Using Real Estate Video to Find Buyers

Selling property in the internet age is different in many ways from the old days of the fat MLS books, and endless drives to and from properties. The sharing of information on the web allows sellers to reach millions more potential buyers, and the use of multimedia tools like online video can make a very big difference in how quickly a property sells.

A 2009 survey on the use of real estate video for finding buyers discovered that all statistics point to the increased use of full-motion video in selling real estate. More than two-thirds of real estate agents have hired or considered hiring video production crews, and nearly 90% of agents believe that using video gives them a competitive edge over other agents and brokers. Two of five agents and brokers believe that of photos, slideshows, floor plans, and video, that consumers value video most of all.

But the top barrier inhibiting the use of using video to find home buyers was “not enough knowledge.” Fortunately, making videos and uploading them to the web are tasks that have been vastly simplified, and there are video cameras that have functions just for making and uploading web video. And, of course, there are professional videographers who do a great job of showcasing homes and getting video on the web.

How does video work its magic in attracting buyers? It helps them visualize the layout of the home. A good video tour gives the home buyer the feeling of walking through the entire house. Neighborhood footage and nearby landmarks and attractions can help as well. Driving to properties can take up a lot of time, and video helps buyers narrow their choices without spending so much time driving around.

The advantages for sellers are apparent too. Video lets potential buyers view the whole home rather than just selective still photos. With video, there may be fewer showings, but the people that choose to see a house in person are usually more serious about it. Fewer, higher quality showings are pleasing to sellers too, because of the upheaval involved in getting ready for each showing. Spending less time on customers who are at best “lukewarm” in their enthusiasm for a house is beneficial to all parties involved.

Using video to find home buyers offers a major competitive advantage. Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. If you are looking for a home, and you have the choice to narrow down your choices by viewing video tours of homes at your convenience, wouldn’t you do that rather than scheduling viewings of homes you’re not even sure you’ll be interested in?

Video definitely helps to sell homes. If you’re a buyer, it saves massive amounts of time. If you’re an agent, you’ll have a competitive advantage over those who don’t use video. It can also be a great tool for building your brand. Today, agents can use iPad and iPhone presentations as well as web video to showcase homes to their best advantage. The technological hurdles can be overcome more easily today than ever before, so if you sell homes, you should definitely consider using video as part of your sales toolkit.