Video walk-throughs trending for rentals

Video walk-throughs, which are short videos of homes listed for sale, have been a popular means of marketing homes via the internet.

Now, with the increasing demand for rental properties, this concept has been replicated for homes available for rent. One firm recently announced implementation of this system.

Zillow introduces video walk-throughs on rental listings, providing renters with an immersive way to envision themselves in a home.

“Video walk-throughs are short videos that will give renters more infor- mation about a home’s key features and special attributes,” according to a news release. “Video walkthroughs are designed to fit into the browsing behavior of renters.”

The report pointed out the advantages of establishing a firm time limit for each video.

“With a time limit of two minutes and no sound, video walkthroughs give renters a new way to explore the real estate market and narrow down the homes they want to tour. The format is the same for every listing, giving renters a consistent viewing experience and allowing them to more easily compare homes.

“Video walk-throughs have been tremendously popular on for-sale listings. Bringing them to rentals is a natural extension,” said Jeremy Wacksman, Zillow chief marketing officer. “Renters (get) a quick glimpse into home features that are hard to capture in photos, like how a home is laid out or how much natural light there is in the kitchen.” Q:

What is driving the current rise in home prices? A: One key contributor is the persistent supply shortages throughout the country.

This led to slightly faster home price appreciation during the third quarter, according to the latest quarterly report by the National Association of Realtors.

The report also revealed that seven of the ten most expensive housing markets in the U.S. are in the West, including San Jose, California, which had a median single-family home price of $1 million for the second straight quarter.