Why a 3D Virtual Property Tour May Sink Your Chance of a Sale

The pace at which technology advances is truly staggering.  Within the real estate industry, in particular, it's brought about a dramatic change in a business that had largely operated the same way for decades.  We, at Homewaters, personally believe most of the change has been fantastic for home sellers and buyers alike.  We've always been advocates of opening the doors of information to the public so they can get a real sense of any particular market. 

Technology has made it much easier to put the right home in front of the perfect buyer very quickly.  It's also made the process of executing contracts, managing the transaction and staying in touch with clients a breeze compared to what it used to take.  

One technological advance that is seen as a fantastic tool by many is the 3D virtual tour.  From the comfort of your living room, you can "view" a property room by room and see 360 degrees from any spot within that room or space.  In theory, this is a great way to preview a property before making the long drive to actually come visit.  Here's one we did on a home on The Au Sable River.

In my experience, however, it can be a very bad thing for both buyer and seller.  Buyers actually get a sense that they've already "seen" the property and will make a decision on whether to buy or sell right there in their own living room without having even visited the property.  For sellers this means fewer showings for those who decided, prematurely, it wasn't right for them.  Ultimately it could lead the buyer to pass on what might be the perfect home and for the seller to miss out on their perfect buyer.

The reality of virtual reality is that it cannot possibly provide the same experience as actually being on site of any property.  When you're standing in the yard of a maturely wooded parcel, you hear the wind in the trees and the birds or other wildlife in the background.  You get a true sense of the privacy that forest provides for the home.  You cannot hear waves lapping along the shoreline or the stream rolling over a log in the bank when you're viewing an online tour.  Getting a real "feel" for the spaces in a home is impossible from the slightly distorted views in a virtual tour.  A truly impressive vaulted ceiling in a great room may not seem to be so online.  

The negative aspects of any property may also be somewhat obscured by a virtual tour.  Pet odors, the noise from a nearby highway or the natural gas storage facility just behind the fence aren't able to be seen on your computer screen.  

We still find the most effective way to market a property, and represent it accurately to potential buyers, is to draft a creative description that highlights the finer points while addressing any potential large negative aspects.  Include enough photos to provide a good idea of the property's condition, layout and features, but not so many that it's an arduous task to scroll through them all.  Once a buyer finds a property that's peeked their interest, it's time to jump in the car and take a REAL tour of the home.

This is our two cents worth, but we'd love to hear your opinion as a buyer or seller!  Let us know your thoughts!