Real Estate Videos are Easy

1. JohnCrawford
   Member

   

    I'm surprised that more videographers do not make videos of real estate as a way of earning money.  Is it because it is perceived that there is no artistry involved or because there seems to be no market for it?  Personally, I think that videos on the Internet are a great way to show and advertise properties for sale or rent, and that videomakers can have a lot of fun and make a lot of money by showing videos of real estate on the Internet. I would venture to say that some good video scenes of a million dollar property on the Internet would be worth one thousand dollars for a couple of days work. With the hi-definition streaming currently available, anyone with a hi-def video camera can show real estate videos on the Internet practically free.

   Of course, money-making would have to be the over-riding interest on the part of real estate videomakers, although artistic talent and video know-how need not be sacrificed in the making of real estate videos.  Beyond that, I guess that the only prerequisite for making real estate videos would be an artistic appreciation for architecture, beauty, structure, style and still life.  I personally find it artistically challenging to take a still life scene and add another dimension to it by showing it in motion.

    

   Posted 2 years ago #

2. zoobie
   Member

   

    My brother's in real estate...totally dead. Video is used to show action rather than stagnant shots. A little gif could show the same at a fraction of the filesize. The million dollar home would probably be the exception where you would want to go to extremes to sell it...especially now.

   Another world's first! - http://www.BuskerAlley.com - Busker HD on the web!
   In Production - Busker Alley - The Movie!
   Want to make a small fortune in videography? Start with a large fortune!

   Posted 2 years ago #

3. allieka
   Member

   

   JohnCrawford, do you have any tips for someone to video real estate? Thanks.

   Posted 2 years ago #

4. Johnboy
   Member

   

    My father pioneered real estate tv here in the hampton roads area nearly 30 years ago... then we started producing videos for the real estate companies mall kiosks.  In my opinion now, it's harder to break in because the companies can do it themselves for less with the market being saturated with inexpensive NLE software.  If you do want to get into this venture, you really need to have an eye for composition, you'll need a wide angle lens for tight rooms, and a decent camera for light conditions.

   John

   Posted 2 years ago #

5. JohnCrawford
   Member

   

   I recommend starting out by making exterior shots of properties with For Sale or Rent signs on them in your own neighborhood and then uploading them to a popular website if you don't have your own. Include a close-up of the sign and call up the owner or broker advertising the property to let them know you are showing a free video of it on the Internet as part of your own video promotion and advertising campaign.

   Your initial object is just to get a small portfolio of exterior shots of properties on a website in order to show your work, attract some attention and get your foot in the door. Some owners and brokers who view them out of curiosity will then ask what you charge for interior shots. Again, I recommend building up your portfolio by offering to do them free or for a ridiculously low price that no one could refuse. How you advertise, promote and build up your business is basically up to you though, and I am only relating how I got started last month as you can see on http://www.TheRealEstateVideoShow.com

   Producing real estate videos for website consumption is obviously not everyone's cup of tea, but if you love viewing the architectural design and structure of houses and buildings in their natural settings or local environments, as I do, I see no reason why producers of fine real estate videos cannot consider their work a fine art as well as a happy and profitable one.

    

   Posted 2 years ago #

6. jimcvideo
   Member

   

   There's also something to be said about charging the correct rate. The reason I charge about the same for an entire 90 minute wedding video as I would for a 5 minute corporate video has to do with perceived value. Businesses (or at least the smart ones) know that they need video to train their staff, sell products, and to both save and make money. Brides and grooms, on the other hand, usually don't realize that what we're doing would be simply impossible for cousin Melvin to duplicate. They have a much lover perceived product value, and prices are set accordingly.

   Having said that, probably one of the only video markets with a lower perceived value than weddings is real estate. They're happy to take a few pics, and if anything, they slap them into a montage video with their $80 NLE software that they can use over and over. Not only do most real estate agents not see the reason for video, but heck, a lot of videographers themselves don't see a reason for it. That doesn't mean these people aren't dead wrong, but it does mean that the only way to produce videos is to dangle the carrot low enough that people will go for it. If you skipped analogy 101 in college, I'm saying that you need to set your prices super low.

