Last week, Active Rain hosted a webinar with luxury listing experts Lisa Larkin and Charles Nitschke. Both Lisa and Charles’ firms use Matterport 3D tours with their listings and they were eager to share how the technology has been a game-changer for their agents and how they win business in two distinct markets.
Lisa Larkin
Managing Partner, RE/MAX Excalibur
Tucson, Arizona
Three offices across Arizona
28 certified luxury home marketing specialists
Charles Nitschke
Chief Marketing Officer, Tomlinson Real Estate
Spokane, Washington
Three real estate brands representing the Tomlinson Group: 13 Coldwell Banker offices, 2 Sotheby’s, 2 Century 21
What is the difference between 3D tours + virtual tours?
Most people understand what virtual tours are, at this point: They provide the ability for consumers to pan a room from one side to another, giving a 360 degree view of any room.
3D tours, then, are the natural progression from virtual tours, which gave buyers more context than one static image. With a 3D tour, like those offered from Matterport, online buyers can access panoramic views of each room. But they can also go further, moving from room to room or even getting alternative views, like the Floor Plan View (bird’s eye) and Dollhouse view (see the full property, including all levels, with the facade removed).
Feature |
Virtual Tour |
3D Home Tour |
360 degree panoramic view |
Yes |
Yes |
Number of panoramic scans used |
8-10 on average |
Up to 200 |
Inside View: Can pan from one side of room to another |
Yes |
Yes |
Inside View: Can move from one room to another |
No – Will open up new panoramic photo |
Yes |
Floorplan View: Can see bird’s eye view of the floor plan |
No |
Yes |
Dollhouse View: See the whole property at once, with façade removed |
No |
Yes |
Example of the Dollhouse View in a 3D tour from Matterport
What are the practical benefits of using a 3D home tour?
Charles and Lisa agree that 3D tours are much more than a gimmick. They both affirm across-the-board benefits to using a 3D home tour:
They allow clients to pre-visualize homes without having to go to the property in person. Clients can become knowledgeable about the home and either eliminate it or include it in their in-person tour plan
Can be quite helpful with REOs or other homes that people may want to purchase sight unseen
Homeowners are “wow-ed” by the technology and want buyers to have the option to view their home in this way
It’s also super helpful for client convenience. Seller clients, especially those in the luxury segment, don’t want to be inconvenienced by a looky-loo tour. 3D tours can be used as a screening tool; listing agents can ask that buyers look at the tour in advance so they aren’t disappointed by the wrong floor plan // kitchen layout, etc.
Wait. Isn’t it my job to get buyers into the home? Why would I want to promote a technology that may minimize in-person tours?
As Lisa says, 3D tours are so immersive and impressive that it’s unlikely buyers would mis-categorize a home that they’ve “toured” via 3D technology. It’s not like looking at photos, where an agent may forget to include a snapshot of the backyard dog run or an unfinished basement because it doesn’t match the perfectly staged vibe of the rest of the photos.
Instead, a 3D tour gives buyers an honest look at everything — from the floor plan to the cabinet finish to the size of the front and back yards. Agents (and their clients) should view the technology for what it is: a tour that will either spur an in-person showing, or allow buyers to rule out the property for the same reasons they would have come to if they attended an in-person showing.
The issue of fewer, but more qualified showings, may be a factor that agents have to explain to sellers. As Lisa says, “It’s not just about the traffic, it’s about the quality of the traffic.”
Do buyers and sellers really care? Are early adopters of 3D tours winning more business?
While many agents have seen Matterport at conferences for the last few years, the market is still not fully saturated with this technology. So in some cases, early adopters are benefitting majorly from the “wow factor” of offering 3D home tours.
Charles mentioned that one of his agents got three additional listing appointments after word got out that he offered 3D home tours on his listings. While sellers may not be able to expect their agent to offer this technology, those who love it may vet several agents until they find one that will offer a Matterport listing.
Are consumers able to easily see Matterport listings without leaving their search expert?
Sotheby’s and RE/MAX both support Matterport, but Charles and Lisa are also excited that realtor.com has native Matterport integration. When consumers see the Matterport logo in their search results, they’ll know that they can easily view the 3D tour without leaving the realtor.com app or desktop search experience:
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