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As a Realtor and business owner, you know word of mouth is everything! But what about online reviews? We all want them, but what are the best ways to get them and how beneficial can they be? We are taking an inside look into online reviews to help YOU get the most out of your online platforms! Benefits: If you are looking to try a new food or try something new, what is the first thing you do? I know I go check out the online reviews. I don't want to waste my time on something I won't enjoy, or that has negative reviews and the same can be said for your buyers! According to Review Trackers, 63.6% of consumers will check Google for reviews being trying a new product or service. That means over half of buyers go directly to Google, and if they cannot find you, you won't have that opportunity to sell yourself. Something else that many people aren't aware of is that reviews on Google boost your page to the the top of the list! Free advertising? Now, that's what I like to hear! Now, what if you do not have or want to set up a Google Business as a Realtor? You're in luck! Review Trackers also tells us that Facebook is the number 2 source of reviews, and that is growing quicker than any other review service. That is GREAT news for you! Facebook is the primary source of media interaction for most Real Estate Agents. If you have a website, that is great, but the reviews will benefit you more on a social media site. So get out there and create your Facebook AND THEN FOLLOW US! How to get reviews: If you are providing the quality service we know you are, getting reviews will be easy to do! Sometimes it really is as simple as asking. Your clients are happy to share positive reviews of their experiences by telling their friends, family, and giving you referrals. BUT, if you can get them to write it down in an online setting, the probability for buyers to see it exponentially increases! However, for them to leave you a review online, you also need to do your part to make it easy for them to access. RE PIXS does this frequently by directly linking our review pages to things like promotional emails, and on our website. You may have responded with praise about a photographer or photos and then been asked to leave a review on Facebook directly. These things help out our business SO much, and you can do the same for yours! Again, all you have to do is ask! You'd be surprised how willing people are to talk about a service they love to use! The links may look a little funny, so we like to link them to text, photos, or embed them in our emails so they seem more appealing. See below for an example! Link to Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/repixspros/reviews/ Link to Google: https://g.page/repixs/review?rc What now? So you have a place to put your reviews, now what do you do with them? Well, remember that reviews often speak for themselves. As a Realtor, continue to provide exceptional service, and your clients will be happy to leave positive reviews for you. Make sure to respond quickly to their praises, too! It will only further benefit your review to see your positive and grateful response. In fact, Review Tracker reminds us 80% of customers feel a business cares about them more when they respond to reviews. Ain't that the truth?! I'm sure you're also wondering what to do with a negative review. And while they may happen from time to time, I am happy to report the same premise still applies with negative comments. The polls show that nearly 40% of consumers will still try a business with negative reviews if the business responds to them appropriately (Review Trackers, 2018). SO, now that you know the basics. Get out there and get some reviews! And if you're feeling up for it - would you mind leaving us a review?! It means the world to us! Reference: https://www.reviewtrackers.com/reports/online-reviews-survey/

Meet Sam! If you’ve been working with RE PIXS for a while you’ll definitely recognize this smiling face. Sam has been a part of the team since 2015 and has photographed thousands of homes in the Portland area. She's trained on just about everything we offer. She's a pro photographer, videographer, 3D Matterport extraordinaire, and one of our licensed Drone Pilots! She was a quick study when it came to getting her drone license because she’s been around pilots her entire life. In fact, Sam’s Dad and Brother are both Pilots for the United States Air Force, so you could say flying is in her blood! She was born in Spain and has moved around throughout the country and different parts of the world throughout her childhood. We’re so thankful this creative soul has made Portland, Oregon her home base. Not only does Sam photograph homes, but she also shares them on social media! Sam is a part of our marketing team and has been so helpful in transforming our brand into what it is today. She is the one behind the scenes running our Facebook and Instagram pages. We're so thankful to have her on our team, we love her, and we know you will too! Sam's adventurous spirit fills up a lot of her free time outside of work. She loves hiking, kayaking, camping, and simply exploring all the Pacific NW has to offer. When she’s not working, adventuring, or playing in the garden, she daydreams of backpacking through Europe. In fact, that's the next item on her bucket list she’s determined to accomplish (you go girl!). As you can see, there are so many amazing stories behind each of our team members here at RE PIXS! Sam is an animal lover and was interested in becoming a veterinarian before she fell in love with the fun, creative, flexible art of photography. Sam still combines her love of animals with her love of photography. Recently she traveled to Costa Rica to volunteer at an animal rescue where she spent her days photographing the rescue animals and coordinating volunteers for the center. She even assisted in surgeries and helped with animal treatments. One of her favorite memories was painting the nails of the monkeys during surgery so that when they woke up they would be distracted by the paint color on their nails. This would keep the monkeys from touching any sutures or bandages because they loved their pretty nails! What a unique experience! Check out her amazing photos below! We also asked her a burning question - who is her favorite Real Estate agent to work with? Her response was “Bev Blume and Denise Crane would definitely make the cut for my Zombie Apocalypse survival group”. We love working with awesome agents like Bev & Denise! When we asked Sam why she loves working here she said “I enjoy working at RE PIXS for a variety of reasons, its a fun mix of working with agents, exploring different homes, and traveling all around Oregon & Washington. I also love the solid team we have!” Sam's favorite service we offer at RE PIXS is Drone video and photos because it allows her to get fun creative shots. One time on a shoot Sam had to practice her evasive flying techniques to get away from a Hawk! She safely maneuvered the drone away from this high-speed hawk attack! Way to go Sam! If you’ve never tried drone photos or video on one of your listings, definitely give it a try! You can easily book a drone shoot (or any other service!) with Sam here. She's fun, she's creative, she's adventurous - she's one of a kind! Every team needs a Sam. Don't you agree? If you've enjoyed working with Sam as much as we have - we would love to know! Click here to leave Sam a review on Google Your feedback helps us know how we're doing as a team, and how we can deliver an even better experience for you next time!

