What is a Virtual Tour?
Virtual Reality Tours
Virtual tours started in the 1990’s as a real estate marketing tool for Realtors and Sellers to market homes. Basically virtual tours are a 360-degree panoramic image of a series of photographs or panning video footage combined with sound, narration and text which features the homes amenities and characteristics.
Full-service virtual tours are created by professional photographers who visit the property, take several photos and run them through stitching software. It is wise to do your research before hiring a virtual tour company, many companies have low quality tours, or use a one-shot lens which offers extremely low quality virtual tours.
Buyers Demand for Virtual Tours
Virtual tours are used widely throughout the real estate industry. Statistics from Realtor.com and the National Association of Realtors reflect that more and more buyers use the Internet to start their home search process. Buyers are viewing more properties that have virtual tours and the demand keeps growing to the point that buyers will narrow down their potential properties by their online presence.
Easy Interactive Friend Tools for Buyers
Virtual tours are easy to use, interactive and user friendly tools for buyers to view the interior and exterior of a home they are interested in. The tours move from room to room or buyers can click and stop at any particular room for a still view. The tour helps buyers focus on the room’s features, sizes of the room and buyers can get an overall feel for the property. Since virtual tours are available 24/7, buyers like the convenience of being able to search for property in the convenience of their own home any time. CD’s are available and be taken with the buyer to other destinations outside their home or office. Also, the virtual tours can be emailed and shared with friends or family.
Time and Money Savers
Virtual tours save time and money for all parties. The buyer does not have to waste time going on the weekend or evenings to look at properties that do not meet the buyer’s requirements. With today’s rising gas prices, virtual tours are saving buyers money on gas too. Realtors also save time and money by not having to show an unnecessary number of properties to prospective buyers. Sellers also benefit from virtual tours by obtaining maximum exposure for their properties. Sellers know that buyers who use virtual tours already have had a glimpse of their home and are more serious about making an offer when they view the home in person.
Technology Improving
The quality of virtual tours keeps improving. Virtual tours are here to stay. They are the most cost effective tool for marketing a home these days because they reach a wide pool of buyers both locally, nationally and internationally.
Affordable Marketing Tools
Costs of virtual tours are quite affordable. Some tours start as low as $100.00. Keep in mind that costs vary depending on the type of tour, number of rooms that are included, and added features such as music, narration and text.