Virtual tours have become a hot topic in the real estate world. It’s a common misconception that online tours are only for buyers and sellers, not for renters and landlords. It’s time to forget that notion.Virtual tours can be ahuge advantage in your property marketing, giving you an edge over your local competition.Here are the steps to create a virtual tour for your rental property.
What is a Virtual Tour?
Virtual tours are also commonly known as 3D tours or 3D walkthroughs. With virtual tours, the online renterisable tocontrol which part of the rental they see and from which angle. A similar design is used for Street View on Google maps, but this is for the inside of a rental property.Virtual real estate toursare different from traditional property videos that provide a single showing of the property. This way, renters can focus on what matters most to them.
It’s important to understand the difference between 3D tours and 360 tours.3D tours use static images, which are the picture we takeeverydaywith our phones and cameras. 360 tours use cameras that can capture 360 images. Either can work for a virtual tour, it just depends on the software and equipment that you choose to use.
Keep in mind that virtual tours cannot replace the high-quality photos typically taken for rental property listings. These individual photos are necessary for listings and other marketing purposes. Virtual tours should be considered a creative addition to yourproperty listings.
Benefits of Creating Virtual Tours of your Rentals
You might be satisfied with your current advertising scheme and not see the need to try out virtual tours. What you may not realize, however, is that virtual tours provide landlords with considerable benefits. Here are a few advantages of creating interactive tours:
Maximize exposure in your market.You can think of virtual tours as another marketing material. Sharing your virtual tours anywhere you choose to market your listings can attract even more renters.
Attract out-of-town renters.It can be difficult for renters moving to a new city to make it to property showings. Virtual tours provide an easy and accessible way for renters moving long distances to view your rentals.
Minimize showings.Due to the pandemic, minimizing showings has become a necessity. Providing renters with an immersive way to view your rental property, while maintainingsocial-distancing, can greatly improve your marketing efforts.
Add creativity to your listings.With so many listings constantly being marketed, adding some creativity to yours can set you apart from the crowd. Virtual tours might just be the thing that locks down applicants, poaching them from your competitors.
Software Options for Creating Virtual Tours
One of the most important decisions when creating virtual tours is choosing your software platform. Below we give a brief overview of 7 of the leading software platforms for creating virtualtours. Be sure the software will meet your needs before deciding on one to use.
Kuula.Kuulaprovides software and features that are easy to use for creating sophisticated virtual tours on a limited budget. Cloud hosting is free for the first 100 public uploads, and they offer support along the way to help users create tours.
LiveTour.LiveTouris a virtual staging company that enables you to easily create panoramic virtual tours. The free account offers 3 free virtual tours, and the paid version starts at$29 per month for 15 virtual tours.
iStaging.iStagingallows users to create virtual tours with images taken on their smartphones with a $50 lens attachment.iStagingcan be used to create live tours, make floor plans, or produce virtual reality (VR) tours for mobile phones. Their plans start at $5 a month.
EYESPY360.EYESPY360 allows users to create 360-degree virtual tours with virtual staging services. They offer a free trial that includes one tour, a $15 pay-per-tour option, and a monthly plan. EYESPY360 provides specialty features that enhance the renter’s experience.
Matterport.Matterport offers 3D tour software and cameras at a professional level. The cameras they sell cost thousands of dollars, but users can access their software to create virtualtours with other cameras, including smartphones.
Asteroom.Asteroomprovides a platform for users to create seamless virtual tours using their smartphones and theirPanoKit. The kit includes a lens attachment and a motorized mount. High quality tours canbe created for less than $100.
3DVista.3DVista offers virtual tour creation and a mobile app. The platform allows users to create clickable floor plans, which is useful for renters. Prices range from $99 to $199 per month, depending on your chosen features.
Create a Virtual Tour in 8 Steps
Now that you have some background knowledge on virtual tours, let’s go over how to make them in 8 simple steps.
#1 Choose your Equipment and Software
The first step in creating virtual tours is deciding on which software and equipment you will use. The precise equipment you need will depend on the software you choose, but primarily you’ll need a360 degreecamera or lens attachment and a tripod. It’s recommended that you use a stable tripod with a panoramic mount for seamless tours.
You can choose to either buy or rent your equipment. If you plan to consistently make virtual tours for your listings, it may be more economical to buy the equipment you need rather than rent it. Regardless, be sure to do thorough research before choosing your equipment. You should compare prices, features, resolution depth (higher is better), stabilizer options, battery life, and more.
#2 Plan your Shots
It’s best to go in with a plan before you begin taking your shots. You should make a listof every room you want to feature. Renters like to see every room in the rental, including bathrooms and closets, so making a list will help ensure you don’t leave anything out.
