Monday, July 14, 2008

One more tool...

Space can make waste when it comes to print. There’s not always enough room for all the points you’re trying to make when submitting an article for the printed page. An example: the video tour feature in the current issue of Realtor. It’s largely a rewrite of a longer story I submitted, and in the editing cycle some things get cut so the story fits within its assigned pages, allowing room for art, etc.. I just want to touch on two of the sidebars which didn’t make it, at least in the last rendition I saw.

First concerning, YouTube, itself. Early on in my research I encountered some confusion about the legality of posting real estate video tours to YouTube. When I contacted YouTube about about using their service to host property tours I got a vague response which said, essentially, go ahead. So there, you can YouTube.

The other topic concerned the whole issue of what really constitutes a real estate video. In my estimation, video requires motion footage which allows the viewer to move through a space. It delivers a better sense of the space and flow from room to room than you can from a series of still pictures. Others contend, however, the video label also applies to a souped up slide show, complete with soundtrack and narration. In these “videos,” the so called “Ken Burns effect” of picture pan and zoom is often used to give some sense of motion. But you’re still really looking at stills.

However you define video, I don’t think you can overstate its growing importance for showcasing property. You’ve got to be able to talk it up as one more thing you can do to market that listing. We’re still in its early stages of adoption but I think it’s the next standard for home tours, one more tool you’ll want to be able to offer, especially for those high end properties which demand special treatment.

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