A complete exploration into Drone Aerial media for Real Estate! Ever wondered how photographers get some of those nifty shots? The shots that show a whole new perspective of a property from a cool angle, with awesome views behind it? Ever wonder how they seem to get above the blind spots of a treeline to showcase beautiful landscaping, or tiered architecture? You might think that you have to know a guy (who is probably a liability) and likely super expensive... WRONG! You know us! At RE PIXS we're all about going above and beyond (quite literally with our drones too!) We've got all the works! We're a one-stop-shop real estate media production team. We have everything you'd want to showcase your listing and it won't cost you an arm and a leg! There are probably some things you don't know when it comes to operating drones around the city. So we put together a little breakdown of things you'd love to know about WHAT a drone is, WHY you probably want one at your listing, and HOW we can make that happen in an affordable *SAFE* way. Read on, comrades. UAS QUADCOPTER (Unmanned Aircraft System) Sounds pretty cool, doesn't it? Only half as cool as the High Definition content it produces. At just under two pounds, flying up to 40 mph, the DJI Mavic Pro delivers 4k video as well as HDR Still Photography. At RE PIXS we offer a variety of Drone services. You can choose from a series of HDR Aerial Photos, an Aerial Mini-Movie, or a combination of our Aerial services with an Internal Video of the listing. These options not only dramatically improve the sophistication of your listing, but the imagery also helps to educate your potential buyers to the highest degree. Back in the heyday, if you wanted to get aerial shots of a property, let alone atmospheric video for a listing, you would need to lay down some serious cash on a manned helicopter. Those choppers didn't come cheap, and they were usually reserved for the most high-end Luxury Estates. So it might make sense as to why that service may seem a bit...out of reach...even now. But on the contrary- in the last decade or so, Quadcopters have become so compact and versatile they can fit in the palm of your hand. Pretty handy if you ask us, especially when it comes to zooming all around Oregon and Washington. These little devices have incredible benefits for residential listings along with commercial properties. Not only does this accessibility make drones more convenient, it also makes it more affordable as well. Many Realtors are using the new availability of drone flights to maximize the impact of their listings, and you can too! "I think in the future, listings not enhanced with drone technology will stand out negatively because everyone else will be doing it," - Bill Brown (2017) President of National Association of Realtors Using Drone media for your listings not only gets people's attention, but it maximizes the amount of information given to potential buyers. But wait! Is flying a Drone legal? This is the question you should be asking any drone pilot you plan to use for aerial footage of your next listing. This question is of the utmost importance, considering your drone pilot could be flying over houses, backyards, major highways, ETC. A trained drone pilot will take many things into consideration before ever taking off. Things like weather, high winds, aircraft, and even birds of prey can create hazards in the scope of a drone flight. Even for the safest pilots, there is room for variability and accidents can happen. This is why it is SO important whoever is flying the drone is not only licensed with the Federal Aviation Administration but is also a carrier of a comprehensive drone liability insurance policy. It's the law. It is a Realtors' responsibility to make sure all hired drone pilots are licensed and insured. You would be surprised at how many freelancers and even professional drone media companies are currently uninsured or licensed. Do your research and make sure your drone pilot is legally allowed to fly commercially. You can check public records of licensed drone pilots here (you'll just need their first and last name). All of RE PIXS Drone pilots are both LICENSED and INSURED. Above is our notification card, which we sometimes get to judicially hand out to nice old ladies who might be scrutinizing our pilots while we lift off in the street in front of their house. We always carry these cards around when we're out flying. On it, you'll find company resources with contact for insurance and more information. Let us dive a little deeper into the logistics of pre-flight variables (geofencing, weather, and more!) I'm not going to bore you with Airspace classifications, but principally Drones will be flying at low altitudes for short flight spans, around specific predetermined locations. This low altitude