Mastering the Art of Virtual Home Tours

Thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic and recent technological advances, virtual home tours are now more popular than ever. They can reach more potential buyers when included in your online listing and can allow them to look at specific features in detail without ever having to see them in person.

Below, we’ll share some helpful tips on how to create exciting virtual tours to help you thrive in your real estate career.

Virtual Home Tours: The Stats

3D virtual tours aren’t just a neat feature. They’re a highly effective tool that has been proven to make buyers feel more comfortable with purchasing a home online. According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), 58% of buyers say they want to see a virtual home tour. Real estate photo editing & virtual staging company PhotoUp says that listings with virtual tours sold 31% quicker than those without one. Overall, this means that creating and including virtual home tours in your online listings can have a positive impact on your bottom line. 

Benefits of Virtual Home Tours

Besides making properties more appealing to potential buyers, there are many other benefits to crafting virtual home tours. For one thing, they can be accessed by buyers from around the world, eliminating geographic barriers and expanding your reach. It gives someone the opportunity to really immerse themselves in the property without actually stepping foot in it.

They also help save time and resources. Physical open houses can be time-consuming and costly. They can also be a challenge to schedule, as you’d need to conduct research on the best possible day and time to host one to get the most possible visitors at once. Virtual tours remove the need for physical houses, and they’re available to everyone online 24/7.

How to Create a Virtual Home Tour

Now that we understand why they’re important, here’s a step-by-step guide to creating a captivating and effective virtual home tour.

Invest in Quality Equipment

Quality matters when it comes to virtual tours. Just like you wouldn’t want to see blurry or low-res photos of a property, you don’t want your 3D tour to come off as unprofessional, either. Invest in a good camera with a wide-angle lens and a tripod to ensure clean and stable footage. Consider using a 360-degree camera for an even more immersive experience.

Stage the Property

Even if you decide to cancel physical open houses altogether, that doesn’t mean you can get away with not staging the property you’re trying to sell. You should still have great pieces of furniture, home décor, and wall art to enhance the look of the home through your virtual tour. At the end of the day, your buyers want to know what it would feel like to live there, and that’s hard to do when you’re showcasing an empty property.

Utilize Lighting and Editing

Proper lighting is essential for any type of photography, especially real estate. Use as much natural light as you can when shooting your virtual tour photos and videos. You can also use supplementary lighting, such as softboxes, to eliminate shadows and create a warm ambiance. You should also invest in photo editing software so you can use it to enhance colors, remove imperfections, and ensure a smooth flow throughout the tour. Avoid over-editing or adding harsh filters. They can distort the property’s true appearance.

Offer Multiple Viewing Options

Give viewers flexibility by offering different kinds of viewing options, such as a guided tour with narration or a self-guided exploration. Some viewers prefer a guided experience, while others prefer to explore at their own pace. As we’ve mentioned above, you can also take advantage of 360-degree tours to give potential buyers the chance to virtually “walk through” the property. This can give them a more realistic way to experience the property online. No matter what option you choose, make sure it’s user-friendly on mobile devices. The NAR estimates that 76% of homebuyers use their smartphone or tablet for their home search. 

Promote Your Tour

Once your virtual tour is ready, promote it far and wide. Share it on multiple platforms, including your website, social media accounts, and real estate listing websites. If you can, run targeted ads to reach an even broader audience. To keep your potential clients engaged, respond promptly to questions or comments if viewers have them. Hosting live virtual tour events with real-time Q&A sessions can also be a great way to engage with buyers.

Mastering the art of virtual home tours isn’t just an option; it’s a necessity for any real estate agent looking to succeed in today’s digital age. By following these tips, you can create stunning virtual home tours that can set you apart as a tech-savvy real estate expert.

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