It's getting easier all the time to make and distribute videos, but shooting a home tour with your smartphone quickly and without proper planning will keep you from delivering a polished production that will help sell a listing.
taking video of kitchen on phone
© Andy Dean - AdobeStock

Here are recommendations for optimizing how you present a property while sharpening the technical quality of your videos.

  1. Move slowly through the home to avoid jerky visuals.
  2. Use a blend of wide-angle shots for entire rooms and close-up shots for details.
  3. Avoid shots that reveal the homeowner’s valuables or personal items.
  4. Provide a narrative describing what it could be like to live there. For example, you could say, “Now we’re on the sunny porch, where you can enjoy your morning coffee.”
  5. Consider appearing in the video for a more personalized tour. Wear a lavalier microphone for better audio.
  6. Tell a story, whether it’s about the home, seller, community, or builder.
  7. Choose energetic or mood-setting background music that fits the home’s theme.
  8. Be sure the graphics you use in your videos look similar to those used in the rest of your marketing. Logo styles should be consistent.
  9. Don’t overplay your branding in the video. Instead, share the video on your branded platforms.
  10. Consider multiple formats: Some viewers may enjoy a casual, narrated stroll while others like a livestreamed, customizable video.

Sources: Sam DeBord, C2EX, Coldwell Banker Danforth; Ian Grace, owner and director of Ian Grace Business Training; Tracey Hawkins, founder and CEO of Safety and Security Source; Brad McCallum, RE/MAX First, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

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