I think adding video is a great idea and I need to do so for my listings.  The millenial generation is a visual, social media generation and they are the future buyers.

I don't know.  But I tell my buyers that viewing homes on line is like internet dating.  You are never sure what you are really going to get until you show up.

No, but you must tell them in words or voice that there is much more to see than the camera can take in.

We just had a closing with a guy in California. Cash sale, full price, bought based on real estate video. Would have waited until coast to coast trip otherwise. Images are not enough. 5-3-1 MLS numbers and short remarks don't do it. Have never met him and this happens all the time. If video is not a slide show, if video is only full motion. With you on the sound track just like a showing which you do all the time right? Explaining all the details. Audio, not a sound bed music bed is 40% of the experience if you don't waste it.

And with video it is so easy. You show this is the approach, what you are looking at out all sides. And one by one room pull through all the levels, top to bottom. No, it will not backfire. Because it is honest, every corner covered and current, fresh. We are matchmakers not plaid coat salesmen. Listen, give them one after another videos to make the connection.

Had a NM buyer, just had a Paris set of ladies both buy places. Same scenario, cash, full price, quick close, never met them and real estate video is all they needed. What backfires is if you are not using video, which saves you the agent time too. By cloning you to round the clock availablity. The buyer saves time in the filtering, sorting them out with one after another videos of the properties too.

Which happens late at night, in another time zone. Overseas. Local buyers see more houses on demand too! Video rocks. What not to do in real estate video. The biggest critics of video don't use it and have no idea how powerful the most misunderstood a marketing child it is in the real estate family of tools to expose, expand reach out so easy.

Video attracts search engines, it is mobile, it is time and gas saving, it means your market is worldwide. Because you deliver the property, the local area videos too to wherever your buyer is. Not making them track you down on 9-5 office hours.

But you better feed your video channel, have play lists to save time for the niche buyers and SEO optimize them just like blogs, your websites, etc. Why would not keep video in the dark? They save you time, make you money, expanding your business. But the so call experts in video, better check their channels. For the numbers of videos, their views to know do they actually know what they are talking about if trying to sound like an expert. If only a few hundred views since 2007 on a channel, consider the source. If only a handful of just talking head videos that buyers and sellers laugh at. That cause them to never come back.

I don't think you would lose showings. People are very visual and want to see houses on line before they actually visit. I think you'd lose more showings without any video or tour.

Hello Richard.  There have been a few posts about poor quality videos possibly hurting you more than helping.  I think a little caution there goes a long ways.  And I agree with Evelyn Johnston .  Saw a tutorial on videos with a super star and he would show one or two of the keys factors to the home.  Peak the interest to see more... and engage them.  Mark

They may not if it's not their type of home, but I don't see a video holding back buyers that have an interest in that type of home. 

I don't think so. People are terribly pressed for time and video helps buyers to be more discerning about which homes they want to see.

If the video is not good, yes.

I'm not getting the question. Doing a great video will not stop actually showings but 'entice' more of them. When people say: 'we gotta get over there now'. How can that be wrong?

I've never had a buyer say, this property is too nice for me - let's not go.

Just looked at the vid & WHY OH WHY are you showing the laundry area in the 1st 10 secs of the video? Start with a bang & the laundry ain't it!!!!!!

Video of a home does help to sell it.  Especially for out of town people.  It gives them an idea of what the home is like before they see it. 

I had never considered this angle on video before, great point! Debbie

Video is a nice touch.  In your market, I think video would almost be expected.  The higher priced homes probably need that extra bump video provides.  I think it would make them want to see it more.

a) videos are a must

b) a video does not = a collection of photos (your example shows you don't do that)

I can't see a reason to not do a video.

People will only come if you've shown them enough for them to realize they like it.  If part of the attraction is the location, the convenience, the amenities, then do include those too (which you do, somewhat, in your video)

Richard,

I appreciated your reply.  Personally, I rarely look at the videos blogs that come with our WSJ subscriptions.  They are definitely professional done, etc., and I found tedious and often childish.  I rather read the content and wrap my thoughts around it.  LOL

I have walking tours done. I get out of state buyers as a result. I swear by them. 

Richard Robibero the video that you posted is excellent. You could maybe keep them to under 2 mins but otherwise great job!

My belief is that buyers shop much differently now than just a few short years ago. They love videos and slide shows. The trick is to get the buyer interested just enough to call or even better, schedule a showing. This video is also an excellent tool to help you get listings so you really want them to be nice and yours is great.

Good question.  Can we provide so much detail that people will eliminate the house without even going to see it.  

So let's ask the opposite question.  Will we get more showing by not having a video?  Feedback shows that video works.  You may eliminate a showing or two, but are we in the showing business or closing business?