airspace (generally around 400 ft) is considered "uncontrolled airspace" and anything above this you will need to get a waiver from the FAA and Air Traffic Control to be able to fly. This main altitude can fluctuate depending on terrain but is generally controlled automatically, through GPS signal from the device. What does not fluctuate when it comes to airspace classes are invisible force fields surrounding airports, some national monuments, and areas with high magnetic interference. GEOFENCING A few weeks ago I was shooting a property out in the country, and I was unable to take lift off outside of the house. I packed up the drone and got in my car, and I drove down the country road and pulled off on the side near the back of the parcel I was planning on shooting. On the side of the road, I was able to take lift off and fly up into the sky above the property. On the GPS of my controller pad, I was able to see a border wall cutting right through the property and above the house. I was able to fly at my allocated altitude, but every time I would come up to that border, I would bump against that invisible forcefield. This is Geofencing. What was happening, was that the border for restricted Airspace that penetrated the parcel of land I was flying over was covered by Air Traffic Control from the nearby Hillsboro Airport. You see, when commercial flights take off they still need room for take-off from ground level. These lower altitudes are stacked and tiered flowing away from the airport. In order to fly in this controlled airspace, I would need to contact ATC at the Hillsboro Airport, acquire a waiver, and permission from FAA to unlock the Geofencing for that area. This could take days, even weeks to get official approval. Fortunately for this photoshoot, the border was curved and I was able to fly to different locations around and through the property. But occasionally this is not the case, and the GPS from the UAS needs to gain clearance before the flight. WEATHER One of the benefits of drone photography is getting those high altitude view shots. We can really get up there and pinpoint the location, its features, as well as its respective location to nearby attractions. i.e. cities, mountains, rivers, etc. But the weather in the Pacific NW can throw a wrench into the equation. We try to be on the lookout for weather well in advance of scheduling and heading out to our drone shoots. Here's the deal with rain: A drone is able to take lift off in the rain, and a drone is capable to fly in the rain...until it isn't. Rain can cause the batteries and/or the motor to fail, and not only is that expensive, but it's dangerous. RE PIXS pilots will not fly our drones in the rain because that would be irresponsible, and you wouldn't like the look of those 4k raindrops anyway. Fortunately, because the shoots don't normally take a huge amount of time, we can be pretty flexible with scheduling. And if it is raining, it's nobody's fault and we can reschedule or return to a location to get the shots! If you haven't considered adding Drone media to your photoshoot, here are some circumstances you might want to think about. Drone Photos can be a great way to show proximity to local attractions. But there are also certain properties that yield themselves better to drone photography rather than traditional photography. I personally would recommend drone photos for every single listing that is built on a slope, a hill, or in a tiered neighborhood. Not only can you get a sense of the area, but with a drone, you can also get close up shots that complement the structure of a home or building in a unique environment. (Shot from ground shooting uphill VS. Drone) Whereas our photographers can get you the best image possible from the ground, sometimes shooting over trees, or up a slope is unavoidable. If your listing has some of these attributes, using a drone can help get you that MONEY SHOT. We also have the ability to mark out perimeters! So if your case is a large property, with a hefty adjacent acreage, (especially forested areas) you can see the whole property line at once, and get an idea of the actual size. This application becomes even more vital when you consider shifts in terrain, that would be impossible to capture from anywhere but the sky. (Like this property, for instance, the acreage reaches down the slope to the road below.) Drone Media is really revolutionizing the market and is the future of homes being sold and information is being shared. Our team is on track to add even more drone pilots to the mix in 2020. Soon we'll have a whole fleet up in the air! The question is, will you be ready? Curious about adding a Drone order to your next shoot? Give us a call and ask about it when placing your order, or click this link to BOOK NOW! Hope to see you out there!