   I know a guy who's been doing real estate video for years. He still charges about $200 (not $2000) per video. It's the only way the clients will keep coming in. I've seen his work, it's very nice, but the fact is, real estate agents are looking to spend the least amount of money and hassle to sell a house. The less they spend selling the house, the more they keep in their pockets. In this day in age, where a quarter million dollar house can sell for $50,000, agents have exceedingly low profit margins, and even though you might be worth two grand for every finished product you sell, there's no way a real estate agent would give you that for shooting a half dozen houses. 5 years ago, when people were buying $80,000 houses and selling them for a quarter million bucks, things might have been different, but remember, it was the housing bust that led us into this recession.

   I think there is money that can be made in doing real estate videos. At the same time, there's not much money to be made per house, so you'll need to remember that in your strategy.

   Posted 2 years ago #

7. allieka
   Member

   

   Thanks Johnboy. So cool your family was a pioneer in real estate video. I have an HV30 and a Raynox 6600 wide angle lens. (Although wouldn't the straight lines of a building interior accentuate the "bendy" effect from the wide angle?)

   JohnCrawford, buildings in and of themselves don't really speak to my creative side, but after viewing some of the videos off your link, I've got a better idea of how to approach it. The videos are quite engaging.

   jimcvideo, great assessment of some of the realities faced in this economy.

   zoobie, I liked the real estate video more than than the usual slideshows, especially for the external shots. They showed the ambience, like people out walking their dogs, children playing, one had wildlife, etc. With a voiceover and some music, it was pretty nice.

   Thank you all for your great suggestions.

   Posted 2 years ago #

8. EarlC
   Moderator

   

   People need to make money. I simply do not see enough qualified video producers being willing to take the time and expend the energy, for pretty muc nothing, to get a full-fledged site on the map. Sorry. Your dream and I certainly wish you well in its pursuit. But a non-monetized effort that appears to have no real bent toward becoming so seems really off the wall and, well, not an intelligent business pursuit.

   Posted 2 years ago #

9. JohnCrawford
   Member

   

   Jimcvideo wrote: [quote] know a guy who's been doing real estate video for years. He still charges about $200 (not $2000) per video. It's the only way the clients will keep coming in. I've seen his work, it's very nice, but the fact is, real estate agents are looking to spend the least amount of money and hassle to sell a house. The less they spend selling the house, the more they keep in their pockets. In this day in age, where a quarter million dollar house can sell for $50,000, agents have exceedingly low profit margins, and even though you might be worth two grand for every finished product you sell, there's no way a real estate agent would give you that for shooting a half dozen houses. 5 years ago, when people were buying $80,000 houses and selling them for a quarter million bucks, things might have been different, but remember, it was the housing bust that led us into this recession.

   I think there is money that can be made in doing real estate videos. At the same time, there's not much money to be made per house, so you'll need to remember that in your strategy.[/quote]

   Yes, it may be a hard sell at first but like those who dreamed of going to the moon one day, persistence can sometimes pay off.

    

   Posted 2 years ago #

10. JohnCrawford
    Member

    

    allieka wrote: [quote] JohnCrawford, buildings in and of themselves don't really speak to my creative side, but after viewing some of the videos off your link, I've got a better idea of how to approach it. The videos are quite engaging.[endquote]

    Many thanks for your complimentary review of the real estate videos that I have shot so far.  If you love doing something and pay attention to the details others will sense your artistic involvement and either reject your interest or enjoy and appreciate it.  I hear tell that Andy Warhol made an eight hour video of the Empire State Bldg and if I was interested in buying it I might want to take a look at it.  As far as your own video interests, creative juices and ambitions go, every video you shoot should embody and express the feelings, beliefs and opinions you have about your subject. 

    [quote]jimcvideo, great assessment of some of the realities faced in this economy.[endquote]

    One man's economy is another man's opportunity.  Sellers are depressed nowadays and need tactful support, encouragement and good salesmanship.

     

    Posted 2 years ago #

11. JohnCrawford
    Member

    

     EarlC wrote:  [quote]People need to make money. I simply do not see enough qualified video producers being willing to take the time and expend the energy, for pretty muc nothing, to get a full-fledged site on the map. Sorry. Your dream and I certainly wish you well in its pursuit. But a non-monetized effort that appears to have no real bent toward becoming so seems really off the wall and, well, not an intelligent business pursuit.[endquote]

    First, the art, then the negotiable contract for its purchase and sale.  What is the point of dreaming about making money when you either cannot or do not show what is for sale?

    Produce the product first and then offer it for sale.

