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Virtual Home Shopping

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with 2M Realty

3D Home ToursIn real estate, buyers are often on the hunt for a residence that feels comforting, inviting, and well, feels like home! The search for a house can be overwhelming, and disappointments are often a frustrating and unavoidable part of home tours. However, some realtors are looking to change this process and have ventured into the business of using 3D virtual home tours to exhibit their properties.For some this may sound like a dream come true. Being able to peruse the features of a potential home from the comfort of your own couch, opening closet doors, checking updated appliances, and even virtually glancing out the window into your would-be future neighborhood. Buyers and agents would save time, gas money, and perhaps even find their dream home with a few clicks of a mouse.

Is There Such a Thing as too convenient?

Critics of this virtual technology feel the negative features within a home are as important as the redeeming ones when committing to such a large purchase. By physically touring a home potential buyers get an understanding of noise levels, smells from mold or pets, and water damage. Small and serious issues alike can bring down the value of a house greatly, and many of these would be missed entirely on a virtual tour.

Another question for buyers to consider is how reliable a photo or a video truly is. How representative of the actual residence can a picture be? How do the rooms flow together? Is there minor repair work needed, such as a paint job or floors to be refinished? Would a camera be able to detect minute characteristics that would perhaps sway a purchase decision?

Many in the real estate business feel that 3D virtual technology is best used in accordance with a live home tour or when trying to virtually plan a remodel on any number of rooms. For now, the majority agrees that although technology is advancing by the day, the best way to judge your future dwellings is by gassing up the car and making a trip out to the property itself. Live tours yield better results for buyers.

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Mark W. Martin is President of 2M Realty. He is active in real estate sales and develops land in the Houston real estate market. To view real estate listings in the Greater Houston market, please see our Houston MLS and Houston Homes for Sale pages.

2M Realty has simple goals in mind: Simplify the real estate process, reduce stress for Buyers and Sellers, earn client trust, and keep client trust. These simple but lofty goals are backed by over 20-years experience as a Texas real estate broker and Houston Realtor.

Jim Paulson
Progressive Realty (Boise Idaho) www.Progressive-Realty.info - Boise, ID
Owner,Broker

Wow, this blog was written in 2010 and Zillow just announced it was allowing links to 3D home tours today on a limited roll out.

I am about to launch my 3D and VR home tours and am psyched!  Doing my research is how I found this blog.  Thanks.

May 29, 2015 04:36 AM