What is a virtual tour?
Virtual tours are made from a series of spherical images, called a nodes or scenes.
The scenes have been photographed at a customer’s home and gives the viewer control on their view. Rather than a fixed point that you would normally find with a still image.
Viewers can rotate each scene 360 degrees in any direction. Therefore giving the feeling as if the viewer was actually present in the room.
Scenes are connected via hotspots, which act like a doorway from one to another. We place the scenes in a logical order so that our virtual tours simulate walking through a property.
Virtual tours can be viewed both on a computer or smart mobile devices. Using a smart device will unlock the gyro and produce a truly realistic experience. Another method of viewing is via a VR headset, sales of head sets are increasing annually. This is due to Samsung giving away head sets with new mobile phones in the UK. Plus this is also fuelled with the natural rise in popularity as the technology improves. In conclusion, with nearly 100 million headsets sold in 2016 (mainly Google cardboard) there is no sign of this ending.
Virtual tours, do our customer’s need them?
A question, which is often raised by an estate agent, is:
- “why would we need a virtual tour if a customer intends to view a property?”
To be fair, it is a valid question. However, when a buyer is interested in a property they want to consume as much information as possible. As an agent would you want to give them more information or allow them to click on the next property? Very few people, if any, would buy a property solely on a virtual tour. When considering a large purchase, like a property, naturally everyone would want to view a property before deciding. What a virtual tour will do is create more desire for a property and start the pre-sale process. Consequently, it will also reduce the number of time wasters and unsuitable buyers viewing a property they would never buy.
A high quality virtual tour that is cross marketed increases the amount of serious buyers and offers. Obviously the more money the property makes the happier the vendor! The question should read, ”why shouldn’t we have a virtual tour?”
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Try our virtual tour
Our team created the virtual tour to the left for an estate agents in Palmers Green, North London. Using a track pad or mouse you can explore this property, inside and out! Check out the ceilings and even the floor, there is full functionality to view the rooms. Using virtual tours to promote a listing is an opportunity not to be missed as it is available 24/7. We developed the interface to be more suitable for our customers and in addition create a unique feel. Most noteworthy is the bespoke node hotspot with pulses red and blue, and consequently becomes easier to locate.
Additional features of our virtual tours
Another great feature that we have introduced is the ability to embed video. Embedding video into a tour is probably one of the easiest ways to highlight features with movement such as a fountain. We have used this feature before to showcase special kitchen cabinets with wirework, such as pull out larders. Our photographers are always on the look out for features to assign an information hotspot.
An information hotspot is a pop that highlights points of interest or additional features such as original fireplace.
Our team assign information hotspots to help show case points that would probably not be apparent with regular photos. Customers respond favourably to the level of detail we demonstrate and therefore think highly of the agent. Customers often leave great reviews about our service and products. take a look at our testimonies by clicking here.
Book a virtual tour with us the next time you need property photography.
Alternatively if you are viewing on a smart device, click here to unlock the full potential.
What are the benefits of using virtual tours
Virtual tours benefit an estate agent and help win more instructions by the following 4 key points:
- virtual tours provides a tool that not many estate agents offer therefore distinguishing them from the competition
- assists an estate agent to fully show off all of the features and space that a property has. In a different way to a standard still photo.
- allows a viewer unprecedented access to view a property in their own time and space. Also in a way that is completely unrivalled by any other current medium.
- keeps a potential buyer engaged with a property. More than they would be with just still photos and will create more desire to view a property.
All virtual tour scenes will have your company logo and name stamped. This prevents unauthorised use by any other agent.
Loading a virtual tour to either Rightmove or Zoopla is made easy by providing you with a URL.
Simply add the URL to the property listing and the property is live.
Once loaded to Rightmove or Zoopla or any other portal, you can add it to your web site marketing purposes.
Check out a video tour for estate agents.
Video tours are created from a virtual tour. The difference is we animate the the images so it plays like a video. Therefore we are able to use video services which is not the usual method for marketing properties. By utilising new avenues like this in concert with the standard property portals attracts new instructions. Consequently, any agent using video tours will have greater exposure and access social media channels like Twitter and Facebook.
The House Photographer maximises the opportunities for its customers by creating new media streams. As a result our customers are now viewed by tens of thousands of people. Furthermore by people who probably would not had seen them before.
Estate agents can book a video tour along with a standard pack simply by calling us.