How To Make Real Estate Videos for Property Listings

Would you like to sell more property and extend your potential sales base? Real estate professionals are now leveraging the internet to reach potential clients virtually with compelling listings, particularly video property listings. In an industry that can be volatile, leveraging video to create more opportunity and reach buyers where they are at (online) is a sound strategy in weather both fair and foul.

In this article, we’ll share all you need to know about using video as a marketing tool for real estate agents. Here’s what we’ll cover.

• Types of real estate marketing videos
• Why video makes sense for the real estate business
• How to make a real estate marketing video in six steps
• Do’s and don’ts of making a real estate video
• Importance of hiring a video editor

Types of real estate marketing videos

You can create many kinds of video content to engage with your target audience. Below are a few real estate video ideas to help you kick-start your video marketing strategy.

• Guided tour video. Every day is an open house day when your website includes a guided tour video. Do a virtual walkthrough for potential buyers as you share key selling points of the home. Listing videos are selling for you at all hours of the day, so you can show potential buyers the main bedroom while sitting in your living room.    
• Testimonial video. Share success stories of clients you’ve guided into happy homeowner status. A client testimonial helps build credibility with new potential buyers. You can also include text, images, or a b-roll video to highlight points.
• Insider-look video. Build your credibility with informative videos about housing markets, buyers' tips, and other content that you think would interest someone researching real estate. Insider-look videos have a longer shelf life than virtual tours, so the production value is important. If it’s within the budget, a professional videographer or video producer can help ensure the quality is where it needs to be.
• Neighborhood video. Sell the neighborhood, not just the listing. Some buyers may be shopping from far away and be unfamiliar with the neighborhood. Even local buyers can benefit from a closer look at a nearby neighborhood. You might consider adding drone footage for a high-level overview.
• Introduction video. They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression. With an introduction video, you can choose a day when your personality is sparkling and set the expectation of excellence for potential new buyers. It’s also a chance to share some of your career highlights (homes sold, awards) throughout the video to further customer confidence.

Why video marketing makes sense for the real estate business

Are video property listings and other video marketing strategies worth your time? The statistics say “yes.” According to the National Association of Realtors, real estate listings that include video receive a whopping 403% increase in inquiries than listings that do not. The real estate industry is competitive, and it pays to stand out. Leveraging video and social media can also help take your company to the next level.

Take a look at what video real estate marketing can do for you:

• Offer potential buyers an in-depth look at available properties
• Feature properties in more creative and compelling ways
• Promote and share listings more easily
• Boost search-engine rankings with on-page videos
• Share more information about the market with video formats

How to make a real estate marketing video in six steps

Are you ready to make your first real estate marketing video from scratch? You may feel a little overwhelmed when you’re first getting started but, with a little planning, you can make videos and have tons of fun while doing it. Below are a few steps to follow.

1. Decide if you want to produce it yourself or get help

You can choose to make your videos with the help of a professional, or you can shoot the video yourself.

If you’re a do-it-yourself sort of person, you’ll want to give yourself a head start. Search online for real estate video templates that can help you with the organizing and editing component. You will need a quality HD camera, good microphone, tripod, lighting, and editing software to make it all come together.

Hiring a professional videographer has several benefits. They can provide high-quality video equipment (camera, lighting, microphone, etc.) and their professional guidance. Hiring a video professional will likely be worth every penny if you’re new to being on camera, want to get the process moving quickly, and don’t already have video equipment.

2. Plan out your shots and draft a script

Prepare ahead of your shoot with a storyboard that lays out all the coverage you’ll need to make a compelling video. The storyboard should include a list of shot details (e.g., bedroom features, walk-in closet, en-suite, highlight flooring, etc.) and spaces (outbuildings, porches, decks) that can’t be missed. Planning this out before you shoot your video is a big time saver and ensures you’ll get all the shots you need the first time.  

3. Prepare the property

If your listing is already staged, most of these preparations will already have been made. If not, here are a few things to do to prepare the property for the big day.

• Declutter surfaces (countertops, tables, desks, etc.)
• Shut doors
• Remove personal items (owner family photos, personal keepsakes)
• Open blinds and curtains for natural lighting
• Clean out the closets
• Ensure landscaping is up to date (mow the lawn, trim the hedges)  

4. Get the necessary footage for the video

In addition to filming each room in the home and the home's exterior, you’ll also want to capture some specialized footage to give the video the final touches. For example:

• Establishing shot (exterior, wide perspective)
• Main entryway (closed-door still, opening door action)
• Detail shots (up close of any compelling details)
• “Hero shot” (e.g., featured shot of the most impressive area or areas of the home for the biggest wow factor)

5. Edit the video

Next, you’ll want to edit your video. In the editing phase, you can add video graphics, clean up the dialogue, and spruce up the color and look. There are lots of video editing software and tools you can use to improve the look.

Any video editing has a bit of a learning curve, so be prepared to take more time early on. If you’re not ready to try editing a video by yourself, you can hire a professional video editor to help you weave a compelling story, create attractive transitions, and add any graphics, logos, text, and so on.

6. Publish your video

You’ve made it this far! Now, it’s on to sharing your videos with the world.

Do’s and don’ts of making a real estate video

You aren’t the first real estate agent to create marketing videos—which means you can benefit from the mistakes and successes of your predecessors. Here’s a list of ’Do’s’ and ‘Don’ts’ when making a real estate marketing video.

Do

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Don’t

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Work with experts for best results

Realtors are busy people, and making videos for multiple listings can take a significant amount of time and effort. Hiring a professional video maker to manage the bulk of the filming, editing, storyboarding, and producing can save you hours and significantly improve the quality of your videos.

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