Any real estate agent worth their salt knows that a selling a property is about so much more than selling a property. You need to go the extra mile to show the buyer what they get from this home over all others.

This is where real estate videography can help you go the extra mile. The trick is knowing where to begin.

Here are three tips you need to keep in mind before your next video shoot.

Plan Ahead

The cardinal rule of any video shoot is simple: plan ahead.

Videos may look off-the-cuff and breezy, but making a high-quality video is anything but. It takes a great deal of time to plan and prepare for a video.

For example: how are you going to move through the home? Are you going to walk through the house room by room to give the buyer a sense of space? Are you going to film each room and cut between each?

Some houses lend themselves better to certain transitions than others. Either way, it will benefit your camera person to walk through the house at least once to figure out their shots.

You’ll also need to figure out lighting. If you light the house with natural light, it’s going to look flat and dull. So you’ll need to tinker with what kinds of lights you need and where to place them for each shot in order to get the right ambiance.

And in the midst of all that planning, don’t neglect to plan your budget. Don’t be shy about it–real estate is all about aesthetics, and a good budget will translate into a good video.

If you don’t know where to begin with video production, this article is a great place to start.

Sell Lifestyle and Location, Not Just Property

Next, make sure to apply the basic principles of good real estate salesmanship: sell a lifestyle and location, not just a property. Luxury real estate, in particular, relies on this premise.

When you plan your video, think about attractions beyond the property itself. What is near the property? What would make it attractive to the target demographic (young singles, families, established professionals)?

Make It Human

Above all, make sure to make it human.

Real estate agents know that buying and selling a home is a deeply personal experience. It’s not like selling a table or a sandwich–it’s an investment, a space where memories will be made that families will treasure forever.

Why should your videos be any less human?

People act with their emotions, especially when it comes to buying a home. And people don’t relate to properties–they relate to other people. And you can use that to your advantage in videos in a way that’s impossible to replicate in still photographs.

Real estate videos give you a chance to offer an emotional appeal directly to your customers. Show them the emotional side of a house and they’ll feel a deeper connection.

Helping You Master Real Estate Videography

Keeping these tips in mind will help your next shoot go smoothly, but if you’re new to video and aren’t sure where to begin, don’t DIY it.

We’re video experts that know how to make your residential or commercial property stand out, with prices and packages that you can afford. Want to find out how we can help? Use our contact page to get in touch.