You should then mark with a piece of tape where you will place the tripod in each room. The center of the room is usually best, but you may need to readjust so you’re able to captureall ofthe room’s important features.
#3 Stage Each Room
You want to present each room in its best light — literally. Make sure there is enough light in each room that the pictures are detailed and of a high-quality. If there’s not enough natural light, bring in lamps and additional lighting.
You should take anything out of theroom that might be in the way of the camera so that viewers have full access to the room. Additionally, remove anything from the room that might be distracting to renters, which can include equipment or mirrors that reflect the camera. It’s good to leavesome minimalist furniture and decor so that renters can see what the room will look like filled.
#4 Level your Tripod
Leveling your tripod ensures thatall ofthe photos will come out correctly. With an unlevel tripod, the lines won’t match up and the tour won’t be seamless.
Many tripods come with a built-in bubble level. If yours doesn’t, bring one with you or download aleveling app on your phone. Simply adjust the legs of the tripod until it’s perfectly level.
#5 Do Test Shots
Before you takeall ofyour photos, you should do a test shot in each room. Check for lighting and anything that might be distracting. If the room shows up too dark, bring in additional lighting. If the camera’s reflected in a window or glass feature in the room, move it until it can’t be seen.
#6 Take the Photos you Need
Once you’ve tested your shots and everything is good to go, it’s time to takeall ofthe photos that you’ll need for the virtual tour. Go into each room, review any notes you have, place the tripod on your marked spot, and take your photos.
Before moving on to another room, check your photos on the camera’s screen and make sure they turned out correctly. Don’t be afraid to do multiple retakes if necessary. It’s better to have too many pictures than not enough.
#7 Create the Virtual Tour
Once you haveall ofyour images, create your virtual tour by stitching images together using thesoftware you chose in the first step.
Upload Images
First you must upload on the softwareall ofthe photos you wish to use. You will be prompted to add your static photos and/or your panoramic images, depending on which you took. The software will stitchstatic photos together for 3D virtual tours and assemble the panoramic images for 360-degree tours. Here, the software does the hard work for you.
Add Extra Features
Most software platforms enable you to add extra features to enhance the renter’s experience. Each platform will offer different features, but some include audio description, interactive links, music, and/or text. These additional features are what makes virtual tours useful, so don’t be afraid toover doit.
#8 Share the Virtual Tour
Once you’ve completed the tour, your software will provide a shareable link to the virtual tour. You will also be given a code that enables you to embed the tour on websites and social media accounts.
Be sure to include a link to the virtual tour inall ofyour listings. You should also embed the tour in yourrental website. The more you share the tour, the better chance ithas toreach interested renters.
Implement Virtual Tours into your Marketing Plan
Hopefullyyou now have a better understanding of how to create virtual tours of your rental properties. Traditionally, 3D and 360-degree tours were thought of as expensive marketing tools reserved for those in the business of buying and sellinghomes. As you now know, this is simply not the case. Virtual tours have the potential to benefit your rental business in considerable ways.
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FAQs
How do I create a virtual tour of my property? ›
- Step 1: Choose Your Equipment and Platform. ...
- Step 2: Organize Photography, Lighting, and Camera Placement. ...
- Step 3: Upload the Tour. ...
- Step 4: Create the Tour, From Walkthrough to Exit. ...
- Step 5: Publish and Market the Tour on Multiple Channels.
Virtual tours allow prospective buyers to tour a home on their own time and at their own pace, allowing them to connect and form a personal connection to the property.
How do I create a virtual tour on Zillow? ›- Login to your Zillow profile.
- Click on the Profile Icon in the top right hand corner of your screen.
- Select Listings from the menu options.
- Click the Edit Listing button to the right of your chosen listing you wish to add a virtual tour to.
Virtual Tour costs start at $300 + 10% of your square footage and includes: Posting to your Google My Business, Google Street View, Website, and Social Media.
How long does it take to create a virtual tour? ›Zillow virtual tour: 3D Home app
How long it takes to make your 3D Home tour depends on the size of your home and the number of rooms. Generally, if you're using an iPhone to create your tour, it should take 30 minutes to an hour. If you're using a 360-degree camera, it should take 10-20 minutes.
This free tools lets anyone create their own virtual tour that can be viewed on a computer, tablet, or phone web browser, or using Google Cardboard.
Can I make a virtual tour with iPhone? ›With CloudPano Virtual Tour Creator you can photograph, create, and share 360°/3D virtual tours and experiences from your iPhone for free!
