Greg Hale’s Vision Set a High Bar for the Real Estate Industry

Video marketing is no longer optional when it comes to real estate. It’s a requirement. Today’s generation of buyers is tech-savvy, content-driven and hungry for more. How can we give these consumers the most content in the most effective way? Through video, of course!

That was the task at hand for HAR leadership back in 1988. Not much different from today’s mission. HAR has always been considered the most innovative and cutting-edge association in the nation. So, it was no surprise when we became the first association to introduce a video department to our members.

A graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, with a bachelor’s degree in Communications focusing on TV/Radio, Greg Hale became the director of HARTV.

Greg immediately advised leadership on the urgency of creating HAR’s own studio at the central location. At the time, many regarded this idea as unnecessary and a poor financial investment. However, Greg persevered because he was certain that this represented the future of real estate.

The HARTV department started out by videotaping HAR events and REALTOR® trips to meet with Texas and U.S. Representatives. Eventually, it created its own green room. Inviting several notable political figures such as Governor Rick Perry and Houston Mayors Bill White, Annise Parker and Sylvester Turner.

With the popularity of online video growing quickly in the early 2000s, HARTV started offering agent profile videos, short introductory videos REALTORS® can have produced to introduce themselves and their services to their clients. To date, HARTV has produced several thousand of these videos. These include agent videos, event coverage, political action gatherings, online tutorials, promotional videos, monthly market updates that accompany HAR press releases and so much more.

Video production, once regarded as unnecessary, is today the norm in every major company in the country, real estate or otherwise. We remember and honor Greg Hale as an innovator who brought video technology to the Houston Association of REALTORS® and, in so doing, set a high bar for the real estate industry.

Article by Claudia Hernandez, Director of Video Services