     

    Posted 2 years ago #

12. TheDVshow
    Member

    

    Quoting Fred Light from this article:

    http://www.videomaker.com/article/14254/

     

    "The reason why 95% of videographers don't make any money is that they price themselves out of the market. Realtors don't see the need for real estate video, and they don't want to pay for a tour unless it's under $300. If you're charging $500, $600 or $700 for a real estate video, your customer base will be no one. They won't pay it."

    Posted 2 years ago #

13. JohnCrawford
    Member

    

     Fred Light's work, advice and success should inspire all who love making and promoting real estate videos. 

    The market is there but the laborers few, so this is a great time to get in on the ground floor.

    Posted 2 years ago #

14. EarlC
    Moderator

    

    Vast difference in the profitability, renewability and perceived value between "cheap" (or affordable) and "free" of a production. Likewise, the folks who engage in one or the other, or both.

    All of us, at one point or another, do work for nothing, or at a break-even price point. We invest money, time and effort into making dreams come true. Many, if not most, of us have dreams we hope to see come to fruition over time. Sadly, many of us make wrong choices in what we do "for nothing" based on the reality of our dreams or expectations.

    Many folks using the internet, dinkering around with the web, trying to "monetize" stuff that for so long was perceived as being a "free" source for tons of information, entertainment and more, are STILL trying to figure out a way to make money at it. Some have succeeded but I'd venture to say the vast majority have not. Many of us are familiar with the successes - Amazon, for example - but a BUNCH of others continue to bleed money on GREAT concepts, high-handed dreams, etc. with the thought that...

    ...some day...

    And, for many that "some day" can and will come, but still likely 10 percent or less of the thousands, even millions of people trying their luck. Some would have better success at a Las Vegas roulette or blackjack table. All I am trying to get focused on here is that it is MAJOR difficult to cross over from a "free" service concept into a profitable one. It is next to impossible to build a perception of value worthy of paying money for when the product has been provided for free for so long. It is in our human nature to put a higher value on something that cost something - even if we're only trying to convince ourselves we made a "good deal."

    PT Barnum noted that there's one born every mninute, speaking of people who can be taken to the cleaners with relative ease. The interesting thing is that sometimes individuals take themselves there with no help from the outside.

    So, I am certainly an advocate of taking chances, pursuing dreams and even forging ahead and damn the torpedoes. Or, as Jonathan Winters says, if your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it. But there comes a time when reality hopefully sets in and we reallign our thinking and efforts, knowing we have a finite time frame to move from red to black, that time is money.

    One last quote, thanks to Kenny Rodgers - you gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when to run.

    Posted 2 years ago #

15. JohnCrawford
    Member

    

    Good advice, EarlC, as usual, and very profound too, as usual.

    I have no intention of working for nothing once my work is perceived to be worth something in accordance with the laws of supply and demand.

    Meanwhile, I will stick to my goal of becoming one of the best real estate videographers in the great State of New York.

    You can have California.

     

    Posted 2 years ago #

16. aussie11
    Member

    

    I clicked onto the link xxxthe realestatevideoshow.com and 4.5 hours later I am still waiting for the vid to stop downloading. Admittedly I am on dial up

    as broadband is not available where I am, but I can usually get a 1 to 2 min vid in 15-30 mins. Is this because it is HD?

     

    Posted 2 years ago #

17. JohnCrawford
    Member

    

    Although originally shot in HD, all of the videos on http://www.TheRealEstateVideoShow.com were converted to wmv files using TMPGEnc conversion software and run no longer than 1 - 2 minutes.

    I know dial-up is much slower than cable transmission but 4 - 5 hours waiting time for a 1 minute video is unbearable. With cable the videos start playing within 15 seconds or so and I am sorry it is not available in your area.  Try clicking on some of the videos on http://www.upperwestside.yuku.com/  if you have any patience left but if they do not start playing in a few minutes or so, I myself would give up.  

     

    Posted 2 years ago #

18. jimcvideo
    Member

    

    John,

    Being 2009 and all, you should switch to using a flash-based player so people can watch your video while it's loading.

    Check out OsFlv - it's an opensource flash-based FLV player, similar to what you'd find on most video sites. Most higher-quality NLE's will allow you to render a video as an .flv file. If you can't render a file as a .flv file, you can alternately find some great free programs that will do the conversion for you, or you can even upload it to YouTube and then download the flv file they generate.

    The technology is readily available to allow people to watch videos immediately. I highly suggest using this technology, especially if you plan on trying to use this site to lure clients in.

