Home > Blogs > MINDY GAGO > MINDY GAGO's (gomindygago) Blog

VIRTUAL TOURS, WASTE OF MONEY?

By MINDY GAGO

Real Estate Sales Representative with KELLER WILLIAMS

October 17, 2007 04:46 AM

ON MY LAST BLOG I ASKED IF OPEN HOUSES WERE WORTH THE TIME. SEVERAL OF YOU RESPONDED SO THIS SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY HOT TOPIC. ANOTHER AGENT MENTION THAT VIRTUAL TOURS HOMES WILL BE THE NEXT FORM OF A OPEN HOUSES. IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET THE SAME EXPERIENCE THAT YOU GET WITH A VIRTUAL TOUR AS WITH PHYSICAL TOUR OF A HOUSE. I THINK YOU MISS OUT ON A LOT SMELLS GOOD OR BAD, NEIGHBOR HOODS AND STRUCTURAL DETAILS OF A HOME THAT CAN EASILY BE OVERLOOKED WITH A VIRTUAL TOUR. ALSO SOMETIMES VIRTUAL TOURS CAN DISTORT THE IMAGE OF THE HOMES SOMETIMES MAKING THINGS SEEM WIDER AND SHORTER THAN IN REAL LIFE.

IN MY OPINION I RATHER HAVE 8 PHOTOS AND NO VIRTUAL TOURS. IF THEY ARE TRULY INTERESTED THEY WILL MAKE A APPOINTMENT TO SEE IT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? ARE VIRTUAL TOURS A WASTER OF MONEY?

Comments(6)

Comment

Show All Comments

Sort:

Prudential Preferred Realty Butler PA

Prudential Preferred Realty - Butler, PA

I don't think so.

I have the stats on my visual tours, and they are pretty impressive.

Sellers really like them, too.

Oct 17, 2007 04:50 AM

Barb Merrill

Cactus Mountain Properties, LLC - Tempe, AZ

GRI, Associate Broker

Absolutely not. Buying a home is an emotional experience that can only take place by physically walking through the front door and feeling like this is home. Sorry, don't think a Virtual Tour can provide that. However, they do provide information, like you said, that people need to base their decision.

Oct 17, 2007 04:57 AM

. .

US Property and Appraisal - Pittsburgh, PA

From my personal experience looking for a home I didn't use the virtual tour too much. Maybe because my laptop acts like it's on crack at best. I Did what you said, looked at the pics and made an appointment if I was interested. The virtual tours are a nice touch though. THe more the better.

Oct 17, 2007 05:00 AM

Don Stern

Realty Executives South Louisiana - Baton Rouge, LA

Greater Baton Rouge Real Estate

Buyers and Sellers have commented very positively on the virtual tours that I have for my listings. The viewing statistics are excellent. My listings are being seen.

Oct 17, 2007 05:04 AM

Lois Davies

Century 21 Birchwood Realty, Inc. - Cape Coral, FL

Cape Coral & SW Florida

I agree with you that clients need to feel the house to see if it fits them, but I also like virtual tours. For one thing, they motivate some clients into wanting to see the house first hand, and they are wonderful for the out of state client looking to move into the area and not available for a lot of walk throughs; it makes is easier for them to narrow down the number of homes they want to see when they do come here. I do think, though, that sometimes virtual tours can make a house seem nicer that it is.

Oct 17, 2007 07:09 AM

Bartley Wilson

Virtual Pictures Corp. (VPiX) - Monument, CO

VR Software and 360° Solutions

Virtual tours are an absolute necessity today. A report published by the Pew Internet Research Group found that Americans watch virtual tours a lot. 5 million of them per day. Now, you can still ruin your next-time homee buyers expectations by posting a crappy, blurry 360 virtual tour. If you do not know how take virtual tours and enhance them a bit in Photoshop -- then LEAVE this to the professionals to do for you.

Since you are in North Carolina, I can recommend Spence Adams from RealtyReach.com. He is a seasoned REALTOR, and he does a great job with 360 tours. Plus he is Voyager certified.

As for the comment on open houses, well seasoned professionals will tell you that open houses do not sell homes.

So dress to impress and have your marketing stick ready to sell the buyer coming to the open house. Meaning have your 3 minute elevator pitch that sells YOU on the looky loos. More often then not, the house you are at right now, isn't the one they want to buy.

So by selling yourself to the potential home buyer, get them to remember you and be sure to follow up within 48 hours or less AFTER the open house.

Jan 01, 2008 11:41 AM

Comments(6)

MINDY GAGO

Recent Posts