When you are selling your home, there may not be a better reaction to your listing photos and video than looking at them and thinking, “I want to buy that house.”
That was exactly the reaction one Hum Real Estate client had after seeing the marketing created for his own Tallahassee home.
The client had previously worked with other real estate professionals and had experience with Hum Real Estate on both sides of a transaction. But when talking about selling, one thing stood out immediately: the marketing.
“From a selling standpoint I was extremely impressed with the marketing, especially with how he handled the pictures and the videos.”
Then came a line that may sum up the goal of great listing presentation better than almost anything we could write ourselves:
“When I first looked at the videos that he posted I said to my wife, ‘I want to buy that house,’ and I’m trying to sell it.”
That is one seller’s personal reaction, but it raises an important question for anyone preparing to put a home on the market in Tallahassee: What should your home look like when potential buyers first discover it online?
Your Home's First Showing May Be Online
Before many potential buyers ever walk through the front door, they have already formed an impression of the property.
They may have seen the listing photographs, watched a video, explored a virtual tour, looked at the floor plan, or visited the home's website. They may have compared the home with several other listings before deciding which ones they want to see in person.
That makes the online presentation of a home an important part of the overall selling strategy.
The goal is not to make a property look like something it is not. Good real estate marketing should accurately present the home while helping potential buyers understand its features, layout, spaces, and character.
What Makes Real Estate Photography Effective?
Professional real estate photography is about more than taking bright pictures with a wide-angle lens.
Effective listing photographs should help tell the story of the property.
That means considering which image should introduce the home, which features deserve special attention, how one room connects to another, what makes the exterior or lot noteworthy, and how the entire collection of images works together.
A seller may have lived in a home for years and know every detail of it. Someone discovering it online does not have that context.
The photography needs to help create it.
At Hum Real Estate, professional photography is part of the marketing provided for the homes we list. See Hum Real Estate's seller marketing package.
What Does Video Add to a Real Estate Listing?
Photography can show individual spaces beautifully, but video can help provide another perspective.
A well-produced real estate video can give potential buyers a better sense of movement through the property, how rooms relate to one another, how indoor and outdoor spaces connect, and which features help make the home distinctive.
That is what makes the seller’s reaction in this testimonial so interesting.
He was not simply pleased that a video had been created. He felt the finished presentation made his own home look compelling enough that he jokingly told his wife he wanted to buy it.
“I want to buy that house, and I’m trying to sell it.”
That does not mean professional video guarantees a particular sales price, number of showings, or timeframe. It does illustrate what thoughtful presentation can feel like from the seller’s perspective.
Why One Type of Media Is Not Enough
Different potential buyers absorb information differently.
One person may spend most of their time studying photographs. Another may watch the listing video first. Someone else may want to understand the floor plan before scheduling a showing. Another may prefer to explore a 3D tour at their own pace.
That is why Hum Real Estate approaches listing media as a collection of tools rather than relying on a single format.
Depending on the property and marketing strategy, that presentation can include professional photography, drone photography and video, a video walkthrough, a 3D virtual tour, a 2D floor plan, and a custom website dedicated to the home.
Explore the marketing Hum Real Estate provides for Tallahassee home sellers.
How Hum Real Estate Markets a Home
The media itself is only one part of the process.
A home also needs a strategy.
Before the property is marketed, the Hum Real Estate team works with the seller to understand the home, its features, the local competition, its positioning in the market, and how it should be presented to prospective buyers.
The photography, video, property website, virtual tour, floor plan, listing description, digital marketing, and other materials should work together rather than feeling like unrelated pieces.
The goal is to create a presentation that fits the individual property.
That approach also means thinking beyond the initial launch. Seller communication, market feedback, showing activity, competition, pricing, and other available information can help determine whether the strategy should remain the same or be adjusted while the property is on the market.
You can see the current Hum Real Estate seller process and marketing package at HumRealEstate.com/Selling.
Professional Marketing Is Also About Professional Representation
The seller in this testimonial did not limit his comments to photography and video.
He also compared his experience with previous real estate transactions:
“I've worked with other Realtors in the past, and by far Kelly, I would say, is the most professional.”
That statement reflects the client's individual opinion and experience, but it highlights something important.
The quality of the listing presentation is only one part of choosing a real estate brokerage.
Sellers may also want to consider communication, market knowledge, pricing strategy, negotiation, transaction management, accessibility, problem-solving, and how the agent and brokerage will represent their interests throughout the sale.
Professional media can help get attention.
Professional representation helps guide everything that happens after that attention arrives.
Questions Sellers Should Ask About Listing Marketing
If you are interviewing real estate agents to sell a home in Tallahassee, it can help to ask specific questions about what your marketing will actually include.
- Will my home receive professional photography?
- Will you create a professional video or walkthrough?
- Do you provide drone photography and video?
- Will there be a 3D virtual tour?
- Will potential buyers be able to see a floor plan?
- Will my home have its own website?
- How will you decide which features of my home to emphasize?
- How will the listing be marketed online?
- How will you measure buyer response after the property launches?
- How often will I receive updates about the listing and marketing?
The answers can tell you quite a bit about whether an agent has a repeatable marketing process or is simply planning to place the home in the MLS and see what happens.
Frequently Asked Questions About Real Estate Photography and Video
Does Hum Real Estate provide professional photography for its listings?
Yes. Professional photography is part of the current Hum Real Estate seller marketing package. You can see the current package at HumRealEstate.com/Selling.
Does Hum Real Estate provide real estate video?
Yes. Hum Real Estate's current seller marketing includes video walkthroughs as well as drone photography and video.
Do Hum Real Estate listings receive 3D virtual tours?
Yes. The current seller package includes a 3D virtual tour and a 2D floor plan to give potential buyers additional ways to understand the property online.
Does every Hum Real Estate listing get its own website?
Hum Real Estate currently provides a custom website for every home it sells. The website creates a dedicated online destination where potential buyers can explore information and media related to the property. It is combined with a unique URL like KillearnHome.com, GoldenEagleHome.com, LevyParkHome.com, WaverlyHillsHome.com, and BettonHome.com
Why are photos and video important when selling a home?
Photos and video help potential buyers evaluate a property before deciding whether to schedule an in-person showing. They can communicate different aspects of the home, including its appearance, layout, features, and relationship between spaces.
Can professional photography or video guarantee that my home will sell faster or for more money?
No. Marketing is only one factor in a real estate sale. Pricing, condition, location, competition, market conditions, financing, and buyer demand can also affect the outcome. Professional media can help present the property effectively, but it cannot guarantee a particular sales price, timeframe, or result.
Bottom Line
When a seller looks at the marketing for his own property and thinks, “I want to buy that house,” that is a pretty good compliment.
For Hum Real Estate, the bigger idea is not simply to produce attractive photographs or another real estate video.
It is to create a thoughtful presentation around each individual home and give potential buyers multiple ways to experience that property online.
Your home has its own features, layout, character, and story.
Its marketing should, too.
Thinking about selling a home in Tallahassee or the surrounding area? See how Hum Real Estate markets homes for sale and hear from more of our clients.
Client statements featured in this article reflect the individual's personal experience and opinions. Individual results vary, and no particular sales price, marketing result, number of showings, or transaction outcome is guaranteed.
