$1.5BN OF THE WORLD’S BEST HOMES
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
INTERVIEW | JEFF BUERGER<br />
Jeff Buerger, Denver, Colorado<br />
HallHall.com +1 303 861 8282<br />
through the power of video imagery. What we hoped<br />
for has happened in terms of the implementation of<br />
video, specifically the aerial component. Prospective<br />
buyers are able to get a much better understanding of<br />
a ranch through this medium while being captivated<br />
by natural beauty and simultaneously learning more<br />
about the property. Sellers, of course love to see their<br />
property highlighted in a way that appeals to their<br />
business savvy and emotional attachment to the property.<br />
The video becomes more than just an effective<br />
marketing tool.<br />
Have you found that videography is a niche method only<br />
to be used at the very top of the market or do you think<br />
it will become a mainstream tool How useful are videos<br />
for marketing Ultra Prime Properties – a sector known for<br />
its dependence on networking and personal referrals<br />
Without question I am 100% convinced videography<br />
will be a mainstream tool as it should be. For people<br />
that get it, video is already mainstream and has been<br />
for quite some time. I personally feel any high end marketing<br />
venue will benefit from professional videography<br />
services in general. Properties that are truly unique<br />
deserve to be recognized well beyond simple photography.<br />
Video benefits both buyer and seller. A quick<br />
Google search will present an overwhelming amount<br />
of evidence to support the use of video in nearly any<br />
market that specializes in selling a product. As an example<br />
Google is 53x's more likely to index a website<br />
with proper video content. Conversions are substantially<br />
increased and the use of video dramatically enhances<br />
SEO across the board.<br />
Clearly the name of your company [Aerial Imaging]<br />
implies that you are able to produce aerial videos and<br />
photographs but how much interest do you get from<br />
realtors and individuals wanting you to also capture<br />
non-ranch properties<br />
We started Aerial Imaging Productions with an emphasis<br />
on marketing ranches through me being a partner<br />
at Hall and Hall. I wanted to do something completely<br />
outside of the proverbial box, very creative, artistic,<br />
and innovative. As a result of our beginning focus,<br />
we have been very fortunate to branch out into areas<br />
that frankly, we did not expect. Generically speaking<br />
we have been hired by very diverse clientèle including,<br />
production companies, music video producers, outdoor<br />
adventure companies, industrial parks, commercial<br />
and residential real estate and many other businesses<br />
and people. When we started AIP we wanted to<br />
have a strict business focus that provides tangible and<br />
added benefits to businesses and their story. Advancement<br />
in technology and increased use of unmanned<br />
aerial vehicles will grow exponentially, however, capturing<br />
video is simply the first step in the process. Telling<br />
the story in a compelling, informative and professional<br />
way is equally challenging.<br />
At Hall & Hall, in addition to the Great Western Ranch<br />
you deal with a number of high-end ranch properties<br />
(the company has numerous $10m+ listings on their<br />
books). How has the market performed for these properties<br />
in recent years<br />
Hall and Hall has been and continues to be the leader in<br />
the US in terms of specialising and marketing premier<br />
ranches. We specialise in three asset classes, traditional<br />
working ranches, farmland and recreational properties.<br />
We typically have around 120 ranches for sale at any<br />
given time. When I first started selling ranches my mentor<br />
used to say; "land is the one thing that can never be<br />
reproduced, there will never be an over supply and if<br />
the property possesses the right physical characteristics<br />
it will be a good long term investment. As a partner<br />
at Hall and Hall we deal with very discerning and sophisticated<br />
buyers looking to diversity their holdings.<br />
During last three years we have sold over a billion dollars<br />
of ranch real estate. The strength of market continues<br />
to be large holdings in terms of acreage that offer<br />
distinctive physical attributes like a significant river,<br />
resident elk herd, viable livestock operation, etc.<br />
To what extent did the financial crisis affect transactions<br />
in this space Is activity back to pre-crisis levels yet<br />
Like all markets, the ranch market was impacted. We<br />
experienced a substantial slow down, however, ownership<br />
of a ranch is a luxury item, regardless of market<br />
ups and downs the ranch market is always resilient.<br />
It is a difficult thing to adequately articulate how the<br />
market impacts ranch sales. At the end of the day in<br />
an up market, obviously we perform well. In a down<br />
market a small percentage of sellers find themselves in<br />
a challenging financial position thus presenting good<br />
buying opportunities. The reality is that the vast majority<br />
of our selling clientèle is for the most part insulated<br />
from market conditions and rarely in a position<br />
whereby they are forced to sell. All in all, an investment<br />
in land is intelligent and presents a long term alternative<br />
to traditional investment strategies. To be candid<br />
a challenge with any of the asset classes we sell is they<br />
do not have the liquidity of most other investments.<br />
Additionally, it’s difficult to analyse as it does not lend<br />
itself to any easy investment formula.<br />
Does the international buyer factor in to the US ranch<br />
market or is it still dominated by domestic buyers<br />
I would say the market in the US to acquire ranch, farm<br />
and recreationally oriented real estate is heavily influenced<br />
by US buyers, naturally. Ironically enough, I have<br />
been engaged as a buyer's agent for a buyer from the<br />
UK that is a very recognizable family by name across the<br />
world. We are in the process of putting together two,<br />
potentially three contiguous ranches that will present<br />
a "legacy" and large acreage high end ranch in Colorado.<br />
It is challenging for international buyers to acquire<br />
70 Feb 2015