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Video Tips and Virtual Tour Best Practices for REALTORS®
Louisiana REALTORS • May 07, 2020
Video is playing a larger role in our daily lives than ever before. We are also finding ourselves behind the camera more often thanks to technologies like Zoom, FaceTime, Facebook Live, and more. Gone are the days of out of focus home movies shot on a camcorder. Today we have the tools to make shooting in HD an effortless task. While participating in video conferences and seeing friends and family from all over the world is a fun, and convenient experience, the power of video can also be applied to your business.
Video and virtual tours have never been a more popular tool for REALTORS®. They can be accessed from anywhere at any time, meaning that you can always be showing. While there’s no substitute for the real thing, a properly done virtual tour combined with adept camera skills can come pretty close. Here are a few tips and best practices for video and live-streamed home tours.
Ensure the Home is Clean & Uncluttered
This may sound obvious, but having a clean, clear home to show is crucial. Staging is another option, but at the very least, you want the house free from any clutter. Cleaning mirrors, windows, floors, as well as made beds and clear countertops are also very important.
Plan Your Route First
Zigging and zagging won’t work for a smooth, efficient, effective home tour. Without your camera, begin by naturally walking through the home as you would if you had a client with you. Being familiar with where you are going and why you are going there will make you more comfortable when the lights are on. Another option is shooting each area of the home in stages; downstairs, upstairs, outside, etc. and logically putting them together with editing software.
Prepare Answers to Questions
Virtual tours are going to provide the same types of questions as an in-person showing. Whether these questions come via social media, e-mail, or phone call, consider what may be asked and attempt to provide the answer during your video tour. Provide as much information about each space as possible, and as you’re walking, put yourself in a prospective buyers shoes and address what they may be thinking.
Make Sure the Home is Properly Lit
Lighting is the key ingredient for a good video. Too much and everything is blinding. Too little, and everything is hidden. From ambient lighting to supplemental lights that follow the path of your tour, proper illumination is essential. Keeping room lights on and opening windows can also help to eliminate unwanted shadows. Performing a practice recording can reveal problems areas that you can address before the big show.
Select Viewpoints that Reflect a Natural Perspective
When you’re by yourself, behind the lens, it can be easy to forget what the experience on the other side will be. The camera needs to show what your prospective buyer wants to see. From natural stopping points to the way that visitors interact with a space need to be considered. Your video tour should mimic an in-person showing as closely as possible.
Focus on Unique Features
A virtual tour is the perfect time to highlight any unique designs and special features within a home. From built-in shelving to an outdoor kitchen and everything in between, this is the time present every detail and benefit of these elements.
Emphasize Curb Appeal
It’s easy to focus on the interior of the home. Demonstrating the floorplan and flow of the home is essential, but so are the adjacent elements of the home. Offering a street view, highlighting landscaping, and presenting the exterior features should not be overshadowed. The driveway, front porch, back patio, and both yards should be featured, commented upon, and detailed.
Telling the difference between an excellent virtual tour and a poor one is simple. As a knowledgeable, professional REALTOR®
use these tips for each of your clients and provide them with the tour and service they deserve.
Bill Tracking Report as of 4/26/2024
Last week, NAR President Kevin Sears checked in from the NAR Broker Summit, where he learned new tools to strengthen his business alongside several hundred fellow brokers. Next stop, Washington, DC for the REALTORS® Legislative Meetings, where we’ll show Congress our grassroots strength in action. We encourage you to watch Kevin’s video here to learn more about what NAR is advocating for this year at RLM. As always, the overarching theme is increasing access to homeownership. This video is also in the video section of our website. Stay tuned for Kevin’s next update.
Update from Katie Johnson, NAR Chief Legal Officer and Chief Member Experience Officer
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