One of the things I found was most predominant in my focus group leading to the creating of Canadiana Property was the fact that people want to see two main things when they look at listings, other than photos: maps and videos.
The maps portion is easy enough to cover. Unfortunately, MLS.ca does not yet offer direct links to maps, but as agents you should try to put them on your listings on your personal pages if at all possible, or link to listing sites such as Canadiana Property (I'm sorry, this post isn't meant to be an advertisement, Canada just doesn't have a major listing website which offers this feature) which offer such services.
The second major component potential buyers are looking for is video tours. I have already written a blog about the importance of video tours, so I will not cover that here. Let's leave it at: with the development of the internet and the Web 2.0 phenomenon which is spreading, in the next 5 years, video will become essential in the Real Estate market, something no agent will be able to overlook.
As such, I've compiled some tips for those of you who are looking to start video tours:
- Make sure you use a good camera. Unless you hire your own professional, you should be investing at the bare minimum $300 in your camera. I would strongly recommend either a Canon or a Sony. (If any home stagers are reading this, Sony cameras tend to have amazing macro abilities for small details). In order to create a good quality video that doesn't look like it has been recorded on a 1980s recorder, aim for a camera of at least 6 megapixels, and one of the aforementioned brands. If you'd prefer to invest in a separate camcorder, that's perfectly fine as well. Most camcorders will be of good enough quality to make a great YouTube video.
- Do the video in two parts: the first part in the morning, when light is shining through the house and lighting up one side, the other in the afternoon, when light is lighting up the other side. That way, neither side will look dark and shady.
- Do not talk while you are filming the video. You can always use movie editing software (such as Windows Movie Maker which comes standard with all XP and Vista computers) to add a voice recording afterwards. However, videos always sound much less professional if the presenter is speaking while walking around the home.
- Always add your phone number and e-mail address to the end of the video. That way, users who randomly stumble across the listings by searching "[your city] real estate" on YouTube, MySpace or wherever you post the listings are still able to contact you.
- On a similar note, always include your city, state or province and the words "real estate" or "home for sale". Include these in the "tags" section as well.
While these are just a few basic tips, I do hope you find them useful and see the importance of using video advertising for your listings. I know for a fact that it's what consumers want to see, what will set you apart from the competition and give you that edge which is so necessary in this increasingly competitive industry.
Thanks,
Hannah
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