Meet Your New YouTube
From Homescape
written by Amy Le on Thursday, November 29, 10:53AM
From cheesy music videos to embarrassing wedding footage, YouTube has become the mecca for online videographers with something to show off. But YouTube isn’t just for the reality star wannabees anymore. Owners and agents looking to sell a home can jump on the bandwagon and share in the instant exposure.
The YouTube audience is huge and highly engaged. The site receives 39 million visitors per month and each of them makes around 14 page views per visit.
“By adding our clients' video tours to YouTube, we increase their audience to more than 39 million people,” says Julia Foster, public relations manager at Fizber.com, a For Sale By Owner Web site. “In a struggling real estate market, sellers hope greater exposure will increase their chances for a successful purchase.”
When I grazed YouTube site this morning, I found multiple homes posted with over 1,200 views. Some videos even include footage of local restaurants, stores and schools, giving viewers a better snapshot of the neighborhood surrounding the homes.
With sellers and buyers becoming more proficient at surfing the Web, sites like YouTube allow owners to showcase their property to potential buyers 24 hours a day, seven days a week, without having to leave their home.
Most people can easily upload a video onto a site, but creating and editing high quality footage is another story. It’s no surprise that sites such as Home Video Tours, Home Vidz and Reel Properties.tv are springing up like crazy and tapping into the online video-tour market to offer their expertise.
The days of the home virtual tours (360-degree panoramic photos) may soon come to an end as online videos become the new industry standard. To tour a home on YouTube, go to the site, under its search box type in “homes for sale,” and proceed to search for your region of choice.
Do you think consumers get a better picture of a home through video tours? Please share with me your preference, video tours or virtual tours?
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Comments
Comment from Jonathan, a Consumer:
I prefer video tours over virtual tours. It would be nice, however, to have the actual owner walk through the house and give the tour instead of a realtor who knows nothing about the character of the home.Comment from Amy Le, Editorial Producer, a Consumer:
Good suggestion on the homeowner giving the tour. I think that would give the tour a more personal touch and really help to sell the home.Comment from Ryan, a realtor:I don't feel that you can get a true understanding of a home through a video - there's too many distortions, fish eye lenses, that can mis-represent the appearance.
That being said, I think its a terrific idea if you're just looking to narrow down your seach without having to shlep all over the place looking at every slim chance
Comment from Steve from Chicago, a Consumer:
Nothing is better than the real thing--visiting the home. But to narrow down, I'll take video hands down over stillsComment from Amy Le, Editorial Producer, a Consumer:
I agree Steve. You can't really get a good sense of a home unless you visit it. I like looking at video home tours to narrow down my options, so I don't end up wasting an entire day going to places not worth seeing.Comment from monica-Tour Provider, a realtor:
There are many factors that come into play when marketing a home for sale...each situation is different. and should be weighed accordingly. As a tour provider for agents I consider where the home will be marketed ad what kind of feed is needed as well as the home and site itself...some homes are more condusive to still photos while others actually "need" video.
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