During these last few months the RE PIXS team has been finding creative ways to adapt and pivot with our ever-changing environment. As a small business, we have faced what feels like hurdle after hurdle during this global pandemic, which you can probably relate to as well! As a team, we're continually evolving and looking for new ways to serve our clients and our community in a meaningful and proactive way. We believe (now more than ever) is the time for all of us to connect our resources and come together for the greater good. We have teamed up with a local restaurant to deliver fresh nutritious meals to Healthcare providers and First Responders who are on the front lines of COVID-19 right here in Portland, Oregon. For every Real Estate Photoshoot booked with RE PIXS we're delivering 1 meal to local Doctors, Nurses, Police, Fire, and Essential Military personnel through our partnership with Joule Crafted Nutrition. These meals are made of the highest quality ingredients and scientifically designed to boost stamina and increase energy to give these teams on the front lines the ability to get through strenuous days. Not only is every meal free from gluten, sugar, soy, and corn, they're also produced and sourced locally and every ingredient is carefully selected for its nutrient density. And we couldn't be more excited about this partnership! We have witnessed the owners of Joule Crafted Nutrition pivot over and over again during this season of uncertainty ensuring that their doors (well, delivery doors) remain open so they can continue feeding our community and sourcing food through local small businesses. This a huge reason why we have chosen to team up with Joule crafted nutrition! We're bringing healthy and delicious meals to our healthcare providers, first responders, AND supporting dozens of local small businesses. Here at RE PIXS, we believe people come first, always. And we know that behind every small business is a group of people trying their best to navigate these uncharted waters. So let's work together to make this dark season a little brighter for all of us! Through the end of June every single photoshoot you book with RE PIXS provides a meal for Doctors, Nurses, Police, Fire, and Essential Military working on the front lines keeping our friends, family, and community safe. By working with RE PIXS to photograph your listing you're doing 3 things: 1. Feeding our local first responders and health care providers 2. Supporting dozens of local small businesses 3. Fueling our local economy here in Portland, Oregon. Talk about a win-win-win! How amazing is that?! Who knew that ordering photos could create positive relationships with our team, our clients, and our community?! If you haven't caught on by now - that's what we're all about! We will see this through together.

I bet you didn't know RE PIXS has a fully remote team? That's right. Of course, our photographers are wandering souls going from house to house each day. But what you may not know is our entire management staff and editing team also works remotely! In fact, we have employees in 3 different states and 2 time zones! How crazy is that? Even before COVID-19, RE PIXS has been operating without an office. However, we still found ways to connect by coming together for quarterly staff meetings and holidays. With that said, there are a few things we have implemented now that we can't have our typical in-person meetings right now. Although we are all used to being remote, it does take a toll when you can't see your teammates for long periods of time. Below are some helpful tools we use to stay connected and will continue to use even after the pandemic! Trello: This task management system has been key in helping us stay organized and on top of things! We have several different boards set up that correlate to different departments such as editing, marketing, and management. This is a great way to see what others have been doing, or what tasks they may be working on. It functions as if you were to drop by your coworker's office for a chat and ask what they have been up to! Even better, Ashley, our automation wizard, has set up several tasks for us all that will auto-populate when triggered, ensuring a seamless transition and task reminders between meetings! Google Meet: Since we typically all use the Google Suite, we prefer to use the Google Meet option for video calls and meetings. It is easy to use, and you can add it quickly to any event on the calendar. This has been an AMAZING option for us during management meetings, staff performance reviews, and staff meetings. It is so nice to see the faces of everyone, and you can present your screen or slides while doing so! Slack: My personal favorite method of team communication is Slack! With options to create different channels and use threads, it has definitely helped streamline our communication process. Our staff has also enjoyed being able to turn off notifications after hours instead of communicating through text. In slack, we have added some fun aspects as well! We did a virtual team scavenger hunt and it was hilarious! Also, Slackbot, the app's "personal assistant" can be customized to respond when triggered by keywords. Here is a look at our management staff having a riveting conversation with it. While these tools are helpful with communication and task management, the support and flexibility of our team are really what drives connections. We work hard to ensure each member of the team has a voice, feels heard, and is able to communicate ideas for improvement. This is important in any business, but even more so with a remote team. As with anything technology related, we do have occasional tech failures, but our team is always willing and able to assist in any way, and we are truly grateful for that! Last but certainly not least, HUMOR plays such a large role in our team and how we communicate. Using these tools allows us to add GIFs, Emojis, Bitmojis, and everything in between to help lighten the mood! We can change our names or profile pictures and that allows us to showcase our unique personalities, virtually! We stay connected through jokes and laughter, and I think we can all agree that laughing as a team is one of the best ways to create cohesion! We want to know! How are YOU staying connected to your team during COVID-19?!