Are virtual house tours worth it? ›Overall, interactive 3D virtual tours are a valuable addition to the rental property business, as they can help to attract more potential renters and streamline the rental process.
What do you need for a virtual tour? ›- DSLR Body. A DSLR is a camera that you can attach several different lenses to. ...
- Fish Eye Lens. By far the most important piece of equipment you'll invest in is the camera lens. ...
- Panoramic Tripod Head. ...
- Tripod. ...
- 5 Reasons Your 360 Videos Look BAD.
Inspector I Digital Marketing I Content…
Virtual Property: Virtual property refers to any digital asset or object that can be owned, bought, sold, or traded within a virtual or digital environment. It can include items such as virtual real estate, virtual currencies, virtual vehicles, virtual clothing, and more.
How to make real estate video tours? ›
- Choose the Right Equipment & Software. ...
- Plan Your Shots. ...
- Stage Each Room. ...
- Level the Tripod. ...
- Take Test Shots. ...
- Take All Photos on Your Image Shot List. ...
- Create Your Virtual Tour. ...
- Share Your Virtual Tour.
- Click the Listings menu.
- Click Add & Edit Listings.
- Click the Edit button.
- Scroll down to and click on Photos & Tours.
- Click Virtual Tours.
- Click Add Virtual Tour.
A virtual tour is a sequence of panoramic images that are 'stitched' together to create a 'virtual' experience of any location. Once created, the viewer is able to experience what it is like to be somewhere they are actually not.
Does Google Maps have virtual tours? ›Engage Your Customers With Google Street View Virtual Tours.
Street View is a complete 360° tour of your business using the most popular search engine in the world. Allows your customers who find you via Google, Google Maps & Street View to enter and see inside of your business and 'walk around'.
- Give your app a name. Choose the appropriate app category, color theme, and test device for your tour app.
- Drag & drop the features into your tour app. Add relevant features like itinerary generator, ticketing, etc., without learning to code.
- Test your app and go live!
A virtual tourism is a simulation of an existing location, usually composed of a sequence of videos or still images. It may also use other multimedia elements such as sound effects, music, narration, and text. It ... Communication distance between you and your landlord, neighbors, and contacts is the only disadvantage.
How successful are virtual tours? ›Virtual tours have been proven to increase booking reservations for hotels and restaurants by as much as 16% to 67% 8. 50% of adult users on the internet rely on virtual tours in their research and decision-making process. 9. Virtual tours increase a business listing's interest by two-fold.
How does virtual tours make money? ›A virtual tour business makes money by charging clients to shoot, edit, and deliver photos and/or video to create a virtual tour of a physical space. The exact amount you charge typically varies based on the requested media format, the venue, and any additional add-ons that customers may purchase.
How do you make a virtual tour without a 360 camera? ›The CloudPano mobile app is free to download and intuitive for users. Utilizing the app makes creating a 3D virtual tour accessible, without having to buy a 360 camera or a camera stand.
Is there a market for virtual tours? ›The global virtual tour software market size was valued at USD 340.7 million in 2022. The market is projected to grow from USD 384.0 million in 2023 to USD 941.3 million by 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 13.7% during the forecast period.
What can I use instead of Google tour creator? ›
- ThingLink.
- Nodalview.
- Fusion.
- iGUIDE.
- Kuula.
Any educator who purchases a VR Expeditions 2.0 kit with Teacher Licenses will be able to access this feature. Then, it's the same premise as the original Tour Creator software—creating your own Expeditions using VR content.
Is Google tour creator still available? ›In June 2021, Google Tour Creator is shutting down. The good news is Vortals already provides all of that functionality and more! Vortals is a powerful AR and VR design platform. If you're looking for a replacement for Google tour creator, there is no better option than Vortals.
How do I promote my virtual tour? ›- Create Bitesize Experiences with Short Videos.
- Showcase 360° Views of Accommodation.
- Share Experiences with Vlogs and Tours.
- Partner with an Attraction and Offer a Virtual Tour.
- Create Immersive Audio Experiences.
- Utilise VR Technology.
It's all about the depth. Any virtual tour can capture two dimensions—height and width—but true three-dimensional tours also capture depth. This is typically done via a specialized camera equipped with multiple lenses and infared that can sense, measure, and capture depth.
Does Airbnb do virtual tours? ›What Is Airbnb Virtual Tour? A virtual tour is a simulation made up of a sequence of videos or still images. An Airbnb virtual tour provides a 360-degree, immersive view of a vacation home.
How much does a virtual house cost? ›While most properties are priced between $6,000 and $100,000, anomalies will happen. One of the biggest sales, for instance, was the purchase of a property adjacent to Snoop Dogg's parcel in the Sandbox for $450,000.
