Virtual Tours For Real Estate: Benefits And Tips To Create One

Virtual tours offer plenty of benefits to both buyers and sellers. They allow buyers to see a home without having to physically be there. If they love the home from the virtual tour, they might then decide to see it in person. For those looking to purchase a home from afar, virtual tours make it easier to buy a house sight unseen.

For sellers, virtual tours have the benefit of attracting more prospective buyers. Additionally, by allowing prospective buyers to take a tour online, sellers may be able to limit in-person showings to serious buyers.

What Is A Virtual Tour?

A virtual tour in real estate is a visual walkthrough of your home. It gives buyers the ability to view a home as if they were walking through the home in real life. Buyers can visit each room in the order they wish, zooming in to see specific details. Rather than being a passive viewer, the buyer is in the driver’s seat.

When you’re selling your home, a virtual tour can be an excellent tool to help attract buyers and see what your home has to offer in a way that best suits them. For this reason, they’ve become a staple in many house listings.

Benefits Of 3D Property Virtual Tours

There are some key benefits of a 3D property virtual tour that you should consider if you’re planning on selling your home soon.

• Increased exposure in the market: Many buyers expect to see virtual tours on home listings. Including one in your listing can help you get more exposure to potential buyers.
• Fewer scheduled showings: Private showings and open houses can be an imposition, especially when you’re still living in the home. A virtual tour can limit your showings to serious buyers who want to see the home in person.
• More interest from out-of-town buyers: Many out-of-town buyers may not be able to visit it in person and, therefore, may limit their search to homes with virtual tours included in the listings.

Different Types Of Virtual Tours

When interviewing real estate agents and brokers to list your home, discuss their marketing plan. Will they coordinate professional photography for the listing? If so, will that include a virtual tour? What kind of virtual tour works best in your local market?

There are several types of virtual tours that can market your home, the following are the most common types.

Walk-throughs: A walk-through virtual tour is the simplest and least interactive type. When using this type of tour, an agent or videographer walks through the home while taking a video. There’s no interactive component – the viewer sees the tour exactly as the maker records it.

3D virtual tour: A 3D virtual tour is an interactive walk-through video. In this type of virtual tour, a viewer can see 3D images of each room and click through to see certain areas more closely. A buyer can use a 3D virtual tour to walk through the home as they would in real life.

Interactive 360-degree virtual tour: A 360-degree virtual tour is the most real-life version of a virtual tour. It’s like walking through the home using a virtual reality tool. It allows you to experience the home in a way that is most similar to how you would at an in-person showing. However, it’s also the most difficult and expensive to create.

Preparing Your Home For A Virtual Tour

Just as if you had someone visiting for an in-person showing, you want to show your home in its best light, both literally and figuratively.

Here are a few things you can do to prepare your home for a virtual tour:

• Make renovations: Before completing your virtual tour, it’s important to make any necessary renovations. Improvements can increase the value of your home and attract buyers who want a move-in-ready home.
• Plan home staging: Home staging is an important part of the listing process. It allows buyers to picture themselves living in the home. Home staging includes cleaning, removing personal items, decorating and arranging furniture.
• Remove unnecessary clutter: Decluttering your home is an important part of preparing for a virtual tour – or for any home showing, for that matter. Even if the home seems too bare when you’re done, it’s easier for buyers to envision themselves in the home.

FAQs On Virtual Tours In Real Estate

A virtual tour can help attract more buyers to your home and potentially help it sell more quickly. Here are a few more things you might want to know when preparing for your virtual tour.

Can I hire someone to create my virtual tour?

Your real estate agent or broker will help develop a plan to market your home. They will likely have a list of local photographers and videographers they work with who specialize in real estate. Who pays for hiring a photographer or videographer will depend on the home’s listing agreement.

How much does it cost to make a virtual tour?

The cost to create a virtual tour depends on the type of tour. A simple walk-through virtual tour can be created for less than $100. A professional 3D interactive tour can cost as much as $500 depending on the home’s size and location.

Are virtual house tours worth it?

Virtual tours can be worth it when you’re selling your home. They can be relatively affordable to make, and much of the prep work is work you’d already be doing to prepare for in-person showings. And since virtual tours have been shown to increase views and interest on home listings, it could be key to getting more interest in your listing.

The Bottom Line: Virtual Tours Can Entice Buyers

Any method you use to market and show your listings virtually will get a potential buyer’s attention. Virtual tours can help motivate buyers to see properties in person, weed out buyers who aren’t serious about the property and even help you sell your home sight unseen.

Are you considering selling your home? Connect with a Rocket Homes℠ Partner Agent today to get started.