Film a Real Estate Walk Through Video on your Iphone / Samsung

With smartphone cameras improving every year, filming high-quality home tour videos has never been easier. A short walkthrough video can showcase a home’s best features and give potential buyers a comprehensive look without having to visit in person.

Social platforms such as Tiktok and Instagram Reels give realtors access to a vast hungry audience but to tap into this potential buyer base you need a house walkthrough video that uses the correct media format.

In this post, we’ll cover the benefits of filming house tours on your phone, as well as provide tips on preparing the space, shooting techniques, editing, the necessary equipment and how to best utilize the videos for marketing.

With some planning and practice, anyone can produce professional-looking real estate videos to attract more interested buyers and sellers.

Benefits of Walkthrough Videos for Tiktok & Instagram Reels

Sharing real estate video content on Instagram Reels and TikTok is an effective way for agents to showcase listings creatively while reaching broad new audiences. The short video format allows highlighting a home’s best features in an eye-catching, engaging manner in less than 90 seconds, which, when prepared correctly for the algorithm, make it easy to gain expanded visibility.

Visually compelling real estate videos on Reels and TikTok put your properties in-front of fresh groups of potential buyers.

Here’s how posting house walkthrough videos on Instagram Reels and TikTok can help real estate agents reach a wider audience:

• Increased visibility – The algorithms on Reels and TikTok help push videos to a larger number of viewers who may not already be following the real estate agent. This expands reach to new potential buyers.
• Viral potential – Compelling or entertaining Reels and TikToks can go viral, getting the video and listing in front of a massive new audience organically.
• Younger demographics – Both platforms are highly popular with Millennial and Gen Z home buyers who spend a lot of time scrolling these apps. It helps connect with younger crowds.
• Condensed previews – The short video formats allow showcasing just the highlights or best features of a home to capture attention quickly before viewers click through for more.

Realtors Already Killing it with Reels and Tiktoks

Here are some examples of successful real estate agents who use Instagram Reels and TikTok to showcase their properties:

• .Chad Ochs (@chadochs)
  • Top 1% of Realtors in Florida who frequently posts property tours and area highlights on Reels to showcase listings
• Tina Chen (@tina.chen) –
  • LA-based agent who gained a large TikTok following by posting funny/informative videos about the home buying process.
• Taylor Parrish (@taylorparrishh)
  • Utah agent who does weekly “Sunday Showings” on TikTok previewing new listings in an engaging way.
• Nina Dooley (@ninadooley)
  • Nashville agent who does behind-the-scenes “Day in the Life” Reels to build her personal brand.
• The Perez Team (@theperezteam)
  • Miami real estate team using Reels to give virtual tours with facts about properties over trending beats.

Preparing to Film a House Walkthrough

Before filming, clean and stage the property to show it in the best light. Ensure good lighting conditions and reduce background noise. Also check the the weather for the day as a grey overcast day could mean less natural light entering the home.

And, please don’t be that person, check your phone has enough storage space for high quality, long videos before starting.

Room-by-Room Filming Order for Real Estate Tours

When creating a real estate video tour, it’s essential to present the property in a logical and engaging sequence.

1. Front Exterior:
   • Begin with wide shots of the property’s front to establish its curb appeal.
   • Include close-ups of notable features like the front door or landscaping.
2. Entryway/Foyer:
   • Capture the initial space that greets visitors upon entering.
3. Main Living Areas:
   • Living Room: Highlight the primary gathering space.
   • Dining Room: Showcase the formal dining area.
   • Kitchen: Emphasize appliances, countertops, and any unique features.
4. Secondary Living Spaces:
   • Family Room/Den: If applicable, film additional living areas.
5. Bedrooms:
   • Master Bedroom: Start with the largest bedroom, focusing on space and amenities.
   • Additional Bedrooms: Proceed to other bedrooms, capturing their size and features.
6. Bathrooms:
   • Master Bathroom: Highlight en-suite facilities.
   • Guest and Additional Bathrooms: Film other bathrooms in the home.
7. Home Office/Study:
   • If present, showcase spaces designated for work or study.
8. Basement/Lower Levels:
   • Include recreational rooms, storage areas, or finished basements.
9. Utility Areas:
   • Laundry Room: Display laundry facilities.
   • Garage: Capture parking space and storage potential.
10. Outdoor Spaces:
    • Backyard: Highlight patios, gardens, pools, or play areas.
    • Side Yards and Additional Structures: Include sheds, guest houses, or other notable features.
11. Neighborhood and Surroundings:
    • Conclude with shots of the surrounding area, such as nearby parks, schools, or attractions, to provide context.

