3 Easy Steps to Get Started With Real Estate Video

If you’ve been paying attention to industry news, you’ve probably noticed the buzz about real estate video.

And if you’ve noticed the buzz about real estate video, you’re probably having one of two reactions: “Good thing I’m already using video!” or “Uh, oh – I’m not using video!”

Fretting over finding yourself in the latter category? Don’t. Getting started with real estate video is much easier than you might think. Just follow these three basic steps.

Pick Your Video

A walk-through video tour is a solid choice for any listing. It adds realism, gives buyers a true feel for the layout and size of a home, and comes across as polished and innovative.

There are other options, however. You can also entice buyers with community videos (which, believe it or not, are actually more popular than listing videos).

Community videos are the most popular type of real estate video, followed closely by listing videos. (Source: NAR/Google, The Digital House Hunt)

Agent bios and broker videos are effective options for marketing your real estate business as a whole – you can use them to attract both buyers and sellers.

And of course, you don’t have to choose just one type. Use a combination of all four to build your marketing powerhouse!

Pick Your Pro

Once you know what kind of real estate video you want to make, you need to decide whether to DIY or hire a pro. Overall, hiring a pro is usually the smartest choice. Buyers know the difference – pro video outperforms DIY video as a marketing tool by 30%.

If you’re not sure whom to hire, ask colleagues or your broker for recommendations. Look for someone who has experience producing real estate video, and always ask to see a highlight reel.

Fees are usually based on square footage, length of finished video, or number of hours required for shooting and editing.

Pick Who Pays

Since it’s a marketing expense, real estate video is usually paid for by the agent. Some agents, however, pass the cost on to their sellers in the form of a marketing fee or a commission increase.

If you’re one of the lucky ones, your team leader or broker may cover all or part of the cost, especially for listing videos. Ask if your team or brokerage has a marketing package for agents.

Don’t have the budget to do a video for every listing? Consider offering it as a seller-paid option, or include it only on higher-priced listings. Just keep in mind that, if you ask the seller to pay, he or she may want more control over planning the video or choosing the pro.

We hear from agent after agent that real estate video wins more listings, sells homes faster, and attracts better quality leads. It’s an added expense, but definitely one that’s worth the cost.