We have been getting a lot of questions recently about allllll of the options to market a listing virtually. What is a virtual tour? Can the drone fly inside? What is a 3D tour? What is Matterport? We can do what with Zillow tours?! It can be pretty confusing - even for us! There are so many options out there these days, and we want to help you pick exactly what you're looking for.
Want to know how to choose the tour option that is best for your client and your wallet? Look no further. If you're curious about what all the different options actually are - we've got you covered! Not only do we offer *literally* all of these options, but we will also be sharing what option is best for you, your clients, and prospective buyers (especially during COVID-19).
Ready to virtually list a property? Here are all of your choices:
1. Virtual Tour (Photo Slideshow or Single Property Website)
2. 3D Matterport Tour
3. Internal Video
4. Drone Video
5. Zillow 3D Home
Keep in mind that most photography companies don't offer many of these additional services, but at RE PIXS we're a one-stop shop for all of your virtual marketing needs.
Now, what the heck is the difference with all of these tours? Read on my friend.
VIRTUAL TOUR
What is a virtual tour? This term can be used for so many tours right now because in all reality - they are all virtual tours. However, typically when you hear the term "virtual tour" it is referring to a single property website that hosts various property information, just like this:
This is your most basic option, and to be completely honest - is the most outdated way to show a property online. There is so much technology to showcase a home on the internet these days that if this is all you're getting for your clients, we would encourage you to look into other tour add-ons too. We're not saying you shouldn't get one of these, but during the COVID-19 crisis, this should only be the base of what you're ordering. The cool thing about the virtual tour slideshow platform we use is you can easily build it into an entire website for your listing. A one-stop hub for all content including photos, 3D tours, drone video, and more!
These websites are extremely customizable to fit all of your needs. They usually include a video of the property, a 3D walkthrough, photos, a map showing the location, a description of the home, and anything else you can dream of! When you order a virtual tour through us you can add all the bells and whistles through your client panel after delivery.
The cost for a virtual tour or single property website at RE PIXS is only $15 and you're able to use them on all platforms! We're here to offer you the best possible marketing solutions for the best rates, so there is no up-charge for you. It is super easy to add-on one of these to your next booking. Just select "HomeOnTour (Virtual Photo Slideshow)" as your delivery method at the end of the booking form.
Ready to book a shoot? Click here to view our live availability!
3D MATTERPORT TOUR
A 3D Matterport Tour is like Google Street view, but for inside! They're the most advanced version of a 3D walkthrough on the market right now. They're called Matterport because that is the name of the camera we use (Fun fact! It's named Matterport after the owner/developer whose name is Matt). Here is an example of an interactive 3D Matterport Tour:
As you can see, these tours are super easy to navigate and you can virtually visit every room in the home from the comfort of your own home. These tours work on all devices and can even be viewed with VR goggles. Pretty cool huh? Not many people know this, but you can take these 3D tours one step further by adding tags on specific features and labeling each room you'd like to highlight. You can also share 360-degree photos on your website and social media when you order a Matterport tour.
Ever since the beginning of COVID-19, 3D tours have become a great feature for home buyers looking for a new home. There has been (and continues to be) an overwhelmingly amount of people moving out of their current state to a new one and these tours help narrow down the house selection. We would highly recommend these for all listings. Not only does it allow potential buyers to tour the home, but it also keeps your clients and their family safe since their property can be toured without anyone physically stepping a foot inside. As we mentioned earlier, we strongly believe this is the best way to show off your new listing - and because of that, we have made it extremely affordable for our clients.
Want to increase traffic to your listings with 3D Matterport?
INTERNAL VIDEO TOUR
Now you know what a photo slideshow and 3D Mattterport are, so what is an internal video? It is basically a mini-movie of your listing, both inside and outside of the home.
