How to Create Amazing Real Estate Virtual Tours

Due to the current coronavirus situation, real estate companies are finding it difficult to work with buyers and sellers. But despite social distancing measures, closing a deal with a client is still very much possible — difficult, but possible.

As people are looking to leverage lower mortgage payments following the Federal government’s decision to cut interest rates earlier in March, the real estate sector will still see transactions coming in amidst widespread cancellations of open houses. Brokers and agents will only need to come up with a “contactless” way to market their listings.

The solution: virtual tours.

An article from Fox Business points out how agents in hard-hit states like California are using virtual walk-ins to reach out to buyers who are unable to visit properties in person.

Although virtual tours aren’t a new concept in the industry, real estate companies can make the most out of them despite the current downturn. 

Using the following tips, you can create virtual tours that will help keep your real estate business running.

 

Homebuyers prefer 360-degree views to simple gallery photos. They want to imagine what it’s like inside the property without having to travel, especially if they want to save time and money shopping for homes. 

Panoramic videos and photos also allow you to highlight certain aspects of the property that will generate interest. For this, you might want to invest in a high-resolution 360 camera.  For a more affordable alternative, you can use apps like REVR which allow you to create stunning 360 virtual tours on your iPhone. 

 

Before starting a 360 photoshoot around the property, you need to make sure that the property itself does not fail to impress. Make sure to declutter the interiors and include a few finishing details such as a bowl of fruit on the dining table or potted plants in the living room. 

But the most important key to home staging is lighting. You want to take pictures or record videos of areas that should stand out, so you will need the right (and consistent) amount of light in order to emphasize these parts. For this, you should make full use of natural lighting depending on the mood you want to set. If you want to achieve an energetic effect for the master bedroom, for instance, anytime between 10 am to 1 pm is ideal. 

 

It matters where you place the camera during a video or photoshoot. One principle to keep in mind is shooting from corners, staircases, or any other location that gives a good vantage point over the interior space. 

For the best exterior shots, you may need to take as many as you could from different angles. Make sure that there is enough soft light to accentuate specific exterior details. And since it’s already spring, you might want to get started on capturing the overall curb appeal of the property. 

 

Once you have organized your virtual tour, you will need to upload these to a specific platform and promote them across the three main real estate digital marketing channels: social media, email, and web. 

You have already captured impressive shots of the property’s interior and exterior, so you might as well publish your virtual tours for potential buyers to see. For sure, your listings still need exposure. With a well planned out digital marketing campaign, it will not be difficult to find buyers who will gladly move in when the dust settles. 

 

Virtual tours are more powerful this time around, so real estate professionals may want to include these in their mix of promotional content. 

The coronavirus may retreat at some point, but 360 videos and photos are definitely here for the long haul.

Need help with editing and promoting virtual tours for your real estate business? You might want to hire your very own creative team.

 

Hire real estate virtual assistants for your marketing campaign! Contact us today!