When photographing houses we always want to make sure your house looks as perfect as possible! We can’t control the weather, or when your listing needs to go up, but we do have some tips to help you out! Natural lighting is necessary, and positioning the house is not an option! But, our team of professional photographers have years of experience under an umbrella of conditions both literally, and figuratively. If you're wondering when to book your photo shoot, or are concerned with environmental factors, take a look at some of these components to consider: The First Thing to Look at when booking your photo shoot would be the direction of the house. Our photographers are equipped to photograph any house, in any lighting condition. Even if the sun is rising behind the house during the photo shoot, we can still provide an ideal image. Overall, it is best on a sunny day to observe when the sun is crossing over the house, and try to pick a time where there aren't long dense shadows scattered across the front. A Sunny Day of course, it seems like the best time to take photographs of a house. We want the house to look sunny and inviting! But in fact, sometimes when it is sunny out, we have to compensate for harsh highlights and dark shadows. We need to minimize these because they can be distracting and create inconsistent lighting. We want to get you the absolute best for the first shots you want your buyer to see! Life Gets Wet in Portland Oregon as you can imagine. We’re used to lots of damp, soggy, and gray days. So many in fact, we make sure to add blue skies to all of our front shots of each of our shoots! It is important the first MONEY SHOT a potential buyer sees of a house is bright and welcoming. While on one hand shooting out in the rain might not be the most fun... the shiny, contrasted pavement and even-toned lighting that the PNW can deliver can be the most ideal you can get for your exterior shots! Take a quick look If you send light through a narrow tunnel, such as a flashlight, it creates a directional beam of light. The smaller the tunnel, the more crisp the beam of light will be (such as a laser) the wider the tunnel of light, the softer and more diffused the light becomes (like a lantern). In the studio, photographers can use big diffuser boxes over their lights to create the softest light possible around their subjects. This is done using a piece of equipment called a lightbox. A lightbox scatters light inside a hood, and the light that emerges creates the look of directional ambient light, instead of a straight, harsh beam. When a photographer takes photos of a house outside on a cloudy day, the clouds cover the sun and scatter the light. The ambient light that comes through creates nice, even lighting for houses. It makes a soft light that is devoid of harsh shadows, and bright beams of directional light in odd places. It makes the house pop out, and when we add blue skies it can often be the best results we can achieve. Take a look here in some examples. The image on the LEFT the sun is in front of the house and on the RIGHT the sun is behind. In this image the sun is behind the clouds and we have added blue skies back in! The real estate market slows down during the winter months, but that doesn't mean you can't prepare, or you won't be able to get good photos of your listing up! All of these shots are inviting, but now you can see some of the subtle differences that go into getting your WOW shot! Sometimes the summer can mean hectic schedules, big outdoor projects, construction, and renovations. You might find it rewarding to get a head start at your own pace while your house isn't underway with new last-minute projects. Go take advantage of the natural lighting and get ahead of the market this season!

Given everything that has happened so far this year, it may seem a little somber thinking of the impact COVID-19 has had on our local and small businesses. While we have been blessed to be able to operate, with restrictions, during this time - we knew this was not the case for many other businesses local to the Portland Metro area and quickly got to work on ways we can continue to support our community. We decided as a team to pursue a giveaway for a local Real Estate agent so we were not only giving back to our own loyal customers, but also giving the opportunity for other small businesses to partner with us. At first, we had a few ideas that quickly blossomed into something much greater. We knew Portland had some amazing local businesses, but we were astounded by the generosity of those who partnered with us. Without hesitation, each business gave a resounding YES to our request to participate. You will learn a bit more about them below. One thing led to another, and BEHOLD, our SMALL BUSINESS GIVEAWAY! As you can see, we teamed up with 6 other gracious, local small businesses in our community to bring one special agent over $1,500 in prizes for this giveaway! The rules to enter are simple... 1. Like this post on our Facebook and Instagram 2. Be following or subscribed to each business listed in the post 3. Tag 3 Realtor friends And that is it! This giveaway is still going on, so you can ENTER NOW for your chance to win this amazing "virtual basket" of everything you need as a Realtor to get you through this tough season! Now for the fun stuff! What is up for grabs and who are these awesome businesses!? RE PIXS: As you may already know, (I hope since you are here) RE PIXS is a Real Estate media company serving the Portland Metro, Vancouver, and Salem areas. We are a one-stop-shop for everything you need to get your listing the maximum, high-class exposure it deserves! Our contribution to the giveaway included 1 FULL photoshoot and 1 Matterport 3D scan. Polka Dot Interiors: Polka Dot Interiors is a well-known home staging company serving the Portland area. One look at their before and after shots will have you convinced they can transform any space into the clean and modern showcase your listing deserves! Polka Dot Interiors contributed a Walk and Talk Consultation with a written Market Preparedness Report. ALL THINGS