Virtual tours are a game-changer in the rental market. Virtual tours, including VR, 3D or 360° tours, give buyers a convenient and realistic online experience of almost any property. Listings with virtual tours receive 87% more views compared to those with only photos as they provide an interactive experience that allows renters to explore a property remotely, according to PhotoUp, a real estate photo editing and virtual staging company.
Let’s examine virtual tours, what they are, the types you may want to use and how they can benefit your property.
What is a Virtual Tour?
A virtual tour is a computer-generated walk-through of a rental property. Unlike photos taken from a fixed point and showing the photographer’s viewpoint, a virtual tour offers a detailed look at each room. In many cases, the viewer can control the movement of the tour by viewing a sequence of panoramic images that are ‘stitched’ together to create a ‘virtual’ experience of any location.
Types of Virtual Tours
There are several types of virtual tours available to renters who hope to view a property.
- 360° Tours enable renters to view the spaces in one panoramic view and navigate their way through a space by clicking arrows to go left or right. They offer a realistic and comprehensive view of a space.
- 3D Tours are a bit more immersive than 360° Tours. This enables potential tenants to virtually tour the property as if they were on-site, using numerous photos assembled through specialized software.
- Virtual Reality Tours are the newest and most immersive type of virtual tour. These require a VR headset, making it seem as though the person is walking through the space they are touring.
- Live Video Tours are often conducted when the property manager is on-site.
Benefits of Virtual Tours
In this digital world, virtual tours meet the potential renters where they are. Young and old alike are busy with work, family and their lives, making it a challenge to set aside time to tour a rental property physically. These virtual tours enable renters to view a property at their convenience, often from the comfort of their own homes.
Virtual tours not only save potential renters time but also the property managers’ time. The convenience is often the primary reason why units that offer a virtual tour receive more traffic and rent faster than those that do not.
Using virtual tours will soon become an industry standard that allows viewers to “access” a property 24/7, making this process less time-consuming.
Does your property utilize virtual tours to market vacancies and showcase the property both inside and out? Contact our team at Thayer & Associates for all your property management needs.