Brian Balduf, CEO and Co-Founder
Sarah Anderson, Vice President of Marketing
Kevin McGuire Vice President of Sales
VHT Studios, Inc
Renowned journalist and newspaper editor Arthur Brisbane is quoted as having said, “Use a picture. It’s worth a thousand words.” Although Brisbane made this statement at the start of the 20th century, they continue to ring true, as the VHT Studios, Inc. team can attest. The provider of world- class visual marketing for the real estate industry, this company’s use of state-of-the-art technology brings properties to life and introduces their standout features to potential buyers all over the world.
Headquartered in Rosemont, VHT serves more than 75,000 industry professionals through its awe-inspiring photography, video property tours, visual marketing tools and high-end multimedia presentations, as well as expansive image display and media automation services. Realtors benefit from VHT’s seamless systems that automatically deliver their listing photographs and virtual tour links to all their specified websites, MLS’s and print providers. Its impressive products have garnered multiple Telly Awards, which honor the very best in film and video, online video content and television commercials and programs.
CEO and Co-Founder Brian Balduf helped start VHT in 1999, leveraging his extensive experience in technology and marketing “to do something important.” His personal experience in purchasing a home helped him understand the challenges Realtors were facing. As Balduf explains, “Realtors know that photography is critical to their business, but they also recognize that it’s not one of their core competencies. We’re the professionals who can take this aspect of their business from start to finish, creating the visual assets that will yield the best return on investment.” In fact, VHT is heralded as a pioneer in several marketing technologies, including being one of the first companies to shoot interior photographs for brokerage listings, create full motion walk-through video tours, develop video-on-demand tours for cable television and showcase video home tours on YouTube. “We’re the most trusted and respected name for real estate photography. The images we create are striking and engaging, which is why our client satisfaction ratings are outstanding.”
Sarah Anderson shares Balduf’s perspective. “VHT knows how important it is to sell the ‘sizzle’ and benefits of a home, and our outstanding, eye-catching photography makes it easier for Realtors to move people’s emotions and sell their listings as quickly as possible.” As vice president of marketing, she brings several decades of experience to the company, including her background in promoting “tens of millions” of the top brands of gate and garage door openers to home and property owners worldwide. “I decided it was time to market all of the rooms of the house and not just the entry point!” she laughs. Like Balduf, Anderson also points out VHT’s leadership in the industry, particularly as a bellwether in taking real estate marketing from black and white pictures of home exteriors to vibrant color photographs, videos, floorplans and full distribution to real estate as well as social media outlets.
“We’re committed to ‘wowing’ our clients in every aspect of their collaboration with VHT,” she adds. “We make certain that our products are relevant to Realtors’ needs so that we can make a difference when it comes to helping them increase their visibility and sell more homes.”
In his role as Vice President of Sales, Kevin McGuire brings 25 years of experience to ensure that VHT consistently provides excellent service to agents. Given his father’s work in commercial real estate and his mother’s position in residential real estate, it seems that he was destined to join a profession that supports the industry. “VHT offered the perfect win-win-win: a connection to real estate, a focus on sales to support the sector and the delivery of best-in-class service that outpaces the competition.”
McGuire appreciates that VHT not only makes a difference in Realtors’ success, but also touches the lives of agents’ clients. “These real estate transactions are typically the largest investment an individual will make in their lifetime, so it’s more than a transaction between VHT and our clients; it’s a huge moment in the lives of buyers and sellers.”
Balduf attributes his company’s success to an ability to listen, observe and test ideas. VHT, which actively supports causes like Habitat for Humanity and Homes for Heroes, is poised to continue its tradition of bringing what he calls “the next great technology tools” to its clients. After all, he says, “Photographs are the most vivid reflection of your brand, so why not make them stunning?”