Video Marketing for Frederick Real Estate
The technology is here. The time is now. Video tools are readily available, affordable and eminently do-able. There is no excuse for real estate professionals NOT to use video. Yes, I said it. I’m throwing down the proverbial gauntlet. REALTORS, lets do the best marketing we can for our home sellers! Sellers, you can expect more from a listing agent.
High Definition video is an underused, but potentially powerful tool in marketing real estate. Even though every online real estate platform (Zillow, Trulia, etc.) has a place for listing videos, only 8% of real estate agents currently use the technology. In today’s highly visual online world, that is truly a shame. Realtors can, and should, do better.
We’ve written extensively about using video for real estate marketing, on our website and in social media, and there are many articles to point out the powerful effects of video marketing for real estate, like this article on Inman News, and this white paper, Video Marketing in Real Estate. And to continue the narrative, I had the pleasure of an interview with a real estate agent who has been using video marketing for real estate with great success:
Real Estate Marketing with Hi Def Video
REALTOR Charlie Dresen, Sotheby Realty International, in Steamboat Springs Colorado, has hundreds of videos in his arsenal. His website: Steamboat’s My Home. Listing videos, blogging videos, community videos…he is a seasoned real estate video marketer. Here is what Charlie has to say about the importance of video in real estate marketing:
Q: Thanks for talking with me today Charlie, about this topic of video marketing for real estate. How long have you been using videos to market your real estate listings?
A: I’ve been using video for about 7 years. They have come a long way and become a lot easier to make giving the changes in technology.
Q. Do you film your own videos or do you hire a videographer?
A. I make all my video. It’s a passion and I have a lot of fun creating new video for my listings and my community. Video technologies have made it so easy to use, but still many agents feel intimidated by video. And that’s ok because I’m sure agents can hire people in their area to make these videos for them. These same technologies have brought the production costs down as well. So yes, there are no more excuses not to be using video.
Q: What has been your favorite video(s) so far?
A: It’s so hard to choose…there are four that might make the top of the list. [I’ve spread them throughout this article]
Q. Tell me why you believe listing videos are so important in today’s real estate market.
I can think of 4 really good reasons right off the top of my head:
- Real estate is emotional. Buying a home is so personal and if you can capture the property and elicit an emotion from a buyer, they are more likely to view the home in person.
- Video shows so much more about a home because it moves. You’re able to move the camera and show how the home is laid out. Video can show the relationship between rooms and really show the finer points of the home.
- Video moves and has the ability to move people. With video you can incorporate so much more than a picture. Music and narration can add so much to the experience in marketing a home.
- With diminishing attention spans, people are expecting video today. Buyers are much more likely and willing to watch a video and be told what it’s about verses reading the description.
[I confess…this video is my favorite!…I want to buy this house!]
Q: Has video marketing increased your real estate business? How?
A: Yes, it has increased my business. Real estate is a service. The more services an agent offers the greater the likelihood they will earn more business. Social media is a guiding light for consumers and that’s not going away. There are so many more ways to market properties through social media that if you’re not playing the game, it’s time to head to the locker room! Using video is one of the best ways to spread the word on a listing. Homes sell for a higher amount if sold earlier in the listing period, and if they receive more exposure with quality pictures and video, that helps tremendously. So, if you need to sell your home and you had to choose an agent, wouldn’t you want to see your home marketed on YouTube, Google+, Pinterest, Facebood and countless blog posts?
Q: Do you have any notable feedback on any of your videos, or about video marketing in general, from buyers and sellers?
A: Unlike print ad, video is timeless. People contact me because of videos I made about my community years ago. These videos continue to generate new business for me and my initial investment was years ago.
I’ve also had sellers make more money on the sale of their home just because of the video I made. This is proven. I’ve had out of town buyers purchase my listings based only on the video. More buyers for a home can mean it may sell for a higher price. And my videos continue to bring in more buyers. I’m not going to say this happens with all my listings, but if it happens for one seller, the cost of doing videos for all my listings has paid off. In a time when real estate agents are questioned about their validity, the added services I provide make sellers more than happy to pay the commission.
Check out Charlie’s YouTube Channel for more awesome videos.
Circle Charlie Dresen on Google +.
Follow Charlie Dresen on Twitter: @SteamboatLife
Real Estate Marketing for the 21st Century
When it comes to real estate marketing the visual assets are more important than ever. With 92% of buyers looking on the internet for their new home, sellers need every opportunity to stand out in the online visual spaces.
Sellers, it’s time to expect more from your agent.
Whether we are listing a large country estate, or a townhouse or a condominium, we don’t differentiate in our marketing. Hi-def video and photography are very important tools in our marketing tool-belt, for every home that we list. At the Highland Group, we are more than just real estate agents, we are 21st Century real estate marketers. Give us a call and ask how we can get to work for you, selling your home with the highest level of technological finesse!
Additional reading: The Best Real Estate Video Marketing
Currently, our listing videos are filmed by Houselens, an MLS approved vendor in the United States.
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