REAL ESTATE: From apparel to signs to stationery, ALL THINGS REAL ESTATE is sure to meet your marketing needs! They provide a cute and custom look with their supplies that is sure to bring attention to the marketing you are doing for each listing! ALL THINGS REAL ESTATE contributed 7 different marketing supplies, and one of my personal favorites, a "Real Estate Life" hoodie! Re Broker Assist: Lisa Neef is the owner of Re Broker Assist. She has a real passion for real estate and serves as the transaction coordinator of the business. Lisa is caring AND experienced, with over 1,500 transactions completed for her clients! Re Broker Assist contributed 1 Buyer Transaction File Image Media PDX: This community-focused business offers large scale printing and graphic design services. Their creative team works behind the signs to print, produce, and install your marketing supplies! They pride themselves on communication and their deep ties to the Portland area. Image Media PDX contributed 2 full yard signs. NW Realty Sign: Need a sign installed? Then NW Realty Sign is who you should call! This team installs sign posts in the front of real estate listings and has been doing so for over 20 years! They are quick and efficient, and they truly care about their agents. This is a business we love to recommend! NW Realty Sign contributed a standard 8-foot colonial sign install and a flyer box. Troy Lujan Design: Troy is a multifaceted digital communication specialist and our very own logo designer! He is skilled at creating a cohesive branding strategy in both digital and print formats. Troy works to improve processes and develop initiatives for improvement in marketing strategies. Troy Lujan Design contributed a customer real estate flyer template and source files. Well, there you have it! We want to personally thank each of these gracious businesses for contributing to our giveaway. Without them, we would not be able to bless one very deserving agent in our community. As always, RE PIXS is here to serve YOU as an agent. If you want to learn more about our services, team, or anything else real estate - you know who to call!

We have been getting a lot of questions recently about allllll of the options to market a listing virtually. What is a virtual tour? Can the drone fly inside? What is a 3D tour? What is Matterport? We can do what with Zillow tours?! It can be pretty confusing - even for us! There are so many options out there these days, and we want to help you pick exactly what you're looking for. Want to know how to choose the tour option that is best for your client and your wallet? Look no further. If you're curious about what all the different options actually are - we've got you covered! Not only do we offer *literally* all of these options, but we will also be sharing what option is best for you, your clients, and prospective buyers (especially during COVID-19). Ready to virtually list a property? Here are all of your choices: 1. Virtual Tour (Photo Slideshow or Single Property Website) 2. 3D Matterport Tour 3. Internal Video 4. Drone Video 5. Zillow 3D Home Keep in mind that most photography companies don't offer many of these additional services, but at RE PIXS we're a one-stop shop for all of your virtual marketing needs. Now, what the heck is the difference with all of these tours? Read on my friend. VIRTUAL TOUR What is a virtual tour? This term can be used for so many tours right now because in all reality - they are all virtual tours. However, typically when you hear the term "virtual tour" it is referring to a single property website that hosts various property information, just like this: This is your most basic option, and to be completely honest - is the most outdated way to show a property online. There is so much technology to showcase a home on the internet these days that if this is all you're getting for your clients, we would encourage you to look into other tour add-ons too. We're not saying you shouldn't get one of these, but during the COVID-19 crisis, this should only be the base of what you're ordering. The cool thing about the virtual tour slideshow platform we use is you can easily build it into an entire website for your listing. A one-stop hub for all content including photos, 3D tours, drone video, and more! These websites are extremely customizable to fit all of your needs. They usually include a video of the property, a 3D walkthrough, photos, a map showing the location, a description of the home, and anything else you can dream of! When you order a virtual tour through us you can add all the bells and whistles through your client panel after delivery. The cost for a virtual tour or single property website at RE PIXS is only $15 and you're able to use them on all platforms! We're here to offer you the best possible marketing solutions for the best rates, so there is no up-charge for you. It is super easy to add-on one of these to your next booking. Just select "HomeOnTour (Virtual Photo Slideshow)" as your delivery method at the end of the booking form. Ready to book a shoot? Click here to view our live availability! 3D MATTERPORT TOUR A 3D Matterport Tour is like Google Street view, but for inside! They're the most advanced version of a 3D walkthrough on the market right now. They're called Matterport because that is the name of the camera we use (Fun fact! It's named Matterport after the owner/developer whose name is Matt). Here is an example of an interactive 3D Matterport Tour: As you can see, these tours are super easy to navigate and you can virtually visit every room in the home from the comfort of your own home. These tours work on all devices and can even be viewed with VR goggles. Pretty cool huh? Not many people know this, but you can take these 3D tours one step further by adding tags on specific features and labeling each room you'd like to highlight. You can also share 360-degree photos on your website and social media when you order a Matterport tour. Ever since the beginning of COVID-19, 3D tours have become a great feature for home buyers looking for a new home. There has been (and continues to be) an