Filming the Walkthrough

• Start Recording: Begin filming outside the front of the property.
• Room-by-Room Walkthrough: Walk through the rooms in order, filming as you go.
• Filming Style: Move slowly and steadily, fully panning around each room.
• Highlight Features: Talk about the features and benefits of the property as you film.
• Duration per Room: Capture at least 20 seconds of footage per room.
• Include Outdoor Areas: Be sure to film outdoor areas as well.
• Record in Short Clips: Record 5-10 second clips at a time. This makes it easier to delete individual clips if mistakes are made and simplifies post-production.
• Consider Social Platform Limitations: Keep in mind the limitations of platforms where the video will be shared:
  • Instagram Reels have a maximum length of 90 seconds.
  • TikTok allows for longer videos, but filming for 90 seconds ensures the footage can be used across multiple platforms.
• Editing for Multiple Platforms: While 90 seconds is a good general guideline, you can always edit and create different versions tailored to specific platforms.

General Tips for filming House walkthrough

• Wipe your phone’s camera lens regularly with a microfiber cloth to remove dust and dirt. This takes little time and improves image quality.
• Always film videos vertically in portrait mode. This optimizes for social platforms such as Reels and TikTok that use 16:9 aspect ratio.
• Use a tripod or selfie stick to stabilize and minimize shakiness in videos. Steady footage looks more professional.
• Write multiple scripts for video clips to ensure you communicate key points instead of rambling. Stay on message.
• Film extra clips and review the footage later to select the best shots for your video. More options means better final edits.
• Avoid using the digital zoom on phone cameras. It can make footage look grainy.
• Put your phone on airplane mode when filming to prevent disruptive notifications and sounds.
• Planning thoroughly in advance leads to better final videos. Preparation is key.
• Charge phone fully before filming or plug into a mobile power bank.
• Use microphone for improved audio if possible.
• Record each room/clip individually.
• Make sure you have enough storage available on your device.

Tips to prep the rooms before filming:

• Verify all light bulbs are operational and emitting the same color temperature. Replace any burnt out or mismatched bulbs.
• Eliminate clutter throughout the home, including concealing trash cans if feasible.
• In bathrooms, shut toilet lids, clean all glass surfaces like mirrors and shower doors, limit items on countertops like soap dispensers, and hang fresh towels.
• On sitting furniture, arrange plump pillows.
• Mow front and back lawns neatly.
• Relocate vehicles from the driveway for an uncluttered exterior.
• Conceal entertainment system remotes using RF extenders to control devices stored out of sight.

Equipment needed for filming house walkthrough

Essentials

• Smartphone with good camera and enough storage space
• Selfie stick/tripod for stabilization
• External microphone for improved audio
• Mobile power bank to avoid running out of battery
• Wide-angle lens to capture whole rooms in highest quality – we like the Moment M-Series – 18mm Attachment Lens

Highly Recommended Extra

• Gimbal for smoother footage: While not strictly essential, a gimbal significantly improves the professionalism of your videos by providing fluid, stabilized movement.
  For a great affordable gimbal you can try the DJI Osmo Mobile 6 Gimbal Stabilizer for Smartphones.

Optional Extras

• Video editing software to polish final videos
• Green screen studio for background effects

The most important things are having a smartphone with a decent camera and enough storage, plus some way to stabilize the phone while filming such as a selfie stick or small tripod. An external microphone can also dramatically improve sound quality. Other accessories like lenses, power banks, and gimbals further enhance the videos, with the gimbal being highly recommended for smoother, polished footage.

Editing the Footage

Transfer footage to a computer and use video editing software to stitch clips together into one video. Trim unnecessary footage. Enhance with music, graphics, captions etc. Export final video and upload to YouTube and other platforms. If you want to save time and make sure your videos has the best chance of impressing potential clients then we have a done for you property walkthrough video editing service where our professional editors polish your videos to make sure it looks as luxurious as possible.

Post the walkthrough video

The last step is to upload the full walkthrough videos to TikTok and Instagram Reels to maximize exposure. It’s important to use relevant hashtags like the neighborhood or city to help local buyers find the listings. Also be sure to monitor comments and questions on the videos to build connections with potential buyers. Provide links or directions in the captions to make it easy for interested viewers to schedule showings or open houses. Interacting with the videos and nurturing leads is key to converting views into real connections.

Need help with your shortform video strategy for real estate?

Book in a consultation call and we’ll help you find the most cost effective way to get more eyes on your property.

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