| The real estate housing market in many areas has | | | | buyers engaged. Every additional photo increases your |
| become very slow. With slower sales, what can you | | | | homes potential to capture the right buyer. This is the |
| do to help drive traffic to your home increasing your | | | | best option if your budget is tight or you'd rather do it |
| chances at finding the right home buyer to sell your | | | | yourself. The cost can be free if you take the pictures |
| home quickly? | | | | yourself and host the images on a free site like |
| This is where technology can really help! Today, over | | | | Google's Picasa. |
| 80% of home buyers begin their home search online. | | | | 2. Virtual Tours. For under $150, you can hire a |
| While home buyers are viewing homes online, they are | | | | professional company to come out to your home and |
| spending the majority of their time looking at a home's | | | | capture a virtual tour of your home. Usually, they can |
| pictures. Pictures speak a thousand words... especially | | | | also provide you with high-quality still photos of your |
| when you only have a few hundred words available | | | | home. Virtual Tours not only capture the buyer's |
| for an MLS listing description. | | | | attention but also keep them engaged as they can |
| It absolutely amazes me that any seller or Realtor | | | | move the camera around to see the home at their |
| would bother listing a home online without posting a | | | | pace. Many virtual tour companies like Matrix Tours or |
| photo with it immediately. Tens of Thousands of | | | | Tour Factory will include a photo slideshow as part of |
| potential home buyers receive "just listed" properties | | | | the virtual tour package. Virtual Tours are my favorite |
| emailed to them each week. If a FSBO seller or real | | | | option unless the home is a very high-end home in |
| estate agent fails to post that home with at least a | | | | which case I would opt for door number 3. |
| few pictures, most of those potential home buyers will | | | | 3. Video Tour. A video tour is a professional video |
| not give that property a second look. | | | | shoot of a home with a voice over describing the |
| So, what is step one? Get your home picture ready | | | | home in detail. The cost can range between $150 (yes, |
| and have quality photos available before the home is | | | | it can be that inexpensive) and up to $3,000 for the |
| listed on a real estate website or the MLS! | | | | highest quality video crew and voice talent. This is a |
| Here are 3 more ways to use technology to capture | | | | wonderful option if the home has numerous upgrades |
| more home buyer traffic. | | | | and refined touches. The cost can be high but the |
| 1. Photo Slideshows. This is a great way to add | | | | results are fantastic if your budget allows. |
| additional photos to your home's listing and keep home | | | | |