How many of you are using Youtube and Video Tours as opposed to virtual Tours?

[rmasse10]

Sorry for the long title...but was wondering how many of you have ditched the virtual tours for video tours. With advent of youtube and other video sites, have you completely gotton rid of the virtual tour companies in place of video tours.

I for one have...Since my mls allows me to put up video tours, and realtor dot com allows it as well...I cant see paying a monthly fee for what I would call an outdated service.

[NealRM]

I'm not sure I would call virtual tour an outdated service (yet). While I do believe that video tours will start being more popular, I'm not ready willing to say they will replace photos. The main reasons are the resolution, display size and the difficulty of videoing regular sized rooms. In addition the two mediums have different strong points.

In the end, I expect a combination of photos and videos to be the tour of choice.

BTW: What are you using to video your properties?

[Michael Paul Eau Claire]

I tried posting a video tour on youtube but the quality was poor. I was disappointed that all my hard work looked grainy, fuzzy, and jerky.

I'm definitely open to hearing any other places people post video tours -- someplace that might allow more bandwidth (for free).

[rmasse10]

Regarding the virtual tours vs video tours...did you know that for the price of nothing...you can create a video tour out of your pictures...and upload it yourself to realtor dot come for absolutely no fee...you probably already have the software to do it, microsoft movie maker...

just food for thought

[Michael Paul Eau Claire]

I didn't know you could do that on realtor.com, I'll check it out. I knew there were other services out there...but the client I was helping at the time wanted a video tour, not a virtual tour.

[rmasse10]

You have to have the enhanced version...for realtor dot com...

[Dallas Broker]

I still have professional virtual tour with custom website for property, esp if over certain range. Video Tour would be nice addition and can only help market property esp when posted to youtube and through other networking channels.

[Eric Blackwell]

rmasse is correct that YouTube is becoming a popular way to host these videos and that Microsoft Movie Maker is an easy and effective way to build them..no fee.

Additional note: There was something in this months REALTOR magazine about listing tours and videos being against YouTube's TOS. I am checking into it and will let you know...would be a SHAME if that were the case.

I posted a couple of months ago on my REW blog about one of our REALTORS and how she was using You Tube videos to sell homes...cool stuff IMO

Eric

[GetSmart]

even if youtube won't allow it, you can still use google video, and there are some more that are popular that you can use. i think youtube is for entertainment and not commercial use that makes sense.

[Eric Blackwell]

Yep. Here is the reference to it from REALTOR MAGAZINE. Not now, but soon, they will start to enforce this more vigorously.

Hat tip to Malok for sending me the link via email. Thanks...

Best

Eric