In Hollywood, short movies complete with professional actors, musical scores and even helicopter shots are increasingly popular as a way to pitch high-end homes and condos.
The National Association of Realtors reports that 14% of sellers used video to help sell their homes in 2012, up from 9% five years ago. One creative example of this strategy is a movie called “The Spider and the Fly,” which follows a beautiful female cat burglar through a $35 million Malibu mansion. Real-estate developer DeeAnna Staats commissioned Hello! Films to make the video, then presented it to clients on gift-wrapped iPads.
The Agency recently shot an alternative movie of its own, set in a newly remodeled contemporary home in the Outpost Estates, listed at $5.25 million. The film features a day-in-the-life of a young couple enjoying the home, along with a dinner party they throw their friends. The Tastery – a company providing chefs-to-order – partnered with The Agency for the shoot.
“When you buy a home, you are also buying a lifestyle. We wanted to show one possible version of that lifestyle,” says Billy Rose, President and COO of The Agency, who makes a cameo appearance at the dinner party. “We love this medium, and we have many more creative and narrative videos in the works.”
“I think these real estate videos are different because they show people what can be done with the house,” says the director of the video, Kevin Camonayan. “We can get a wider view of the space and design of the property, combined with a sense of what it would be like to live there. Each property has its own unique characteristics – I feel these videos are a great way to capture and share them.”
An Australian company – Neo Property – takes a decidedly comedic (and controversial) approach to their videos. In one of their films, a woman is kidnapped and tied to a chair in a luxury home, and yet she can’t help talking about all the home’s amazing features. In another video, a man wakes up in the morning and walks all through the house completely naked, with the camera following. The tagline at the end? “92 Savoy Drive. So private you can walk around naked.”
Not only do movies grab you – they can impart an incredible amount of information in just a few seconds. They also have global appeal, since you can share them online, through social media, on your iPhone, your iPad and on blogs such as this one.
Stay tuned – The Agency has more videos coming soon, with copter shots, original music and maybe even some celebrity appearances.
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View all the videos mentioned above below:
7044 Los Tilos Road, Hollywood Hills
The Spider and The Fly
15 Queen Anne Court Sovereign Island
92 Savoy Drive
