Photos and virtual tours are both extremely important factors in showing off property – but video brings the listing to life. Video can take viewers and show them the character of a property in a way that is not available by any other medium.

Home On The Tube does just that!  In my opinion, it’s by far one of the coolest forms of listing display to reach the internet.  I’m sure you’ll agree too.

How does it work?  Simply pick up your digital camera, set it to “video mode” and begin to shoot the property you have listed.  Just “walk and talk” your way through the home; pointing out the best features.  A couple of minutes of video is all you need.  Then, upload your property videos to Home on the Tube for the world to see!

Home On The Tube’s features include an Automated Video Conversion tool that supports nearly all video formats.  A Bulk Upload feature also allows you upload all of your videos at once.  Home On The Tube lets you embed, link, or automatically send property videos on worldwide social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and many more.  Not only that, Home On The Tube will soon be releasing an iPhone app with GPS features.

How is this different from any other video sharing site one might ask?  Easy – Home On The Tube caters specifically to real estate.  Home On The Tube offers no distractions – all real estate, all the time. 

Sounds pretty cool, doesn’t it?

Make a movie star out of your listing and give your buyers the grand tour they’ve been waiting for.   Check them out right here.

Creating video tours is not for everyone.  In fact, I believe that a generous stock of quality listing photos competes well against the majority of video tours I’ve watched.  That’s because so many of the video makers play it safe.  The videos consist mainly of zooms, pans and tilts that attempt to capture both the interior and exterior beauty of the associated property.  Video is great if you have moving objects like flowing fountains, crackling fireplaces, breezy curtains, and so forth, but a lot of the time the shots do little more than draw your attention across a static room that could easily be captured in photographic form.

Unlike photos, videos can actually mimic the process of an open house tour, yet rarely do.  When you’re showing a client a house do you stand them in the front yard and pan their head from left to right?  I didn’t think so.  With the technology available today, it’s very easy to freely navigate your way around a property pointing out details that are worth knowing.  When you treat the camera like a client, your viewers will find themselves more deeply immersed in the video, and that’s a very good thing.

So how can you create dynamic / engaging / smooth video?

The secret is in the camera accessories.  For real estate agents, I recommend steering clear of overusing your tripod.  Tripods are fantastic, and everyone who owns a video camera ought to have one.  However, the problem with tripods is they only allow shots from a fixed position.  Hand-held shooting is more flexible, but it may result in shaky, awkward video footage.  The problem can be eliminated by using a Glidecam or a Steadicam to stabilize it.  For the most common camera sizes, the Glidecam HD-2000 or the Steadicam Merlin will work just fine.  Have a peek at how much of an improvement these devices make for hand-held video:

In addition to the camera mount there’s a few other accessories that any real estate agent ought to have.  First, I recommend picking up a lavalier microphone, also known as a lapel mic.  As the built-in microphone on your camera faces forward, and is almost always omnidirectional, it does not serve you well to record your voice while shooting.  Unidirectional lapel mics will minimize surrounding noise and provide a clear audio track if you choose to include one.  Very few videos offer audio recordings from the agents themselves, instead opting to play music throughout – this is a missed opportunity.  An on-camera video light is a good idea too.  For instance, the Litepanels Dimmable LED Video Light comes with color conversion gels, diffusion, and has an adjustable tilt – great for matching it to the available light source, and for better illuminating dimly lit rooms.  Lastly, a fisheye converter for your lens will allow for a wider shot of exterior and interior spaces.  Most video cameras have a very powerful zoom, but will be restrictive on the wide-angle side.

Always remember that your videos are responsible for guiding the viewer’s attention.  Use your experience to determine what people are historically interested in seeing/learning and attempt to capture that in your videos.  When you have good sound and great footage, your video is on it’s way to becoming a sure-fire success.