IMOTO Blog

Why Use 3D Tours in Real Estate?

Apr 15, 2022 11:00:57 AM / by IMOTO photo

3D Tours are the Future of Real Estate Marketing...and the Future is Now!

Trends in real estate are always interesting to follow. Remember when drones were the talk of the industry? Or how about when you were told that Realtor blogs were a requirement if you wanted to be a successful Realtor? Certainly over the years 3D Tours generated that same type of buzz. Rightly so, given the obvious potential of an actual virtual tour. But the user experience and technology was lacking in the beginning and the mass adoption of 3D tours by Realtors never materialized. However, recent enhancements in 3D technology, user experience, and price have been so impactful that Realtors are now starting to embrace the 3D tour.

Why Have 3D Tours Have Improved?

There are three main factors driving the improvement in 3D Tours. 

  1. Cost: 3D tours are now incredibly cost efficient. Companies like IMOTO offer 3D tours for "pennies on the dollar" as compared to a couple of years ago. Gone are the days of $350 or more for a 3D tour. Additionally, 3D tour packages now should also automatically include a 2D floor plan. So instead of paying for both products or perhaps just one, Realtors can get both products for less than the cost of one of the products on its own! Check out IMOTO Prime to learn more about pricing.
  2. Technology: The technology now allows for a great user experience. When 3D tours came out computer hardware and internet speeds made the tours lag and sometimes not load at all. Now a 3D tour will render in no time at all and the user can manipulate the 3D tour with ease.
  3. Innovation: Additional technologies are making the 3D tour even more impactful. Take UiMeet3D, developed by Urbanimmersive. This technology enables Realtors and buyers to meet inside the virtual space! Talk about embracing the metaverse! Using their devices cameras, the Realtors and clients can see other while inside the virtual 3D space, interact, and do everything you would if you were actually inside the property.  And considering that 68% of buyers would like to "unlock a listing" on their phone and tour on their own time, UiMeet3D is giving these buyers exactly the on-demand touring they want.

Now that the technology has caught up to the basic premise of 3D tours and pricing is  affordable, is now the time 3D tours catch on fire? Yes. Combine everything above plus the recent adoption of other online communication tools like Zoom and Google Meets, the time is ripe for the mass adoption of 3D tours. 

Need more proof?

Take a look at these stats from Zillow:

  • 79% of buyers would like to use a 3D tour when searching for a home.
  • 79% of buyers would like to view a digital floor plan when searching for a home.
The Future is Now

3D tours are taking off in the real estate industry right now in 2022, not at some unspecified date in the future. But the tech certainly can feel "futuristic!" As more and more 3D tours are used by listing agents a new normal is likely to occur:

  • Listing agents will be able to pre-qualify potential buyers by taking them on a guided, interactive virtual tour of the listing first. Then, only truly interested buyers will tour the property in person. Resulting in far less driving and time wasted by listing agents.
  • Homeowners will be bothered less for showings that won't amount to an offer and will ultimately have less foot traffic through their home. Agents can also host virtual open houses as well.
  • A buyer's first and last tour of a property will be using a 3D tour. 
  • Instead of discussing a property inspection report or even deciding what amount to offer in the first place at an office or over the phone, buyers and their agents can meet in the 3D space to have these discussions.
  • Companies who embrace 3D tours and encourage their agents to have 3D tours on all of their listings will create their own company "metaverse" whereby all of the company's listings can be toured online, thus encouraging more intra-office sales.
  • Agents will land more and more listings because homeowners love the idea of less traffic and a 24/7 online open house. Agents will also get busier as a result of lead capture built into the 3D tours themselves.

If you would like more information on the IMOTO 3D tour product please take a look at our IMOTO Prime Membership.

 

 

 

Topics: Virtual Tour, virtual reality, 3D Tour, Prime

IMOTO photo

Written by IMOTO photo