These videos are great to add to properties that have special features inside you want to highlight in-motion, or for properties that have stunning outdoor spaces (since the 3D cameras aren't built for outdoors). Videos are a great addition to any property, and if you offer a video for your clients you will have a better chance of winning the listing since many Realtors don't typically offer this service since it is one of the most expensive add-ons and takes additional time to produce. We would suggest always getting an internal video on large properties (homes 5000+ SQFT), properties that are on a river/lake/oceanfront, homes that have extravagant outdoor entertainment areas, or properties that have multiple outbuildings. Like this one:
This video also contains aerial footage from our Drone team, which brings us to our next option...
DRONE VIDEO TOUR
This has become more popular over the last few years and is a great way of showing off different perspectives of a property that could only be achieved by helicopter in the past. The most important thing to remember when ordering anything with a Drone is to make sure the operator is licensed and insured. There are so many drone operators out there who are not actually licensed, and if they're not licensed you can probably be certain they're not insured either. Not only is it illegal for these drone operators to charge for their services, but it also brings up some pretty messy liability issues for everyone involved if the drone were to crash. All drone operators at RE PIXS are FAA licensed UAV pilots and currently hold a $1M accidental damage insurance policy. Check out some of our recent drone footage:
Adding drone services to your listing is a great way to give viewers an idea of the proximity to nearby attractions and an easy way to show off the natural beauty surrounding the property. We highly suggest drones for all highrise condos in a downtown location, any property within a 10-mile radius of downtown, and for horse properties or homes that have acreage and/or views of the mountain, river, lake, or ocean.
ZILLOW 3D HOME TOUR
We get quite a few questions about these newer Zillow tour options. These are great add-ons to photography that boost your listing on the Zillow platform. A Zillow 3D Home Tour can be captured in 2 ways, with an iPhone or a 3D Theta camera. These "3D" tours are a series of 360-degree photos, usually 1 of each room - you won't get the full walkthrough experience as you do with Matterport. This is the most basic 3D tour option, however, we still recommend this on all properties because your listing will automatically syndicate to Zillow as soon as you post it on the MLS anyway. So you might as well appear higher in the search for the property zip code! Since Zillow is promoting these tours, their algorithm boosts your listing to the top of the search page when users are shopping in that area. Therefore, if you add a Zillow 3D Home tour on your listing it will generate more exposure on Zillow.com.
Zillow has also partnered with some different markets to provide an interactive floor plan with each Zillow 3D Home Tour and we happen to be one of those markets. The Portland Metro area is a very high market and getting a free floor plan is a huge plus for agents to have on the home. It is always free with a Zillow 3D Home Tour and automatically appears on the tour!
Here is an example of a Zillow 3D home Tour:
Zillow 3D Home Tours and Zillow Video Walk-Throughs do not need to be done by a professional. You can easily do these on your own iPhone (as long as it's an iPhone 6 or newer). However, hiring someone who is experienced and has the newest gear will improve the overall quality of these tours.
WHAT TO ORDER
Now that you have a clear understanding of the different options here are a few different things to consider when booking media for your next listing.
At RE PIXS we think all properties listed should have professional photography. No matter who you use for photography, just make sure you're hiring a pro. It is absolutely essential that you list a property with professional photos in the Real Estate world today.
Due to the switch to mostly virtual buying, we believe you should have a 3D tour with every listing as well.
Most minimal listing marketing should always include:
Professional Photos
3D Zillow Tour
A basic listing marketing package should always include:
Professional Photos
3D Zillow Tour
Zillow Walk-through
Recommended COVID-19 listing marketing should always include:
Professional Photos
3D Matterport Tour
3D Zillow Tour
Zillow Walk-through
Houses built on an elevation or property with acreage and/or mountain/scenic views should always include:
Professional Photos
3D Zillow Tour
Zillow Walk-through
Drone Photos
A high-rise building or listing close proximity to local amenities should always include:
Professional Photos
3D Zillow Tour
Zillow Walk-through
Drone Photos and/or Drone Video
A luxury listing should always include:
Professional Photos
3D Matterport Tour and/or Internal Video
3D Zillow Tour
Zillow Walk-through
Drone Photos and/or Drone Video
Still have questions? We would love to answer them for you! Give us a call or send us a text at (971) 295-1676.
Comments