Virtual Tours or Video - Are Either Worth It?

I was working on a video tour this afternoon and took a short break to read Lenn Harley's post "Examples of Sales Made as a Result of Marketing a Listing." The success she describes in that post got me thinking about my own efforts and the success I've had with my marketing.

Remember the glory days of a few years back when you could sell a listing just by putting it in the MLS? My goodness, it seems as if the average days on market was in the single digits! I certainly remember those days (fondly) and started thinking that I had, over a two year span, 4 listings that I sold without the buyer ever seeing the home except in a virtual tour. I thought that was amazing at the time, but I realize that the mindset of so many people then was that real estate was a solid investment, and it would never stop appreciating. They bought these homes because they were certain they would be worth what they paid for them--they saw little risk in the purchase.

During those days, I swore by my virtual tours. I was one of the few agents in my local area who did them, and I did full tours with 360 degree panoramas. Most other agents in my local area used slideshow tours. In fact, I started a small company on the side, producing tours for other agents, until the demands of selling homes got in the way of any other venture.

About a year ago, I switched from doing virtual tours to doing video tours of my listings. They are harder to do, and they take more time. It's also harder to make sure that you have un-branded video tours for posting in the MLS--sometimes that means doing a separate tour.

Still, I love them. I'm only beginning to understand how to use them fully. I try to relate to buyers, what they want to see, what they don't want. And, it's always a challenge getting good footage of a home that will show up well when it's compressed for internet delivery.

But, probably the biggest advantage of doing tours for me is when I'm in a listing presentation. What a difference to a seller anxious to market their home! I can show stats for all my tours, and my sellers LOVE that their home will stand out when internet users see it. It is more work, but it is absolutely worth it.

Thanks, Lenn for a good post and for making me think about why I love my business.