virtual tours

[LAYSTAR]

LayStar has researched this area in some depth. We found that many sites that offer this service often charge a significant amount for it, maybe as much as £200. Quite so because, as they say, they need to send someone to your property to take photos and then process them in their VT software.

So, this got us thinking about ways of providing the service and avoiding the costs. We now have the means to offer a DIY package, but we aren’t offering it yet. The reason is that we are unsure of its true value.

Whilst we have seen some really good VTs, we have also seen some completely naff offerings (that people must have paid for).

We are of the opinion that a few really good photos, coupled with good, honest descriptions of property and rooms, will serve better than for loads of not-so-good photos with little description.

When you get critical about photos in on-line and high street property marketing packs you see loads of mistakes. For example, fronts of property taken with emphasis on the garage seem quite normal; parked cars and even caravans parked in front of the property hiding what is being sold; a photo of a field, which may be (not always obvious) the view, but not what buyers will actually live in; under-exposed photos of rooms, making them look dark and dingy; cluttered rooms, and so on.

[House Finder]

Hello everyone.
Interesting thread on virtual tours. I have been looking into this extensively the last couple of months with the intention of offering them as a service on my private property sales website.
I too couldnt believe some of the prices being charged for this service so I set about trying to negiotiate the best value price possible.
It took sometime I can tell you. Eventually I had a virtual tour done as an example of the work, and Im now in the position of my site offering this service from april onwards for only £170. That includes 5 rooms, and a professional external photograph of the property.

This offer will be available to everybody nationwide very soon, so that you can increase the exposure of your free property listing on my website, or for you to use on your own site or anywhere you wish.
I my opinion virtual tours definatley help in selling property on the internet which is fast becoming the most popular way to sell.

[cassiem0221]

I haven't actually sold a house with a virtual tour but I would recommend it. Being a potential buyer, it is something that I DO look for. I would highly recommend adding one if you can.

[spencerwood]

Have you considered retouching your property images. There are a number of websites that can remove camera lens distortion, reduce flash reflections, increase vibrancy and colour correction. This one in particular allows you to upload sets of images for a property to ensure consistency between the photos, i.e. the blue of the sky in two exterior photos or the colour of the walls of a room in two interior shots is consistent within the set. Retouch Genie Ltd - Online photo retouching, image enhancement and photo restoration services

[drhouse]

Originally Posted by House Finder

Hello everyone.
Interesting thread on virtual tours. I have been looking into this extensively the last couple of months with the intention of offering them as a service on my private property sales website.
I too couldnt believe some of the prices being charged for this service so I set about trying to negiotiate the best value price possible.
It took sometime I can tell you. Eventually I had a virtual tour done as an example of the work, and Im now in the position of my site offering this service from april onwards for only £170. That includes 5 rooms, and a professional external photograph of the property.

This offer will be available to everybody nationwide very soon, so that you can increase the exposure of your free property listing on my website, or for you to use on your own site or anywhere you wish.
I my opinion virtual tours definatley help in selling property on the internet which is fast becoming the most popular way to sell.

My experience is that a buyer will look at a virtual tour, think they have seen the property and then decide not to bother with a physical viewing. A few good pics should give buyers a taste of what the property offers and make them want to view more.

There is no substitute for actually viewing personally. The actuality is often very different from the "virtual reality"

[googler]

Originally Posted by House Finder

This offer will be available to everybody nationwide very soon, so that you can increase the exposure of your free property listing on my website, or for you to use on your own site or anywhere you wish. I my opinion virtual tours definatley help in selling property on the internet which is fast becoming the most popular way to sell.

If I was selling, I'd want some proof of how the VT will 'increase' the exposure of my property on your site. Can you provide evidence that properties listed with VTs get more traffic than others? Can you provide any stats on the traffic to your website?

Is there any evidence for the benefits other than your (anecdotal) opinion?

[rivercottage]

Yes, I agree with a previous poster. In my experience when people have viewed the virtual tour they are much less likely to actually go an see the house.

- Also more and more people seem to be un trusting of the virtual tours and their ultra wide angles!

[rempani77]

hi brian,

quite true - virtual tours serve for visual attraction. they can't substitute live visit to the property. in the us virtual tours have become a norm years ago.

[johnherbst]

Online property tours just don't work, they're starting to get better, but still don't paint the real picture...