    Posted 2 years ago #

19. JohnCrawford
    Member

    

    Thanks for the great advice, jimcvideo. I have been given it before and will be sure to look into it now that I hear of the problems that viewers are having with downloading wmv files. 

    Posted 2 years ago #

20. NashuaVideoTours
    Member

    

    Real estate videos can be easy.  I've been doing it since 2005, it's my full time job and I'm busier now than I've ever been in my life.  Some people find it dull, uninteresting, etc., but I personally don't have enough hours in the day for all the work I have on my plate.  I'm shooting 8 houses on Friday and Saturday this week - photos and video.  At close to $500 each... you figure it out!

    What's difficult with real estate video is selling it to realtors - your customers.  They don't get it.  They don't want to spend the money.  Buyers love them.  Sellers love them.  But your customer?  Not so much.

    That's the conundrum.  

    I probably do more real estate video than anyone out there.  It's all about marketing and figuring out how to attract the (literally) 5% of realtors who 'get it'.  Marketing to the other 95% is a complete and utter waste of time and I don't do it. I decline all invites to speak at real estate offices, exhibit at conventions, etc. I'd rather watch cars rust - you're just talking to yourself!  

    I let that 5% who 'get it' find ME. I'm a marketer and businessperson first... a videographer second.

    Most videographers who attempt to do real estate videos all have the same problem - how to sell it to a customer who 1) doesn't see the value and 2) doesn't want to pay for it.  I am contacted on virtually a daily basis from videographers all over the world about real estate video.  99% of them have the same problem:  How to sell this to realtors!  It's a global problem.  It's a real estate industry problem. From Boston to New Zealand - it's the same issue everywhere.

    Like most creative businesses, the key to success is how you market your business - not how you create your product. I shoot more real estate videos in a day than most companies shoot in a year - and that's the difference.  It's not about the product - it's about the marketing of the product. There's definitely a business model out there.  I am finalizing a project right now with a company that will be flying me all over the country to shoot multi-million dollar homes for sale.  (that's the side benefit - I've shot about $50M worth of homes in the last four months - you do get inside some unbelievable homes on a daily basis!)

    It's an untapped market for the most part - in 4 years I have virtually no competition in my area.  But the real key to success isn't about the video (that's the easy part) - it's all about how you market your business.  

    High definition, narrated real estate video tours

    Posted 2 years ago #

21. manappraisal
    Member

    

     Yes, I would believe that real estate video might be a good opportunity. You mentioned marketing, but what  type of marketing?  Contacting brokerages directly, mail pieces, e-mail blasts?  What provides the most efficient marketing for a service that granted, will be utilized by a low proportion of the Realtor community?

     

    Regards

    Posted 2 years ago #

22. JohnCrawford
    Member

    

    Thank you, Fred Light.  It is an honor and pleasure to read your post on the forum and have you share your knowledge, experience and insights with those of us interested in making real estate videos and learning how to market not only the product but the very idea and concept.  I am not very active these days since I have yet to retire from my full-time day job, but when I do, it will be towards the goal of developing and promoting a national association of real estate videomakers on TheRealEstateVideoShow.com

    With you as our guide and inspiration and being an honorary life-time member, I'm sure it will take off in no time and I will need a lot of help just keeping up with developments in the field. Eventually, we will have to get a highly skilled programmer to streamline the website and make it more attractive to viewers since all I have created is a structural prototype on which to model a very professional-looking website. The key to building such an Internet network of video associates will be to finding videomakers in each state who will post a Bulletin Board of video listings in their areas starting out with the whole state and breaking it up into various regional divisions.

    More to come.

    Posted 2 years ago #

23. HJB Productions
    Member

    

    Do you need a JIB boom or a crane for an areal view of the property? What will be the tools of the trade?

    HJB Productions

    Posted 2 years ago #

24. JohnCrawford
    Member

    

     I want to keep the expenses down so a hi-def video camera, good tripod, hi-speed computer, cable, Motionbox and Internet bulletin board are all I need.

     

    Posted 2 years ago #

25. Tim Trott
    Member

    

    Real estate videos are perceived as competing with virtual tours, so that's where the base price has to start. Then, as the product proves itself, you upsell more features.  Because there are so many listings on the market, the SELLERS are starting to demand tours from the Realtors and agents in order to stand out in the crowd, whether the agent wants to budget it or not. So the ideal is to create a demand from the customer side whatever way you can (advertising). Quite often when I get a call from a broker it's because the customer "requested" a video or virtual tour.  When you add real estate videos to a mix of other production products, rather than as the primary market, they can fill in some of the gaps.

