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Virtual Tours

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Services for Real Estate Pros with J Gettings Photography

It just makes sense that most home buyers turn to the internet when it comes to buying a home.  What better way to allow your potential clients to view your listing than a 360 Degree Panoramic Virtual Tour?  A virtual tour provides folks with the ability to comfortably view all of your listings, as if they were there walking throuh the property.

By using a professional photographer to create your tours, you are ensured that the property will be showcased in the most pleasing images possible.  You may also have the added bonus of still photography for use in other forms of advertising.

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Mike & Cindy Jones
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty - Jacksonville, FL
Real Estate - (904) 874-0422 - Jacksonville, Fl

I used to use Virtual Tours exclusively on ALL my listings. However, I have noticed that since it is now possible to insert multiple photos on almost all real estate web sites, that people aren't clicking on the virtual tours anymore.

An observation:

Most buyers start their searches online now. The majority of them search for homes while at work from their office computers. They know that if they click on virtual tours they might get music with it...then everyone including the boss might know they are doing something they shouldn't be, on the company dime.

Oct 31, 2008 03:33 AM
Jeff Gettings
J Gettings Photography - Biloxi, MS

I respectfully disagree - maybe it is a regional thing.  Most people that I speak with won't even consider looking at a house that does not have a virtual tour attached to it.  While still pictures are great, they can only tell so much of the story. 

Also, I am not too far removed from corporate management.  Up until a couple of years ago, I was in management for one of the worlds largest supplemental insurers.  Personal internet usage at work is fairly well tolerated today.  Especially when you are in a life changing situation such as changing homes.  Most employers would rather you take a few minutes to view a few houses on line than take off an entire day or two to go look at 20 houses that you are not even interested in.

Oct 31, 2008 03:47 AM
Mike & Cindy Jones
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty - Jacksonville, FL
Real Estate - (904) 874-0422 - Jacksonville, Fl

Tell me those employers...I may ask for a job. Especially if they will pay me to look at houses on the internet during my work day.

I still use virtual tours on all my listings. I just don't use the expensive services. I have a web site that tells me how many folks view my virtual tours compared to homes looked at and over the past 3 years the number of views on the virtual tours has diminished significantly.

But if it works for you.....

 

Oct 31, 2008 04:04 AM
Anonymous
Anonymous

There is no doubt that companies everywhere allow users to access the internet for personal use....

64% of employees say they use the Internet for personal interest during
working hours

According to a survey by International Data Corp (IDC), 30 to 40% of internet access is spent on non work related browsing, and a staggering 60% of all online purchases are made during working hours. 90 percent of employees feel the Internet can be addictive, and 41 percent admit to personal surfing at work for more than three hours per week.

http://www.snapshotspy.com/employee-computer-abuse-statistics.htm

Oct 31, 2008 04:21 AM
#4
Keenan Tameling
Libertas Holding Inc. - Calgary, AB

Our property management company uses virtual tours to show off available property and it works great.

Nov 02, 2008 05:02 PM
Kevin Vitali
EXIT Realty Beatrice Associates - Middleton, MA
Helping Massachusetts Home Buyers and Home Sellers

My experience on individual property websites is the virtual tour shots gets more traffic than the still shots.  Here is the link to the actual tour stats to a recent listing:

http://tourstats.obeo.com/?ID=371899

You will notice that the most popular views are the 360(virtual tour) shots.

For me, I am finding that virtual tours work.

Nov 11, 2008 07:21 AM
Jeff Gettings
J Gettings Photography - Biloxi, MS

Kevin,

Thanks for that!  I appreciate the stats.  As you do, I still believe that virtual tours are an important marketing tool in todays market. - Speaking of single property websites, I am getting ready to rework my single property websites and offer them for $30 for the website and the riders will be $15, possibly $20 depending on how my negotiations go with my vendor for the riders.

Nov 11, 2008 07:44 AM
David DeSantis
Dadz Featured Tours - Elmira, NY

Jeff,

    I just looked at some of Mike's listings, and the first thing that happened was music started to play.  In referrence to his comment about music playing on tours.  What he is using is a slideshow tour, not a virtual tour.  The term "virtual tour" has been butchered by companys that think a slideshow presentation is a virtual tour.  It's exactly that, a slide show, huge difference, and huge difference in the presentation.

Nov 26, 2008 07:07 AM
Anonymous
Greg

Couple comments, slideshow, 360 tour, panoramas.... a tour you that takes via a the internet is VIRTUAL. 

As a REALTOR, I really don't care what type it is as long as it gets me a phone call and/or chance to sell the home.

As far as other opportunities because of virtual tours, other sites like REALTOR.com and Local Newspaper sites will give higher placement (page 1 or 2) if you have a virtual tours with the listing.  Of course you have to be a preferred client of their site though.  But if you check prices, it may be cost effective to get placed on page 1 or 2 of REALTOR.com or your Local Newspaper sites vs paying to be on page 1 of Google or MSN (etc).

If you are a preferred client of REALTOR.com, you can also get your own "spinning red house" for free and get your listing internationally listed for free.   I am all about free, especially in this market and economy.

Feb 28, 2009 04:43 AM
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