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It’s no longer a question of whether video drives sales in estate agency – it’s fast becoming the frontline of how estate agents engage, differentiate, and convert.
These days, buyers are far more likely to scroll before they call and sellers judge you before you’ve even knocked on the door. So video is your first impression – and it needs to be a good one.
Whether it’s a slick social reel or a guided tour narrated with a bit of charm, the appetite for video is growing – and the stats are there to prove it. Our own data shows:
+ An additional 545 people (on average) click on a property’s details if there’s a video on it, rather than just photos
+ A video generates a 17.6% uplift in views of those property details
+ It would add an extra 8% income to the business if every property for sale had a video
This tallies with other research that suggests 73% of homeowners say they’d rather use an agent who uses video (NAR, 2020) – yet only 42% of agents offer video tours, though that creeps up to 51% on new builds (Zillow, 2024).
What’s more, buyers don’t just want to see the rooms. We’ve always found they want a sense of the lifestyle and the story behind the property, and a bit about the local community.
According to the video marketing platform Wistia, average engagement is highest if a video is less than a minute long (Wistia, 2023). Although shorter isn’t always better if you have an important message to give. It just needs to be higher up in the video, before people tune out.
The most effective format is a piece-to-camera. It’s personal, direct, and builds trust in seconds. Authenticity beats production every time.
However, one of the biggest obstacles isn’t technology or budget. It’s people. For many in our industry, particularly those who’ve built successful careers in a more traditional way, the idea of speaking on camera feels unnatural. I understand that. It’s not about replacing decades of experience; it’s about making sure that experience is seen and heard by the next generation of buyers and sellers.
There’s no shame in finding video a challenge but there is a risk in ignoring it. Because the agents embracing it are pulling ahead. They’re generating more leads, more instructions, and deeper engagement with their audience. And as with anything in this business, it’s the ones who adapt who come out on top, a bit like those using AI.
That’s why, at Spicerhaart, we’ve invested in tools to help our people get comfortable with video. From our in-house Geniusee app which helps create videos, to platforms like Synthesia for consistent, scalable content, using our own actor-led avatars talking about the local market, we’re making sure video is accessible for everyone in our business – whether they’ve been in agency for three months or thirty years.
At the same time, we have a generation of young people in the business who love to communicate using WhatsApp and we have to be mindful that many of our customers want to be communicated with that way too.
So here’s my advice: keep moving forward with the times. Just get out there. Be yourself. Speak to your buyers and sellers like you would in the branch. And while you’re at it, press record.
Paul Smith is chairman and founder of Spicerhaart
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#estate #agents #video #marketing