How do you prepare for a virtual open house? ›- Pick the best platform and features for hosting virtual open houses. ...
- Advertise your virtual open house through social media and email. ...
- Do your usual staging and preparations for the home as if it were an in-person open house event. ...
- Do a trial run and get feedback.
It gives potential buyers a feel for the inside like an idea about how large or small, bright or dim, cheerful or beautifully melancholic. This will help you get more leads, as your viewers are able to imagine themselves living in these spaces before they even come out for a visit! Do you have an office building?
What is the difference between a video and a virtual tour? ›Virtual Tours Allow You To Explore The Space
Just like a video, you can also add voice-overs, music, text but also photos, video and more. The primary difference is that you can walk through the space at your own pace while still giving a curated experience.
What do people do with virtual real estate? ›
Additionally, once you purchase virtual real estate, you own a unique parcel of land in the metaverse. Like physical real estate, you can do things with your virtual land. For instance, you can create income-generating properties, like leasable buildings or interactive venues.
How is VR being used in real estate? ›Staging and Virtual Visualization
That's where VR real estate comes into play. With 3D visualization and virtual apartment or house tours, you can promote any property long before it's even built. Hence, the lack of physical objects won't ever complicate the work of real estate agents, which is good news.
A virtual tour is any digital solution that lets you walk around/explore a location or area without visiting it in person.
What is a virtual walkthrough? ›A tour allowing users to walk through a specific place (e.g. a virtual museum, virtual library or virtual university campus) without having to travel physically. Published in Chapter: Developing 3D Freehand Gesture-Based Interaction Methods for Virtual Walkthroughs: Using an Iterative Approach.
Can I create my own metaverse land? ›Virtual Real Estate & NFTs
The ability to create metaverse lands opens up all kinds of new possibilities for digital commerce, as each digital space can be stamped with its own digital signature, belonging exclusively to the creator or purchaser.
If you want to make your own virtual world, you can join a virtual world platform and create your own space, even if you don't have any coding experience. This wikiHow guide will help you choose the best virtual world platform and walk you through customizing your first virtual world.
How do you make a metaverse property? ›- Choose the proper use case of a metaverse.
- Create the user interface for your platform.
- Code operational smart contracts.
- Create the IPFS storage system.
- Making a metaverse database.
- Develop the core AI and VR functionalities.
The development cost of a Metaverse can vary from $10,000 to $400,000 based on several cost factors. Hardware- To teleport users into the virtual world the medium needed is a VR headset. Apart from VR headsets, smartphones, laptops, and PCs can also serve as the medium to enter the virtual realm.
Can anyone create a metaverse? ›You can create a metaverse platform that can be used to enable a personalized learning experience for each student. In gaming, by using the Metaverse blockchain to create game assets, players can easily trade items with each other and monetize their efforts.
How much does it cost to build a metaverse platform? ›In 2023, the companies are spending billions on building a unique set of solutions, but the average cost to build a metaverse platform can range between $25,000 to $400,000, depending on features, functionalities, technologies, experts' costs, and more.
Is metaverse land free? ›
Before you buy virtual real estate
Nothing is truly free – in real life or on the blockchain. Therefore, land in the metaverse is going to cost you a bit of money. Most of the popular metaverse games where users can buy property are built on the Ethereum blockchain.
This equates to around 16 square meters on Decentraland, or 96 square meters in the Sandbox. Lesser-known virtual land companies could also offer a lower pricing package. The lowest price for a metaverse plot of land on Crypto Voxels can go as low as 0.20 ETH, which equates to around $1,799.
Is virtual land taxable? ›Business Use of Virtual Property
Virtual property used for personal enjoyment, such as a virtual vacation home, may not generate taxable income or capital gains. However, virtual property used for business purposes, such as a virtual storefront, may generate taxable income and be subject to self-employment tax.
Tour Creator is a website by Google that allows teachers and students to create tours for VR (virtual reality) or in a web browser. After logging in with a Google account, Tour Creator will ask for a title, description, and cover photo for the tour.
Who owns the metaverse? ›As Meta makes it clear in its statements, no single company will own the metaverse. Multiple organisations, independent developers, and grassroot creators – along with the final piece of the puzzle that we will discuss later – will build the metaverse.
What is a virtual real estate? ›Virtual real estate is a unique land in a digital world, often called the metaverse, a collection of online worlds. An online world is comparable to virtual reality, with communities and social components. Land in the metaverse can be just as valuable as land in the real world.
What is metaverse property? ›Metaverse real estate is real estate that is virtual - where parcels of land are sold.