.com.  Not only does it help showcase a house or get an out of state buyer their walk through, it also helps with Search Engine Optimization (SEO).  Video is the way to go!

Jared