Tara Jones- Atlanta, GA

So for the past three months I have been noticeably absent from blogging, my home, family and friends...but for good reason! Reel Productions TV has been hard at work, on the road, helping corporate Coldwell Banker launch their brand new website!

The video based site is truly unique in that it features communities, agents, consumer tips and more. Each video delves into consumer issues or community profiles to give buyers and sellers a better look at the real estate market. Even Coldwell Banker agents have an opportunity to introduce themselves online and invite consumers to do business with them.

Reel Productions TV was honored to be in the prominent mix of vendors which include CNN, Associated Press, This Old House, Turn Here and more.

This exclusive video site is a true indication that video is here to stay in the real estate market. And that major, international brokerages such as Coldwell Banker are taking the necessary steps to ensure their place in the landscape as an innovator in the video world.

Check it out...you can see a number of our videos on the home page. Continue to check this site as new videos will continue to be added as they expand their video reach across the country and beyond!

Official Press Release Below:

COLDWELL BANKER^® LAUNCHES ‘ON LOCATION’ YOUTUBE

REAL ESTATE CHANNEL, featuring EXTENSIVE video CONTENT

and local insights

First In Category to Fully Leverage Video to Help Consumers Learn About the Local Areas and Real Estate Issues That Matter to Them

PARSIPPANY, N.J. (May 4, 2009) – Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC today launched an innovative branded YouTube channel designed to offer consumers a new way to search for and interact with real estate information and listings. Named Coldwell Banker On Location (www.youtube.com/coldwellbanker), the site was created to more fully leverage the power of video for real estate search and discovery, and to drill deeper into the local insights that consumers want.

To create On Location, Coldwell Banker closely collaborated with both YouTube, a Google subsidiary, and Google to develop a customized framework and user experience – offering what is arguably one of the most comprehensive and immersive brand channels on the YouTube platform. On Location is the first branded YouTube channel to use dynamic IP lookup to search for videos, which automatically serves up local results when visitors first hit the site.

An Emphasis on Video and Local Content

Two areas of strategic focus set Coldwell Banker On Location apart from other real estate Web sites. First, it showcases the power of video to bring real estate more vividly to life – offering behind the scenes looks at towns and neighborhoods, smart tips and timely news on real estate topics, and video listings of homes for sale. Second, content posted to On Location has a strong emphasis on local information and insights, so consumers can dig deeper into the areas of the country that interest them most.

Supporting this highly-localized perspective is one of the more unique aspects of Coldwell Banker On Location – the ability to search for videos through a special map feature that has been developed specifically for the site. The map ‘widget’ is a prominent feature at the top of the On Location site and the main starting point for consumers searching for a home, a specific area of the country or more information on a real estate topic.

At launch, Coldwell Banker On Location will be the first YouTube brand channel to use dynamic IP look-up, so visitors to the site will automatically be shown video search results from their own area / zip code. Then by clicking the link “Browse By Map,” consumers can enter the city / state or zip code of their choosing – which will immediately pull up all videos posted to On Location associated with that area. These video results are displayed as icons on the map.

Each search will return a wide range of video results, including video listings, spotlights on that local community and Coldwell Banker sales associate/representative profiles. Consumers can click through to view specific videos – as well as connect back to the main Coldwell Banker Web site to learn more about a specific property for sale.

“Video is a critical part of how today’s consumers want to explore real estate, and we intend to use it to an extent never before seen in our industry,” said Jim Gillespie, president and chief executive officer, Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. “On Location provides an exciting new platform for our vast network of thousands of sales associates to directly share the kind of local insights and knowledge that is invaluable to consumers hoping to learn about a new area.”

Gillespie noted that the site will appeal to a broad range of consumers. “You might be a first time homebuyer deciding between a few different towns in your area, someone about to relocate across the country, a Boomer thinking ahead to where to retire, or simply a person who’s dreaming about your ideal home. No matter what stage you’re at in your life or the real estate process, On Location has the insights you need served up in an exciting new format,” he said.

“Coldwell Banker On Location is about building the Web’s richest array of real estate video content that is also the richest in local insights,” said Michael Fischer, senior vice president of marketing, Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. “It’s the combination of these two missing pieces of the puzzle that make this site so exciting. In addition, Coldwell Banker is the first in the industry to put the full power of its brand and network behind a tool that represents the future of real estate – the video listing.”

“There are currently over 8 million monthly searches conducted on YouTube pertaining specifically to real estate,” said Sam Sebastian, real estate industry director for Google / YouTube. “Consumers are clearly hungry for real estate-related video content, which represents a huge opportunity. We’re thrilled that Coldwell Banker has realized the potential of the video medium faster than any other brand in the industry. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Coldwell Banker to build On Location into one of the Web’s most active destinations for real estate search, discussion and engagement.”

