Someday soon I’m going to write a post with a title like “Why all available real estate video solutions suck eggs.” Here’s the one-word summary as a teaser: Bandwidth.
In the mean time, here are two ways of using video in real estate marketing that are actually useful and practical right now. These qualify as Black Pearls because Cathy thought up one of them while we we at the StarPower Conference.
Black Pearl #1: At your initial listing appointment, videotape the seller’s tour of the home
If you do this, you’ll able to revisit everything you saw in the home, to review every detail the seller divulged and to provide the basis for your notes on repairs and staging. You can use stills or clips from the video to show the seller what you want corrected. You may even be able to use clips from this video for your marketing video — even though all available real estate video solutions suck eggs.
Black Pearl #2: Videotape the seller’s instructions on the major systems
This may happen at the final walkthrough or some earlier time, but if you’re representing buyers of homes with complicated amenities — pools, spas, septic tanks, home theater or central vacuum systems — you should be writing training classes into the purchase contract. We use language like this: “Seller agrees to hold a two-hour class for Buyer at any mutually-agreeable time prior to Close of Escrow to teach the care and use of the pool, septic system and any other major systems, tools or appliances on the property.” If you’re the buyer’s agent, you should videotape this class, but you should do it even if you’re the lister if the buyer’s agent does not. Deliver it to the buyers as a DVD, split into chapters by major systems. This is a closing gift that keeps on giving.
We have a third idea, videotaping the reactions of visitors to our open houses, HGTV-style, but they’re always too shy. Besides, all available real estate video solutions suck eggs.
Technorati Tags: real estate, real estate marketing
Michael Wurzer says:
Greg, your idea of the training classes is fantastic. I’ve bought two homes in my life and for both I’ve gone years trying to figure out how to fine time various systems in them that the seller probably could have helped me avoid with just a few tips. Video taping the training is even better. Brilliant, really.
August 6, 2007 — 12:38 pm
Greg Swann says:
> Video taping the training is even better.
I wish we could claim this as purely an inspired idea. In fact, we realized too late that we should have done it at the training class for a home with a pool filter and a spa filter (one sand , one diatomacious earth), a propane-based heater for the spa, two HVAC systems, two wine cellars, two home theater systems, one pre-wired to multiple rooms, and a central vac system. The seller was an ex-NFL player, a man’s man who could make McGuyver look inept. Our buyers were INTJs — extremely smart but not terribly handy.
Note: As a fall-back, where the seller is not available, good home inspectors know how to operate everything. You can always hire your favorite inspector to teach the training class. For pools or septic systems, you might go with a specialist, but these folks are always hungry to make relationships when a home changes hands.
August 6, 2007 — 1:05 pm
Bill Lyons says:
Greg good stuff thx for the tips!
August 6, 2007 — 5:35 pm
Kevin Wilhelm says:
Check out Microsoft Photo Story 3 (just google it for the link). It’s FREE and it will allow you to make a video of your photos. You can post these videos on youtube, realtor.com, and it even allows you to build an e-mail version.
Pretty cool little tool….easy to use….check it out
March 28, 2008 — 8:17 am