Real Estate Projects?

[Mark Suszko]

In this Real Estate market, I’d imagine the margins are pretty low for everything except mansions. I wouldn’t see much value in going to all the effort for any property under a million, because its such a buyer’s market now.

Making a beauty spread of a mansion property would be similar in my mind to any other high-end spot or informercial, so you could use the same budget models for time and materials. Analyze how many different views and setups it takes to depict the property fully, then budget for that. If you look at the production costs as a fraction of the asking price, then it becomes as much an investment decision as any other technique in house selling, like remodeling a kitchen to update it for the sale, sprucing up the landscaping, etc. Only the scale is different. When you’re selling a big number project, and the number sounds scary, you ask the customer: well, if the point is to sell a 20-million dollar item, what percentage of that 20 mil is worth it to you to invest in securing the sale? Then work from that budget.

I would suggest that it might be more successful a project in any case if you can still incorporate some storytelling besides just being a visual catalog. This is what Robin Leach used to do when touring properties on his “Lifestyles” show. He’d drop little interesting tidbits about the history of the property during the tours. So budget a little time to actually script a narrative to reinforce the beauty shots, because such purchases are not made entirely with the brain alone, but with emotions and perceptions. Any house will heep the rain off your head, but if you can say: “so-and-so used to live here”, stuff like that, that’s the intangible that people pay the extra for.

[David Roth weiss]

Gee Roy, I really liked your performances in Jaws and The French Connection… I hope you do as weel in real estate video. 🙂 🙂 🙂

David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles

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[Mick Haensler]

You are correct sir. There is indeed money to be made in Real Estate, but not in your average half million single family home. I am doing a lot of business in Real Estate right now working a marketing plan I have spent quite a bit of time on. Unfortunately I cannot divulge my secrets but I can say if you find the right market and offer them the right product, there is money to be made. I will also add that video was not enough to close the deal for me, you might want to consider diversifying your skill set to include still photography and graphic design.

Mick Haensler
Higher Ground Media

[Tim Frechette]

Mick,

I’m sorry but since you mentioned you have secrets you are now going to have to share with everyone in the class. 🙂

All kidding aside I have been approached by a couple of agents but they are so damn cheap and want the world. I will be putting the finishing touches on a plan so I can make money with the right client.

This is a link to someone doing real estate videos. Your opinions are welcomed.

http://www.nashuavideotours.com/

[George Socka]

The CNN financial lady did a segment last week about home sales and said somthing like “video walkthroughs are a must in this market”.

Not sure how to use that phrase, it would be nice to get a hold of that clip in fact, and maybe that is something to build on. Maybe someone Tivo’d it.

George Socka
BeachDigital
http://www.beachdigital.com