Vid's are better than not 

I don't think you will lose showings. Video is just another way to heighten the interest in your listing. If you are concerned about showing "too much", then do a "teaser video", where you just show a bit and then comment on video in text or voice 'To see ALL the features of this beautiful listing, book your showing now!"

You always risk losing showing with giving good information on some properties.  But, if they don't like the photo's or video...they most likely would not like the home anyway.

Very nice properties you could actually gain showing.

Professional videos would be as good or better than being there Richard Robibero, ABR, SRS . So if you are afraid of that, just have 30-second clip!

Richard, I've seen a lot more really awful videos than good ones.  If you want to do it, especially if you plan to be on it, then get some professional coaching.

Richard,

We always suggest especially in the higher end that there are stills to go with the video.  Many of the high end market buyers want to see things in their own time and not have the video dictate the pace at which they are looking at it.  Also some videos can be deceiving (not intentionally so), and I think that people need to see the actual home, as a video does not necessarily accurately portray the home.  A

Not sure how many people actually watch the videos, but they do drive the search engines and social media to elevate your properties thus putting them in front of more people.

I do not think so - at least for a good home.

Possibly, which means your video needs to be improved.

I don't think so

Richard: Don't take it critically only that I wouldn't consider them a highlight when you first walk in! Great vid & good luck with the listing!

I have a listing now where they are these huge stackables & everyone just looks at them & goes 'oh'. That's it - no one seems to care they are some super-duper brand that even folds (joking) the clothes.

With the assumption that the video is of high quality, whether you are simply walking through the home for a personal customer who won't be able to see the property in person or if its the listing agent doing a professional video showing off the space, I always think its helpful.  

Saw a video of an active listing this weekend that should win the "worlds worst marketing video" prize! Videos are great if they're showing the positive (and actual) home features, the videographer isn't bouncing the cell phone camera all over the place, not rambling on for 7 minutes of fluff, and edits it properly. 

Here quite a few properties are sold sight unseen so video is very important to people who are buying the property without physically walking the property. 

video is another great tool for us in our tool box. We should use it as such. Just as we have done with still photos. It could prevent a few from viewing the property, however it could bring in others that wouldn't have viewed the property if you do video right!

......and the HD does suggest to leverage the dynamic of video, but still fails to deploy real marketing strategies. The duration of that HD clip validates the disconnect between what should be the intended purpose and the end product.

I've said too much. I understand no one really wants to learn anything new. We, and I do include myself, want to continue doing what we are already doing only faster, easier or cheaper. 

At your fingertips are the resources to teach you how to use video to get the view to do exactly what you want them to do. You must be willing to let go, let the little ducks drown, and start over. If you don't you end up with slide shows with a sound track.

Question?  What about either video would make someone think they had been there? When you visit a place, how do YOU know you've been there? It is not a sillly question but one that leads to those rare 'Ah Ha' moments.

Richard, the slide show you relabeled as a video fails to achieve what you should expect from a video.  

And, there IS no substitute for being there regardless of how polished and slick the post production effort is.

The property you are featuring is extremely marketable and the imagery was more than acceptable. However, your question is, "Is it possible this slide show an 'unsell' the property?"  Of course it can. That in essence was the ONLY outcome of TMI! Some see carpet and know their allergies will torment them. Others see dark floors and may bolt. Some may find the elevation a permanate issue. 

Now if the intent of the slide show is to convey as much information about the property as possible. that has been accomplished. But that should not be your intent. Save that video, the one that shows the storage room, the electrical panel and the air handler for your second contact. Your public facing video must have a much different intent and that is full-filled by employing the characteristics of video that are ignored in your slide show.

As a slide show goes, yours is excellent.

As a marketing piece, a marketing piece for that property and you, it fails miserably.

Now I'm going to take a look at that HD piece mentioned above.

Make the video short, 1 to 2 minutes max and leave them of clues of more to see.

Only bad videos would hurt the chances of viewers wanting to see the property in person.  This is why it is important to either use a professional real estate photographer, or spend some time learning how to make a professional looking tour/video on your own.  As I tell my clients, it may save you time and money if a good tour/video allows prospects to eliminate a particular property from consideration.  If you spend time showing a property that there is no real interest in, you are wasting your clients and your time. Part of our responsibility as real estate photographers is making you more productive by presenting properties in the best light without "enchancing" the views. 

A bad video might be a turnoff but I suspect most videos, if done well, will encourage buyers to take a look. And you still get a different perspective seeing it in person

I had a client who felt that if I had too many photos of the hosue buyers will not come to look as they will feel they know what it looks like.

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I think a video shot as a tease would be the answer to that delema.  Let them see some of it but not all, like the great kitchen or back yard or whatever.

It could happen if you doctor or "photo shop" the video to look better than the home actually is.