How Using Video to Boost Local Business Landed This Real Estate Agent on HGTV

After starring in eight episodes, you could say Kristina Halfacre is an HGTV regular.

A real estate agent with RE/MAX Paradise in Orange Beach, Alabama, Halfacre says her coastal vacation town is a key factor in her being chosen so many times for the network’s real estate shows. But location isn’t everything – she also brings a captivating presence to the screen.

While no one can prepare for the jitters of being in front of a cable television camera, it helps that Halfacre has years of practice from optimizing video on social media.

A local celebrity

Along Alabama’s Gulf Coast, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are popular destinations known for their white sand beaches, watersport recreation and relaxed coastal lifestyle. During the COVID-19 pandemic, demand in the area has soared.

Halfacre is no stranger to tackling a busy vacation market, however. For the past four years, she’s been featured on popular HGTV shows, like Island Life, as a trusted real estate expert helping various clients buy homes. Now, Halfacre is an agent local producers keep coming back to.

“You hear people say that once the camera’s around, you forget that it’s there. And it’s really true,” she shares of being on set.

“None of the show is scripted and we’re all saying what we would naturally say, but you just may have to repeat it a couple of times for different takes.”

Halfacre speaks to the nerves associated with being on camera, and how the process isn’t as scary as it seems – especially when she continually works with the same producer and crew time and again.

“I’m not necessarily nervous when I’m filming because it’s happened so many times. I’ve actually asked for the same [producer and crew]. I am nervous, though, every time I’m waiting for an episode to air,” she laughs.

A major perk of being on film? Halfacre has seen a rise in business since debuting as a local celebrity.

“I would say I probably have at least four sales per year just from people seeing me on TV,” she says.

A background with video

It’s clear she’s a natural – but Halfacre was already comfortable being on camera because of the online presence she’s created through her social media accounts.

“Back in the day, around 2015 when hardly anyone was doing video, I went to [the RE/MAX R4 convention] for the first time. People were talking about video and I thought, ‘Okay, I need to pay attention to this.’ No one in my market was doing video yet,” she shares.

She got a jumpstart on filming video in true selfie-style before the more recent social media boom.

“I started by doing property tours for my clients because people often will buy a property sight unseen, or they will see it over FaceTime,” Halfacre says.

Rather than sending the video directly to a client, Halfacre decided to conduct these tours live on Facebook.

“It’s kind of like a twofer, where you’re able to post to your social media accounts but then also have a copy to send to your clients. I figured I was doing this anyway – I might as well bring people around to see what I’m doing,” the Platinum Club member explains.

Six years later, Halfacre is a pro at filming a variety of engaging video content across her social media platforms. She has practical advice for real estate agents just getting started with video – and those who may be uncomfortable on screen.

Here are Halfacre’s 4 key tips to getting going:

1. Exude confidence

When you start filming, it’s critical to remember that you are the expert on all things housing in your local market.

“It’s important to just be confident and show that you know what you’re talking about,” Halfacre advises. “It also helps to wear bright colors and stay away from wearing busy patterns.”

2. Start small

“I would probably get started with [Instagram or Facebook] stories because they go away after 24 hours. So, if you don’t like it, it’s not out there forever,” she says.

3. Feature other people

A great way to get comfortable being filmed is to shine your spotlight on someone else and share the screen. Plus, your platform can serve as a way to promote other local businesses.

“Bring someone else on board,” Halfacre says. “In the beginning, I used to bring on a mortgage broker that I [worked] with. I’ve also brought on my inspector – you know, just interviewing different people who I trust in the business. That way it’s not necessarily all about me.”

4. Start today

Above all else, the best way to become a video connoisseur is to simply pick up the camera and start recording.

“I would say to just get started because you get better the longer that you do it. You have to start somewhere. I look back at some of my videos from five or six years ago and I just crack up,” she quips.

“I feel like in this industry, we have to find our niche market, and we have to find something that sets us apart from the others. [Video] is something that has helped me set myself apart.”

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