overwhelmingly amount of people moving out of their current state to a new one and these tours help narrow down the house selection. We would highly recommend these for all listings. Not only does it allow potential buyers to tour the home, but it also keeps your clients and their family safe since their property can be toured without anyone physically stepping a foot inside. As we mentioned earlier, we strongly believe this is the best way to show off your new listing - and because of that, we have made it extremely affordable for our clients. Want to increase traffic to your listings with 3D Matterport? INTERNAL VIDEO TOUR Now you know what a photo slideshow and 3D Mattterport are, so what is an internal video? It is basically a mini-movie of your listing, both inside and outside of the home. These videos are great to add to properties that have special features inside you want to highlight in-motion, or for properties that have stunning outdoor spaces (since the 3D cameras aren't built for outdoors). Videos are a great addition to any property, and if you offer a video for your clients you will have a better chance of winning the listing since many Realtors don't typically offer this service since it is one of the most expensive add-ons and takes additional time to produce. We would suggest always getting an internal video on large properties (homes 5000+ SQFT), properties that are on a river/lake/oceanfront, homes that have extravagant outdoor entertainment areas, or properties that have multiple outbuildings. Like this one: This video also contains aerial footage from our Drone team, which brings us to our next option... DRONE VIDEO TOUR This has become more popular over the last few years and is a great way of showing off different perspectives of a property that could only be achieved by helicopter in the past. The most important thing to remember when ordering anything with a Drone is to make sure the operator is licensed and insured. There are so many drone operators out there who are not actually licensed, and if they're not licensed you can probably be certain they're not insured either. Not only is it illegal for these drone operators to charge for their services, but it also brings up some pretty messy liability issues for everyone involved if the drone were to crash. All drone operators at RE PIXS are FAA licensed UAV pilots and currently hold a $1M accidental damage insurance policy. Check out some of our recent drone footage: Adding drone services to your listing is a great way to give viewers an idea of the proximity to nearby attractions and an easy way to show off the natural beauty surrounding the property. We highly suggest drones for all highrise condos in a downtown location, any property within a 10-mile radius of downtown, and for horse properties or homes that have acreage and/or views of the mountain, river, lake, or ocean. Click here to book your next appointment with RE PIXS! ZILLOW 3D HOME TOUR We get quite a few questions about these newer Zillow tour options. These are great add-ons to photography that boost your listing on the Zillow platform. A Zillow 3D Home Tour can be captured in 2 ways, with an iPhone or a 3D Theta camera. These "3D" tours are a series of 360-degree photos, usually 1 of each room - you won't get the full walkthrough experience as you do with Matterport. This is the most basic 3D tour option, however, we still recommend this on all properties because your listing will automatically syndicate to Zillow as soon as you post it on the MLS anyway. So you might as well appear higher in the search for the property zip code! Since Zillow is promoting these tours, their algorithm boosts your listing to the top of the search page when users are shopping in that area. Therefore, if you add a Zillow 3D Home tour on your listing it will generate more exposure on Zillow.com. Zillow has also partnered with some different markets to provide an interactive floor plan with each Zillow 3D Home Tour and we happen to be one of those markets. The Portland Metro area is a very high market and getting a free floor plan is a huge plus for agents to have on the home. It is always free with a Zillow 3D Home Tour and automatically appears on the tour! Here is an example of a Zillow 3D home Tour: Zillow 3D Home Tours and Zillow Video Walk-Throughs do not need to be done by a professional. You can easily do these on your own iPhone (as long as it's an iPhone 6 or newer). However, hiring someone who is experienced and has the newest gear will improve the overall quality of these tours. Click here to book your next appointment with RE PIXS! WHAT TO ORDER Now that you have a clear understanding of the different options here are a few different things to consider when booking media for your next listing. At RE PIXS we think all properties listed should have professional photography. No matter who you use for photography, just make sure you're hiring a pro. It is absolutely essential that you list a property with professional photos in the Real Estate world today. Due to the switch to mostly virtual buying, we believe you should have a 3D tour with every listing as well. Most minimal listing marketing should always include: Professional Photos 3D Zillow Tour A basic listing marketing package should always include: Professional Photos 3D Zillow Tour Zillow Walk-through Recommended COVID-19 listing marketing should always include: Professional Photos 3D Matterport Tour 3D Zillow Tour Zillow Walk-through Houses built on an elevation or property with acreage and/or mountain/scenic views should always include: Professional Photos 3D Zillow Tour Zillow Walk-through Drone Photos A high-rise building or listing close proximity to local amenities should always include: Professional Photos 3D Zillow Tour Zillow Walk-through Drone Photos and/or Drone Video A luxury listing should always include: Professional Photos 3D Matterport Tour and/or Internal Video 3D Zillow Tour Zillow Walk-through Drone Photos and/or Drone Video Still have questions? We would love to answer them for you! Give us a call or send us a text at (971) 295-1676.

