Joe Zekas has gone gray trying to convince real-estate professionals to market their properties on the Internet and with Web video, but for some reason, his appeals often fall on deaf ears. Today I found at least one guy who seems to be on the same page as Zekas.
George Piuian, who has successfully rehabbed and converted a handful of buildings in Hyde Park and Woodlawn, has quietly used Web sites and videos to provide a more intimate look at his projects than typical virtual tours. Piuian says a friend of his creates the Web sites, shoots the video and ensures that his sites remain well-ranked on Google (which is how I found him).
The building he’s currently marketing is a six-flat at 6209 S University Ave in Woodlawn. In the video, Piuian guides a tour of one of the units, describes the finishes, and brings us out to the back yard. It’s pretty similar to some of the video tours of model units that we post on Yo, only embedded in a different kind of video player.
Piuian says he has posted condos on the MLS and watched them sit for more than four months before attracting any offers. With the Web sites, it’s just the opposite.
Construction on the building at 6209 S University Ave was completed back in December, and five of the building’s six units have sold. The last remaining unit is a three-bedroom / two-bath condo listed in the $220s. Piuian is offering $3,000 toward a down payment for the buyer who signs the contract before Aug. 1.