Gaming Technology Creates 360 Degree House Tour
It's happening in Europe-Immersion, a virtual reality firm based in Poland, is using gaming technology to create 360 tours of buildings. The gaming technology is more advanced than architecture software and some of the biggest real estate companies in Europe are taking two dimensional designs and creating 3 dimensional technology.
According to the newspaper, IBTimes of UK, the CEO of Immersion says he's using the technology to show clients the inside of hi-rise buildings. The clients visit apartments, bathrooms and look out a window to see the view from the building.
Oculus, a U.S. based virtual reality company, worked with SamSung creating the virtual reality (vr) headsets for $99.
In March of 2014, Facebook bought Oculus VR for 2 billion dollars. CEO Mark Zuckerberg says they made the purchase to focus on future platforms. At first, says Zuckerberg, they will focus on immersive games. However, Zuckerberg plans to use virtual reality to enhance all communication. In an interview with NPR, Zuckerberg said,
"Imagine enjoying a court side seat at a game, studying in a classroom of students and teachers all over the world or consulting with a doctor-face-to-face---just by putting on goggles in your home. This is really a new communication platform. By feeling truly present, you can share unbounded spaces and experiences with the people in your life. Imagine sharing not just moments with your friends online, but entire experiences and adventures."
How Soon Will Virtual Reality Be Mainstream
VR gear has been around for a couple of years but as the technology becomes more practical, it gets closer to mainstream. Take a look at Oculus employees testing the Oculus Rift CV1.
https://youtu.be/asduqdRizqs
Back to Virtual Reality & Real Estate
On a hot humid day in August last year, my clients and I were checking out condo's and co-op's in Washington D.C.. We walked neighborhoods along Metro's Redline-Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, Cleveland Park and Tenleytown. Our last stop was a co-op on the fifth floor of building built in 1928.
The elevator was being repaired and expected to be operational in November. I couldn't imagine living with this inconvenience and was glad we were just walking five flights of stairs one time. But as luck would have it, the front desk clerk gave us the wrong co-op keys so we climbed the stairs twice-in blazing heat & humidity!
My point-if my clients could have toured the co-op by wearing a VR headset and sitting in my cool comfortable office, we would have been a happier trio!
Virtual Reality & Real Estate...bring it on!
Victoria Ray Henderson is Vice President and Associate Broker with Buyer's Edge
Marshall Henderson is an experienced Exclusive Buyers Agent with Buyer's Edge
4849 Rugby Avenue Bethesda Maryland 20814 office 301.657.1475 cell 301.922.1677
Not just a Buyers Agent, an Exclusive Buyers Agent-there's a difference.
learn more at HomesbuyHendersons.com & BuyersAgent.com
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