As the real estate market continues to grow, more and more people are turning to technology for help in their search. One of the most popular uses of tech in the real estate sector is virtual tours. Virtual tours allow buyers or renters to "see" potential homes without ever having stepped foot on the property.
The first thing that you should do when listing a house is to take professional real estate photos and videos. You don't want the prospective buyer's decision of whether or not they like your property to be based on a poorly lit picture taken with a phone camera. Virtual tours allow you to show off your home in HD quality without having anyone physically at the location, so it's important for buyers, sellers, renters, and landlords.
How Do Virtual Tours Work?
Virtual tours provide prospective buyers with an immersive experience that allows them to see what it feels like to live or work in your space. Here is how they work:
A virtual tour is created by photographing each room with a 360-degree camera and "stitching" the photos together. When you click on one of the rooms in your virtual tour it will take you into the 3D space where you can explore and interact with elements within that room from every angle.
A virtual tour can be set up on any device that has internet access, and the person can “walk” through all of the rooms of your property with no restrictions. Some companies may require you to download an app onto your phone. However, once downloaded, simply open up the app and start exploring. With this type of photo technology there's nothing left to wonder about when viewing properties online - just point at any feature and see it up close!
What are the Benefits of Virtual Tours?
It also allows buyers or renters an opportunity to get a feel for what they would like before they make any decisions on which home is best suited for them! But, that’s not all. Virtual tours can have many more benefits, including:
Very helpful for some people who may not have the time or mobility necessary to see properties in person.
No need to coordinate schedules for open houses or private viewings.
The virtual tour is also a great way to market your listing. You can use the virtual tour to show off all of the features of your property and show people what they are missing out on if they do not act quickly.
No surprise cleaning frenzies to prepare for a viewing. The best part about using a virtual tour is that you don't have to worry about doing any type of maintenance or cleaning before showing the property in person.
Not only do they offer a 360-degree view of the property, but virtual tours also provide information about amenities in your area which might include schools, shopping centers, or parks that are perfect for families with children!
A virtual tour allows you to tailor it to meet your specific needs perfectly. Such flexibility can provide a lot of benefits for everyone.
In essence, by allowing people to view the property whenever they want (including from the comfort of their own home), you are opening yourself up to a much larger base of potential buyers.
Should I Opt for VR Tours Instead of 360-Degree Photos or Video?
The answer to this depends on many factors. While all of these options are relatively close in cost for getting the images, there may be extenuating factors you need to consider. Factors you will want to consider include:
How much time and effort are you willing to invest? There are some services out there that allow you to create a 3D virtual tour for little or no cost. However, the software can be difficult to navigate for people without strong 3D design skills. Paying someone to do it can easily make the initial investment requirements rise quickly.
Can your real estate agent effectively distribute the 3D virtual tour? Some real estate agents are still running their business using outdated tech. There is no point in developing a VR tour if the agent isn’t able to maximize the benefits of it for you.
What type of reaction are you trying to get from potential buyers? For some properties, a 3D VR tour just doesn’t make a lot of sense. If your home doesn’t have a lot of features or space, then the standard photos and videos should be enough to give them a great idea of what your home has to offer.
When in doubt, just remember that it is always best to keep things as simple as possible. If your current real estate photos and videos are just not attracting buyers, you can always re-assess your strategy and improve it.
What are the Pros and Cons of Each Type of Real Estate Photography Option?
Each type of real estate photography option has some pros and cons. Let’s take a look at a few for each:
Virtual 3D Tours
Pros:
Opens property up to more viewers
Easily accessible
Saves time & money vs. in-person tours
Captures spatial depth
Lots of interactive features to keep eyes on your property longer
Cons:
Can be difficult or costly to implement
Accessible only to those familiar with how to use the tech
Subject to technical difficulties, which harms the users’ experience
May not be suitable for small properties
360-Degree Real Estate Photos/Video
Pros:
Show the entire property from every angle
Provides some of the highest-quality images available
Saves time & money vs. in-person tours
Cons:
Limited interactivity
Accessible only to those familiar with how to use the tech
Subject to technical difficulties, which harms the users’ experience
May not be suitable for small properties
Still Real Estate Photos
Pros:
Capture the best features of a property from precise angles
More control over how the image is presented to the viewer
Opens property up to more viewers
Easily accessible to the maximum number of people
Cons:
Doesn’t capture as much spatial depth
Buyers will be more apt to want an in-person tour
May create false expectations as photos may look better than the real property
Real Estate Videos
Pros:
Capture the best features of a property from precise angles
More control over how the video is presented to the viewer
Opens property up to more viewers
Easily accessible to the maximum number of people
Cons:
Only captures the view of the person holding the camera
Doesn’t capture as much spatial depth
Buyers will be more apt to want an in-person tour
Aerial Drone Photos and Videos
Pros:
Give potential buyers a bird’s-eye view from every angle
Gives some outdoor spatial depth
More control over how the video is presented to the viewer
Opens property up to more viewers
Easily accessible to the maximum number of people
Cons:
Only captures the view of the camera angle
Limited interactivity
May create false expectations
Drones are subject to some restrictions on usage, especially in inclement weather
If you need help deciding which type of real estate photography is best for your needs, feel free to reach out! At Sage Aesthetic, our goal is to deliver you the best possible photography and videography options for your real estate listing needs. We can work closely with you and your agent to determine the best real estate marketing tools that will help you sell or rent your property fast!