Use Virtual Tours and Videos to Sell Your Home

Virtual tours and videos have become a popular tool for marketing real estate listings today. Many clients ask whether these visual tools are necessary for selling their home. The short answer is that today's buyers are attracted and engaged by visual marketing. Determining which of these options is right for your listing depends on several factors. Therefore, it is helpful to know what each type of media is, and how it can be used for marketing purposes.

Real Estate Virtual Tours

Virtual real estate tours were one of the first methods of multi-media marketing that Realtors® used in their listings. A true virtual tour is created by recording video footage of each room and area of the home, and editing it in such a way that viewers feel as though they are actually walking through the home. Some high-tech versions allow the viewer to navigate the tour themselves, scrolling through the home at their own pace, looking up and down and around to their heart's content. The most common type of virtual tour is simply a video walk-through that provides a visual representation of the home's layout, flow and basic features. Set to music, it can be an immersive experience that buyers value for learning more about the property. Some agents splice together a series of still photographs, set it to music and call it a virtual tour. Technically, this medium is known as a virtual slideshow.

Real Estate Listing Videos

Although the terms are often used interchangeably, listing videos differ from virtual tours in several ways. Marketing videos, not unlike music videos, are designed to create an image and feeling about the property. Videos may highlight key features of the home, but they are not designed to show every detail. You are more likely to see so-called lifestyle images in a marketing video, such as people lounging by the pool or enjoying an evening on the deck. Videos often use specially selected music to further heighten the experience, and they may have voice-over or narration.

Aerial or Drone Videos for Real Estate

Drone videos have become somewhat controversial, and many municipalities have considered banning the use of drones for commercial purposes. They are expensive to produce, but they are exceptionally effective for showing off a great lot, location or neighborhood. Many agents have begun to recommend aerial videos, especially for high-end homes. These videos are still novel and dramatic, and can set your listing apart from the competition.

In today's market, most Realtors® agree that some type of multi-media marketing feature is necessary to sell your home. Most buyers start their search online and want to see exactly what your home has to offer. The professional selling agents of the Edie Israel Team know that there is no one-size-fits-all for successfully marketing any property. Contact them today to discuss using virtual tours for your listing.