Have you been asking yourself hard questions about how the Coronavirus is impacting your business? Us too. We have all faced so many difficult challenges in the Real Estate industry this year. At RE PIXS we are dedicated to finding solutions, staying informed, and helping our beloved Realtors navigate this uncharted territory. One way we're doing this is by interviewing our Elite clients to give you special insight on how to pivot and grow your Real Estate business during this global pandemic. Today we're sharing 3 secrets to grow your Real Estate business from Nick Shivers who is in the Top 1% of Realtors nationwide. If you're in the Real Estate industry you might have heard him speak, listened to him on the radio, or seen his billboards on the side of the highway. At the very least, you've probably heard of him. What you may not know is that behind his funny cartoon caricature billboards and compelling radio ads is an inspirational man who is full of heart and committed to serving others. Working and collaborating with Nick and the Nick Shivers Team over the past few years has truly been an honor. Not only have we been able to experience first hand what and who - makes this team so special - but we have also been privileged to experience the why behind everything they do through their involvement with Sell a Home, Save a Child. Nick Shivers travels around the country sharing his insight with Top Producing Realtors that are eager to learn from him. And we got him to share his top 3 secrets for growing your Real Estate business during these uncertain times, check them out! 1. HAVE THE BEST ONLINE EXPOSURE Any property listed (especially during COVID-19) must have incredible marketing. Including photos, video, and 3D tours. This is not only for your customers; but also for competing with other Realtors. Think about it; If you enter a listing presentation with a full-blown media package and your competition only offers photography your likelihood of getting the listing increases dramatically. If you're thinking of doing your own photos, don't. You will only end up hurting yourself and it is a disservice to your clients. Make sure all of your marketing and online exposure of listings is done by a professional. Don't have a professional photographer in your vendor list yet? Look no further! We're ready to take on any real estate photography, 3D tours, drone, or video work you need! Click here to easily book your appointment online. 2. ENGAGE IN MASSIVE COMMUNICATION You probably already know that communication is so important, but it is even more crucial during our Stay Home, Stay Healthy orders. It doesn't hurt to over-communicate over the next few months since things can change daily. Communicate with fellow agents, your clients, your lender, and your network of vendors on a regular basis. If you're working with a seller it is very important that you stay informed! Take some extra time to communicate with the buyers' agent and the buyers' lender throughout the entire process. "In 2010 amidst the busyness of the financial crisis and short-sales, I would say, Realtors, in general, went through a phase where we were so busy that we weren't able to return other agents' calls in a timely manner. Which negatively impacted our reputation as a whole, myself included. During this Coronavirus Pandemic, It's so important that we don't make the same mistakes again. Be sure to engage in massive communication, especially during this season." If you find yourself so busy that you are unable to answer ALL of the calls and emails from agents and vendors quickly, then I highly suggest utilizing leverage through virtual assistants or autoresponders. At the very least set an auto-email with your expected (and realistic) response time so that others know when they will hear back from you - and keep your word about it. Remember, underpromise overdeliver. 3. TEAM UP WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE Every individual and every business is dealing with the impacts of COVID-19 in a unique way. It is so important to keep your team, your clients, your family, and your community safe during this outbreak. Make sure you're working with people who take the precautions seriously and operate with an "I can get it done" attitude vs. listing the reasons why they can't help you. In this season businesses need to pivot and adapt to this new normal and find ways to serve their clients and community in a healthy, positive way. Use this time to grow; check out Nick's recommended reading list specifically for COVID-19. 1. Improve your communication skills by reading: The Power of Nice 2. Best advice to navigate today's market: Go-Givers - Sell More. 3. How to change your mindset and change your life and read: Think and Grow Rich 4. Improve your negotiation skills by reading: Never Split the Difference Do you have any special tips or tricks for surviving these strange times? We would love to hear from you. Let us know in the comment section below! RE PIXS Proudly provides Real Estate marketing for Realtors in Portland, Salem, and SW Washington. Click Book Now! To schedule your photography, drone, video, or 3D tour today!