Search Video Listing

According to the 2010 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Seller, most consumers found the home they purchased online. Therefore, REALTORS® need to do more to make their listings stand out on the internet. While most real estate sales professionals post a series of photographs, a video tour is a more powerful tool given today’s online consumer.

Here are some of the many reasons why real estate agents should consider a video tour when marketing their listings online:

1. Video tours can “sell”.
When a home buyer goes online to search for properties, they typically look at the photos and they may read a list of features. However, does the traditional online presentation really “sell” the property. Video tours allow you to engage the home buyer with narration. A listing agent has an opportunity to explain the things that make a particular home special making the home buyer more inclined to set up an appointment for a showing.

Further, some home buyers are already working with their own Buyer’s Agent who set up the showing for your listing. Assuming that a listing agent isn’t available to be present at every single showing, having a video tour playing on the television during the scheduled showing will make sure that the desirable features of your listing are being “sold” to the home buyer.

2. Video tours are a 24/7 open house
Open houses are a great way to get potential homebuyers into your home. A video tour is like a having an open house 24 hours a day, 7 days a week without having to leave the comfort of your living room! They also provide a broader reach. Someone who is relocating from California to Massachusetts will unlikely make it to an open house on a Sunday between the hours of 1 and 3PM. However, they will be able to view a video tour of your property online. They will also be able to share it with friends and family around the world.

3. Branding
Most multiple listing services do not allow for your contact information to be included in a listing. Because there are many real estate search websites out there like REALTOR.com and Trulia.com that allow real estate agents to brand their listings, a video tour will help sell a particular property and sell the services of the listing agent.

4. Community information
The community where a home is located is just as important as the home itself. Video tours allow listing agents to sell a particular city or town in addition to the property being sold. Consumers will appreciate this information and call you as an area expert when they are ready to buy a home.

5. Social Networking
Social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter, & Linked in have become a big part of real estate sales in recent years. What better way to engage your sphere of influence than posting videos of your listings. Everyone on your friends lists will see that you stand out as an innovative real estate professional.

6. Search Engine Optimization
When a home buyer begins their search for a home, they may start by using a search engine like Google or Yahoo. They will type in keywords that will yield different results. By publishing video tours of your listings, you will increase the chances that your listings will appear near the top of the list. The more visible you are online, the better the chances of that home buyer calling you first.

Real estate sales professionals and their clients will benefit greatly with the proper utilization of video tours in their marketing campaign. Not only will a home seller be sure that their home is being marketed properly, but a REALTOR® can also sell their services as well.