Over the last few weeks I’ve highlighted a couple of absolutely amazing listing video’s with the latter generating lots of comments and opinions:
3275 Mandeville Canyon Road, Brentwood, CA
Casa Estrella – Knights Ferry, CA
While both are excellent examples in how to market a home, most commentary focused on the cost and length of the video. Which leads me to a question; when it comes to listing videos just how long is too long? I ask in part because of a third example video, created by Portico West.
At almost nine minutes it started to lose my attention about half way through which made me think; if I was standing in front of the Realtor, I would happily listen for a lot longer so why did I lose focus during the video?
Perhaps it’s because I can’t ask questions, I can’t interact with the presenter. Or perhaps there really is a limit to how long a listing video should be. Should the video serve as an intro, a way to get someone’s interest so they contact the listing agent with questions? Or should it provide a detailed overview of the homes features? Please let me know your thoughts. In the interim, how long can you watch this video before wanting to ‘click off’?
Too much detail here, we all know what radiant heating is, solar panels etc. Could’ve used actual video of the house instead of stills to make it look better. The video should’ve been 5 min. Too much talking in my opinion. Thanks for sharing.
I think sellers love these long videos (after all it is their castle and the best home in the neighborhood) and therefor are good listing tools. As for buyers anything more than 2 minutes they will click away. the internet arttention span is short. Also,*** very key***- how long does it take to load, some of these videos I click on take so long to load up, I just click away. Short and to the point!!!
John
I love this video! The detail, the history, the design insight through the eyes of the architect/builder himself, is priceless.
People interested in high-end architecture would be fascinated.
Of course, Seller would be thrilled with this much info…BUT, it’s the true BUYER would eat this video up and would be pulling his check book out on his way to see this home.
For a casual buyer/browser this is way too long….but they most likely aren’t going to buy this home anyway.
Peggy West
Houston, TX
Way too long. I started to lose interest at 6 min. A 4 minute slide show showing the features of the homes would have sufficed. The anthropology lesson and the developer’s source of inspiration was not important to me and could have been left out.
Real estate videos, generally speaking… are DULL. BORING. It’s someone’s house!
Personally, I find it difficult to sit through ANY real estate video – they bore me to death.
However, when analyzing the length of a real estate video, you have to look at a few things:
1) The LAST thing a buyer looks at is a video. Buyers search based on THEIR criteria (#beds, baths, price, location, etc.). THEN they quickly click through the photos to see if they like the home (yes, quality photos matter!), then they read the description.
2) THEN, and only then, if they STILL like what they’ve seen, they will download and watch the video.
Video is the FINAL qualifier. And they WILL watch a 6 or 8 minute video. In fact, our experience shows that they will oftentimes watch it several times, scrutinizing every single little detail. I had one client who claimed they watched it over 50 times, which basically talked them into buying it!
What is the difference between that person who gladly watches an 8 minute video and me, who gets bored after 2 minutes?
THEY ARE INTERESTED IN BUYING THE HOUSE!
Real estate video is hardly “entertainment”! Other than a few outrageously expensive homes that may appeal to those who enjoy seeing how the other half lives, watching real estate video as entertainment is about as exciting as watching cars rust.
But if it’s a house they’re seriously interested in PURCHASING, you bet they’ll watch it. From beginning to end.
It’s like wedding videos. If it’s not YOUR wedding or your child’s wedding…. it’s boring! No matter how beautiful the video or the wedding was – it’s NOT interesting because it’s not YOUR wedding!
It’s exactly the same principle.
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