ChuckS
Veteran
Again, I don't know your market, in fact I don't really know my market, but what I think I'm seeing is that realtors themselves are coming to the realization of the importance of good marketing, most good realtors selling higher end homes have gone through their shooting the pictures with a cell phone that are made into crappy brochures and $95 virtual tours that make the house look worse, not better. They are also the ones who recognize that although buyers don't buy their homes online, they will weed out homes they don't want to consider using the internet and obviously video can be a very important decision making tool.
So moving up market might not be as difficult or what you think it is. Search out a couple of brokerage firms that sell houses in your targeted price range. Generally, but not always the most successful realtors are a little older, have a team of people they've been working with, they're nearer to the end of their career than the beginning and are less likely to make a change. Target the level of realtor just below them, a little younger, they've been selling real estate long enough that they aren't spending much [if any] of their time on short sales, they're ambitious and looking for ways to compete for the better listings with the older realtors.
At first they might be a little price sensitive, they may not know who you are and they've heard it all before, so find a couple of agents who are doing higher end spreads on the local Homes magazines, have their own websites outside the brokerage to brand themselves and approach them with a demo reel that not only shows your work but explains how your service helps them get the word out online, for them its all about outreach. Also I'd suggest simplifying your service, at the moment I offer one level of service which include Stills, 360 Panorama's and video on SD DVD, Blu-ray and encoded for online. So far the brokers have had a system admin that I give this package to and they disseminate it to all the appropriate MLS etc..
Don't wait for references to take their course in hopes that it will help you move up market. If people weren't asking me to do this I would have never thought this would be a good business, however, its one of those strange things that the worse the housing market gets the more need for this kind of higher end service there is, people still need to sell their houses and realtors are beginning to recognize that spending more money up front might get the house sold quicker and maybe even help prevent the price from eroding as much - which kind of changes the value proposition for your service. But you have to sell it that way.
I only bother to say all of this because it was obvious to me that you are serious about doing this and like I said it appears that you actually thought about your camera moves and exposure. I think this type of thing could be a good opportunity but not for people who think all there is to this using a camera. Your videos need to tell stories about what's unique about the property and you have to tell a compelling story about yourself and how you help realtors reach out and attract potential buyers AND sellers.
I hope this is helpful. Obviously since this market is totally a unique situation, it has certainly never been like this in my lifetime, we're all making this up as we go along, so let me know what you think, what's working and not working and maybe we can help each other.
So moving up market might not be as difficult or what you think it is. Search out a couple of brokerage firms that sell houses in your targeted price range. Generally, but not always the most successful realtors are a little older, have a team of people they've been working with, they're nearer to the end of their career than the beginning and are less likely to make a change. Target the level of realtor just below them, a little younger, they've been selling real estate long enough that they aren't spending much [if any] of their time on short sales, they're ambitious and looking for ways to compete for the better listings with the older realtors.
At first they might be a little price sensitive, they may not know who you are and they've heard it all before, so find a couple of agents who are doing higher end spreads on the local Homes magazines, have their own websites outside the brokerage to brand themselves and approach them with a demo reel that not only shows your work but explains how your service helps them get the word out online, for them its all about outreach. Also I'd suggest simplifying your service, at the moment I offer one level of service which include Stills, 360 Panorama's and video on SD DVD, Blu-ray and encoded for online. So far the brokers have had a system admin that I give this package to and they disseminate it to all the appropriate MLS etc..
Don't wait for references to take their course in hopes that it will help you move up market. If people weren't asking me to do this I would have never thought this would be a good business, however, its one of those strange things that the worse the housing market gets the more need for this kind of higher end service there is, people still need to sell their houses and realtors are beginning to recognize that spending more money up front might get the house sold quicker and maybe even help prevent the price from eroding as much - which kind of changes the value proposition for your service. But you have to sell it that way.
I only bother to say all of this because it was obvious to me that you are serious about doing this and like I said it appears that you actually thought about your camera moves and exposure. I think this type of thing could be a good opportunity but not for people who think all there is to this using a camera. Your videos need to tell stories about what's unique about the property and you have to tell a compelling story about yourself and how you help realtors reach out and attract potential buyers AND sellers.
I hope this is helpful. Obviously since this market is totally a unique situation, it has certainly never been like this in my lifetime, we're all making this up as we go along, so let me know what you think, what's working and not working and maybe we can help each other.