Some of the video and written content for On Location will be supplied by a select group of partners, including the Associated Press, CNN, Reel Productions TV, This Old House and TurnHere. Coldwell Banker On Location will complement the company’s main Web site at www.coldwellbanker.com – including the ‘Learn’ section which features educational content as well as news articles and updates on the real estate sector.

In addition to using YouTube as a platform, Coldwell Banker is leveraging the Google family of ad networks and channels for promotion of On Location. This includes both Google and YouTube search ads, YouTube banner promotions and Google TV.

Development of the On Location site was a collaborative effort by Coldwell Banker interactive agency partners, FD Kinesis and Bootstrap Software, Inc.

About Coldwell Banker^®

Since 1906, the Coldwell Banker^® organization has been a premier full-service real estate provider. In 2008, Franchise Times magazine’s prestigious Top 200 issue ranked the Coldwell Banker system No. 1 in real estate for the ninth straight year and 12^th among franchisors in all industries. The Coldwell Banker System has approximately 3,500 residential real estate offices and 105,300 sales associates in 46 countries and territories. The Coldwell Banker System is a leader in the industry in residential and commercial real estate, and in niche markets such as resort, new home and luxury property through its Coldwell Banker Previews International^® division. It is a pioneer in consumer services with its Coldwell Banker Concierge^® Service Program and award-winning Web site, www.coldwellbanker.com. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Corporation, a global provider of real estate and relocation services. Coldwell Banker^® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Each office is independently owned and operated.

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Before you answer, check this out...

Some MAJOR brokerages are quickly moving to this philosophy. Why? Because they want their listings to be seen as different and more professional. When I first heard this I thought, "Wow, that's a bit extreme". But then I thought, "What a great idea!" It really does make sense. Why not have your agents do all they can to stand out in the crowd? And since only a small fraction of the real estate industry is currently using video, success is almost guaranteed if executed properly.

Here's the inside scoop of what we've been hearing on the mandatory video front:

-Video tours for any listing above a certain price point

-Video business cards/agent profiles for each agent on the main/corporate site

-Community profiles for brokerages showing the areas where they specialize

Here's the flip side of how the video world is changing. Brokerages are now becoming more of a "big brother" over the video they produce. Why? Well, one look at some of the poor video out there and you'll get the picture. Brokerages spend an awful lot of money, some on a national level, developing and protecting their brand. All it takes is one agent with poor judgement doing something 'not so professional' and posting it on YouTube. The brokerage is now in the position of performing damage control based on the actions of one agent. Because of this, many major brokerages are now asking for complete editorial control over each and every video posted with their logo/likeness. Some video distributors have heard this call and are now offering tools to help brokers with their quest for quality and professional video. WellcomeMat is offering customized websites that brokerages can control. If a video doesn't make the cut, it doesn't make the site.

Would love to know your thoughts.

Reel Productions TV- Real Estate Video

Reel Productions TV just returned from a multi-day shoot in San Antonio, Texas and I have to say, agents there have a lot on their side! This was my first trip to San Antonio and I was struck by the amazing natural beauty of the area coupled by the architectural detail that exudes culture. Not to mention, the people are some of the nicest you would ever want to meet! And why wouldn't they be happy with one of the coolest downtowns in all of America? The Riverwalk rocked! And did I mention the year long balmy weather?

But let's talk real estate. We were there to shoot community profiles so we got to see the ins and outs of several metros through the San Antonio area. All were quaint with their own appeal...shopping, restaurants, views, etc. But all boasted amazing houses. You've heard "every thing's bigger in Texas", well, they take that saying to heart with their homes. Even if the house wasn't large in size it's curb appeal felt monstrous.

And then, there's this out of Business Week today:

Best Zip: 78228

Location: San Antonio (West Side/St. Mary's University area)
Metro: San Antonio
Annual listing price change: +9%
Average listing price: $116,652
Days on the market: 134 days

San Antonio, the second largest city in Texas, is best known as the site of the battle of the Alamo. The city also has a Six Flags Fiesta Texas amusement park and SeaWorld San Antonio. St. Mary's University in San Antonio is the oldest and largest Catholic University in the state.

Definitely a great trip!

Thanks for the warm welcome San Antonio!!

Next stop, Detroit and Pittsburgh. Remember, if you're in the area, please be sure to let us know...we'd love to meet you :-)

Reel Productions TV is taking a break from their teaching schedule due to a CRAZY production schedule! We hope to have our seminars up and running again by summer.

Until then, look for us in the next six weeks shooting in these cities:

Denver

Las Vegas

Pittsburgh

Minneapolis

Detroit

Tampa

Orlando

Destin

San Antonio

Chatanooga

Nashville

Kansas City

St. Louis

and of course, Hotlanta!

Monday, March 16th from 9:30AM to 12:30PM

403 Corporate Center Dr

Stockbridge, GA

**3 CE Credits for GA agents/brokers

-Learn how to increase your SEO results through the use of video

-Learn why video is so important in this economy

-Learn how to shoot, edit and upload video to the web

-Much, much more!!

REGISTER HERE