Did you know that 73% of homeowners say they’re more likely to list with a real estate agent who offers to create a video for them, but only 4% of agents put their listings on YouTube (NAR)? Using text to describe the features of a listing is okay, and posting quality photos to highlight its unique features is even better, but creating a video has become the most effective way to market a listing. With tech-savvy millennials having solid buying power in today’s market, video can play a vital role in generating leads and connecting with prospective clients. Creating videos doesn’t have to be intimidating. Here are 7 simple ideas for creating incredible videos that will help get your next listing off the market even faster!
1. Do It Yourself – It’s Easier than You Think
No one knows the community better than you, so capturing what matters most to your audience should be a breeze. Instead of hiring a professional, grab your smartphone or tablet and start filming. With the help of user-friendly editing software and low cost tools like microphones or a tripod, today’s mobile devices are more than capable of capturing quality shots.
2. Show Off the Community
Yes, prospective buyers are interested in what the property has to offer, but they also want to know what it’s like to live in that particular community. Does it have a lot of restaurants? Are there good school systems? These types of things come into play when someone is looking for a home. Put yourself in their shoes: what would be important if you were moving into the area? Record and highlight things like that in your video. The good news is that the same clips can be used in again for properties within the same community.
3. Talk to the Neighbors
Hearing how great a neighborhood is from a real estate professional is fine, but it’s far more effective if they are hearing it from the people that actually live there. Getting people in the community to talk about why they love living there will make the neighborhood seem more inviting. Capture videos of people in the neighborhood talking about community events or what activities their kids do on the weekends, as this will paint a better picture of what it’s like to live in that area.
4. Share Local Market Data
Make your video even more valuable by including important market information that a potential buyer should know. This is an opportunity to share comps and other real estate data without the graphs or charts. The Homes.com Local Market Index Reports are a great source for this type of information; use the Local Market Index How-To Guide to get ideas on how to present the data to your clients.
5. Add Music
Adding music to your video will liven it up, but you need to be careful about the legal ramifications like copyright infringements that come along with popular tunes. Instead, contact a local artist and ask to use some of their music; it’s free publicity for them so they probably won’t mind. Another route you can take is accessing YouTube’s audio library to take advantage of the royalty-free tracks they have available. Think about if you were watching a video, wouldn’t you focus on it longer if there was a tune that you enjoyed?
6. Social Media Is Always a Great Tool
No surprise here: social media gives you instant access to your audience. YouTube is the third most popular search engine in the world (comScore 2013), which makes it a great tool for increasing exposure to your video. Whether it’s YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, sharing your photos across your social networks is a great way to get them seen.
7. Make It A Little Easier on Yourself
Homes.com’s listing videos are a simpler, yet professional, resource for showcasing a property. The sellers of a property will be provided with a custom video that will make a potential buyer feel like they are in the home. Whether it’s the animated visuals of amenities, local market data, map, views, comps, mortgage advice and social share options, Homes.com listing videos offer it all.
Creating your own real estate video doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, it can be pretty easy if you do it right! Check out the listing videos from Homes.com to get a better idea of what they have to offer. Lastly, share any of the listing videos you’ve created with Homes.com on Facebook to show off your finished product!