Browsing the blog archives for October, 2006

ANNOUNCING Video Openhouse – Victoria

News, Site Updates

You may have noticed some changes to our website. Replacing the link to “VIDEOS”, you will now find “VANCOUVER” and “VICTORIA” in its place. That’s right, Video Openhouse is now officially in Victoria. We have an affiliate that will be looking after all our clients, providing Video Real Estate Tours to Vancouver Island including Namaimo, Ladysmith, Duncan, Saltspring Island, North and Central Saanich, Langford and Sooke.

Video Openhouse - Victoria

Please visit our new Video Openhouse – Victoria videos page – http://www.vopenhouse.ca/videos/victoria

Video Tours Promote Agents

Helpful Tips, News

We ran in to Doug Williams (http://www.realtordoug.ca/) of RE/Max Crest Realty (Westside) last week.  We produced a video for a Coach House in Shaunessey back in June.  Unfortunately, the listing ended up expiring without a sale.  Doug mentioned that the sellers insisted on pricing the home too high making it difficult to sell.  Here is an excerpt of an email that I sent to Doug:

I thought I would pass along some statistics that we track from our server logs.  Your video was viewed 2309 times in total. We determined this amount by looking at the number of times your video file on our server was downloaded by visitors to our website.  I have further broken down the views by month for you to analyse the effectiveness of your own personal marketing efforts.

June – 450
July – 792
August – 919
Sept – 142
Aug – 6

Doug mentioned to me that he thought the pictures were a better marketing tool for the listing.  People can take the time to view the pictures in detail.  Great pictures can really flatter a house.  However, video markets both you and your listing. 

Often, I look through Westender (WE) magazine at the ads in the real estate section.  The ads all mention a listing or two, but are largely placed to get a realtors name out to the general home buying public, essentially raising brand awareness of who you are as a realtor.  How does someone who places an ad, determine the effectiveness of that ad in relation to money spent? 

I do know that for about $150, over 2000 potential clients were able to see Dougs name, picture and contact information on their computer screen for the 2 minute duration of the video.  I think that by using video to market the agent as well as the listing you do something that print ads cannot do, capture the attention of your audience for a long period of time.

Video can attract potential buyers that may have glanced over your listing.  The video is not only a representation of the listing, it is a representation of the real estate agent.  In the public’s eyes, realtors who employ video as a marketing tool are seen as progressive, innovative and willing to use all avenues to promote their listings.

Google Buys YouTube

Flash Video, News

This past week, after weeks of rumours, Google finally purchased YouTube. Just a year-and-a-half after conception, the founders of YouTube sold their company for $1.65 billion in Google stock. In terms of the real estate industry, why is this news noteworthy? If you delve deeper in to YouTube’s website statistics, you will learn that 100 million clips are viewed daily, with an additional 65,000 new videos uploaded every 24 hours. The site has a staggering 20 million visitors each month. The Internet audience is demanding video content. Google bought a company with little or no revenue streams because they realize video, more than any other content, drives visitors to websites.

Add Our Blog To Your Google Homepage

Helpful Tips, News, Site Updates

I have a question. Do you use Google for your homepage? I do. I have also personalized the content that Google displays to give me the latest technology headlines, world news and the Toronto Maple Leaf results! If you don’t do this already, it’s easy to set up. Google allows you to organize the news feeds that you receive into personalized tabbed pages.

If you haven’t already noticed, look at the right side on this page, you will find a link so that you can add our blog to your Google homepage. We have made it easy for you to read our posts without having to visit our site. All you have to do is click on the link and decide how you want to receive our feed. We promise not to fill our blog with “we have added this video and we have added that video”. We are striving to add quality content, essentially helpful marketing tips, interesting real estate news and how technology can improve your business. Use Google to subscribe to the Video Openhouse blog, it will be worth your while.

Welcome New Clients – Thanks for the Feedback

News, Testimonials

We have really worked hard at getting our company known in the Vancouver area since we started our company in March.  Lately, we seem to pick up 2 or 3 new realtors every week.  We appreciate that our clients take the time to tell us about their experience with the videos.  We encourage both our clients and anyone that has watched our real estate videos to tell us what they think.  We are constantly trying to improve all facets of our business and are open to suggestions. 

Mike Kennedy of RE/Max Crest Realty (Westside), was somewhat skeptical using our service at first, but had been asked by his client to provide a video tour for their townhome in Richmond.  Here is what Mike had to say:

My clients are very happy with the video … The branded website looks great as well!  All in all, great job you two!  I will definitely use you again for other listings.

Margaret Fung of Legend Real Estate Group contacted us to shoot a high-end condo Downtown.  The listing was an exclusive and she wanted to be able to showcase this distinctive home to her contacts overseas.  Here is an excerpt from her email:

Thanks very much for all your work. The video is very much enjoyed by everybody who has seen it … the music worked out really well.

Finally, we would like to welcome Pat Little of RE/Max Crest Realty (Westside) to the Video Openhouse family as well.

Artisan Home Staging

Home Staging, News

I’ve been corresponding with Shannon Emmanuel of Artisan Home Staging.  Artisan targets realtors and home-owners in the Tri-City/Burnaby area.  Their website is a great resource for anyone who is considering home staging.  The benefits are clearly outlined with photographs of sample rooms.  I really like this quote from their website:

Our purpose is to help you create a home image that grabs buyer’s interest and makes them WANT to buy your home.

As a producer of real estate videos, I have clearly seen the advantages of having a home staged.  We produced 2 videos of the same penthouse earlier this past summer.  The first video was shot in the middle of May and was of an empty condo.  The second video was produced 3 months later.  The unsold condo had been fully staged.  After sitting on the market for 3 months, the staged condo was sold within 2 weeks. 

Anyone interested in home staging should contact Shannon Emmanuel of Artisan Home Staging for a free estimate at (604) 506-2359. 

Century 21 In Town Realty

News

Michael MacDonald, Managing Broker of Century 21 In Town Realty contacted us last week and requested to meet us.  Michael told me that he had been looking at all the pictures of their agents’ listings that hang in the office lobby.  Many of the pictures were either dark or blurry and did not enhance the marketability of the listing.  Michael noticed that David Hutchinson’s listing pictures really stood out and asked him who took his pictures for him.

We met at his office and I had an opportunity to explain what Video Openhouse does and how it is beneficial to agents.  Michael asked us to leave our business cards and would recommend our services to all the agents at his office.  Thanks for the endorsement Michael!

Here are the David Hutchinson’s pictures from 3 recent listings:

3746 Peter Street, Burnaby
901 – 919 Station Street
1606 – 789 Drake Street