The power of virtual reality tours in real estate

Nowadays, new tech is being introduced all the time and changing the face of industries. In real estate, the most recent technological developments are virtual tours and virtual reality. At the moment, virtual reality is created from plans created in 3D and then using a helmet and remote to create this virtual world. Today, you can’t afford to run your real estate business without virtual tours on your site as they help clients to see exactly what they want, which helps them to be more decisive when buying. In addition, virtual tours allows you to view a house without having to physically move.

The figures

95% of home buyers use the Internet to look for homes

51% of people buy homes that they found online, so adding virtual tours to this seems like the obvious next step

71% of Millennials are positive towards the use of VR, this is unsurprising as most Millennials are quick to adapt to new technologies. On the other hand, older generations might take a bit more convincing

Most people looking for a house visit on average between 5 and 7 homes before settling on one. Virtual Reality could really cut down the time wasted viewing properties that people then don’t want to buy

Already 77% of clients want to do a virtual tour before doing a ‘real’ visit

68% of clients want to see what their furniture would look like in their new home

62% of Americans now choose their real estate agency on which one provides 3D virtual reality tours

Benefits of using virtual tours for real estate agents

Saves Time

Using virtual tours could really help real estate agents save time; especially for properties that are remote. This technology can be used to view properties abroad or in remote, rural locations. Buyers can click on bedrooms, the kitchen, bathrooms, etc. to give them a clear, 3D view of each room. VR saves real estate agents time and resources that could be spent scheduling an open house, acquiring new clients or retaining loyal customers!

Better online communication

Virtual tours allows for better interaction online as clients can comment on any aspect of the property. For example, a client could ask about the type of flooring or insulation. This helps the agent because you can provide feedback in real-time and from the comfort of your office!

Turns imagination into reality

You can guide potential-buyers through a property with a virtual tour to see what the project will look like once it’s finished. Buyers can then leave comments before construction starts or is completed. Aiding your clients to visualize each property also builds emotional connections and engages them more efficiently than 2D photos.

Increases site traffic

In addition, VR holds people’s attention for longer than plain text or still images. This will increase traffic on your site. VR will also help potential buyers visualize themselves living there more easily. Interactive tools within the VR, such as mortgage calculators, can urge a potential buyer to make a deal.

Offers Global Reach

Arranging property visits, showing the clients round the property and negotiating terms and prices, is not only extremely time-consuming but with VR it now doesn’t matter where your client lives. VR helps you to showcase properties even to long-distance buyers. This allows you as the real estate agent to work with more clients and process more inquiries and all from the comfort of your office desk!

Saves money

Investing in 3D virtual tour equipment may seem an expensive output of money. However, it is a valuable investment. Not only are you staging properties, but you are also providing high-quality images. The power of 360-degree videos and computer graphics is invaluable and all it requires is a panoramic camera and basic editing.

Benefits of using VR for sellers and buyers

Time saved for buyers

Property tours aren’t always easy to coordinate. If you’re viewing several properties they might not all be in the same neighborhood. VR might not completely replace physical property viewings, however, it could become the first round of property viewings for buyers. Furthermore, you can view properties on the other side of the state, country or world!

No rush

You can take as much time as you like to view a property, without feeling rushed by the agent or seller. You can also review the property more easily.

Tours available 24/7

Moreover, using VR in real estate means that all listed properties are available to view around the clock. With the help of VR headsets, homebuyers can visit properties at any time of night or day without a real estate agent present.

No need to keep your home pristine

To increase your chances of selling your property, agents usually recommend deep cleaning your home to make it as appealing as possible. However, it’s difficult to keep your home pristine for several days or weeks. Sellers are even sometimes forced to move out of their home during visits. With VR you can tidy up your home once, shoot the property and then carry on life as usual!

The future of VR

Soon VR will even be able to simulate tastes and smells. During a virtual reality visit of a property, the potential buyer might smell freshly baked cookies in the kitchen, this will subconsciously affect their opinion of this room. In addition, haptic technology (VR touch) will simulate the feeling of touch in virtual reality. The potential buyer will be able to feel the texture of the walls and furniture! VR experts are committed to creating as real an experience as possible in order to make virtual tours almost identical to physical visits.