    The most useful tool we have for real estate videos is a home-made Figg rig, modeled after one we saw on YouTube, using PVC, two bicycle handles from WalMart, and the quck-release head from a old Vivitar tripod. That, and a $15 monopod.

    Video Does It Better (SM)

    Posted 2 years ago #

26. EarlC
    Moderator

    

    "I'm surprised that more videographers do not make videos of real estate as a way of earning money." John Crawford.

    John, you initially started this thread, and have posted similar sentiments elsewhere, but yet you have also indicated that you are doing these for free. How can you justify production of real estate videos as a "way of earning money" when you yourself have apparently not yet found a way to monetize your own efforts?

    Others have piped in regarding how to, or not, go about this line of production but mostly the message I'm getting is that it is not a highly prized service, nor very well paid as realtors do not want to spend the fees that would be based on realistic hourly charges for video production service.

    Posted 2 years ago #

27. JohnCrawford
    Member

    

    Dear Earl:

    I started TheRealEstate VideoShow.com recently as a long-term project to work on in preparation for my immanent retirement from the full-time job I have held for the past 30 years. Towards that end I have not had much time or motivation to seek paid work as a videomaker and thought it best to first create a sample portfolio of real estate videos on my website for free. My approach is to show free introductory videos of property exteriors with For Rent or For Sale signs on them, and then invite the sellers to view them on my website.  This approach seems to work well since a few brokers have since paid me to make and post videos of their properties and I am now just waiting to retire before I start doing this full-time.    

    As far as justifying the making of real estate videos as a way of making money, I take my inspiration from Fred Light and others who point out that that there is a growing demand on the part of buyers to see videos of real estate as they search for properties they may be interested in seeing.

    As timtrott writes: "SELLERS are starting to demand tours from the Realtors and agents in order to stand out in the crowd, whether the agent wants to budget it or not. So the ideal is to create a demand from the customer side whatever way you can (advertising). Quite often when I get a call from a broker it's because the customer "requested" a video or virtual tour."

    Besides appealing and being limited to brokers I plan to promote and facilitate videos made by FSBO sellers on my website. Sellers who don't make their own videos will be able to easily contact a videomaker listed in their own area.  Videomakers in the area who see a listing on The Real Estate Board with no video can easily contact the seller.

    My vision of TheRealEstateVideoShow.com is that of a YouTube for real estate videos only.  Enterprising real estate videomakers in each state can host bulletin boards on which to show all videos of real estate for sale or rent in their area. It's just a matter of entreprenurial organization and a love for showing and promoting real estate videos.

    I guess that the most important thing videographers have to consider besides making money is the object or subject matter of their video-making interests. I simply choose to devote all of my video producing activities to the promotion of real estate videos on TheRealEstateVideoShow.com and leave all other subject matter to the interests of those preoccupied with it, no matter how much money is involved, as long as I am making a decent living in my chosen field and inspiring others to do the same.

    Hope this answers some of your concerns about making money in the real estate video field.

     

    Posted 2 years ago #

28. EarlC
    Moderator

    

    Excellent response, John. Appreciate your efforts, not only for yourself, but in maintaining a professional level of decorum while engaging posts from naysayers such as myself.

    Posted 2 years ago #

29. JohnCrawford
    Member

    

     Well, thank you, EarlC, for both your appreciation of my efforts and your previous critical analysis of what videomakers are up against in the real estate industry at the present time.  We don't get a whole lot of encouragement in the field so when professionals like you and Fred Light offer support, advice or criticism for a particular line of video work and business interest it carries a lot of weight. 

    My grandiose vision and scheme of an interlinked network of videomakers all over this great country of ours may be a little premature and will probably have to wait until I retire and start putting up more videos of my own before attracting the attention of others. Nevertheless, I enjoy discussing and sharing my work with other videomakers on the forum who may want to follow suit and come on board later. I've already learned a lot from the observations and criticisms of others on the forum so keep those posts coming whether naysaying or not. 

     

    Posted 2 years ago #

30. NashuaVideoTours
    Member

    

    In case you're not aware, you might check out WellcomeMat.com - it's basically a YouTube for real estate and a place to hook up videographers with people who are seeking real estate video.  There are also very active forums on that site that are specific to real estate videography and many posts regarding the difficulties in selling this concept to Realtors.

    Posted 2 years ago #

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