By: The Oak Hat Team
Virtual reality, once thought to be the imaginings of a distant feature, is the revolutionary technology sweeping the world of today, with the real estate industry being no exception to this. Gone are the days of tirelessly trekking through the vast, unending landscape of property options, with virtual tours, property exploration can be achieved all from the comfort and convenience of your own. It is important to keep in mind, however, that virtual home tours are a double edged sword with pros and cons to be taken into consideration when arriving at your final decision.
When compared to the stagnancy of still images, virtual house tours allow you to virtually navigate the space, and experience the layout of the rooms and the flow of the home. The dynamic nature of a virtual tour would function similarly to an initial viewing of the property, taking you through the home seamlessly, and allowing you the experience of walking through a home.
Through the assistance of virtual home tours, potential buyers are better able to compare several properties with little to no travel time between. Adding on to the ease of comparison, with virtual home tours, potential buyers can continually revisit the property from the comfort of their own home, and spend however much time they desire viewing the property. These factors combined contribute to the swifter elimination of property options.
As virtual home tours are focused on the layout of the home, there is the glaring issue of being unable to glean any form of insight regarding the surrounding neighborhood. Aesthetic appeal of the home aside, things that may have significant impact on a buyer’s final decision, such as the noise level and walkability of the neighborhood, along with the amenities available are all but hidden from scrutiny when viewed through a screen.
With the use of proper staging equipment, minor imperfections can be overlooked in favor of presenting the property as more aesthetically pleasing to the viewer. Issues such as watermarks on the ceiling or wear and tear damage on the floors can be made to look less conspicuous through the lens of a camera. However, potential buyers should keep in mind that there will be discrepancies between the view presented through the screen and the actual features of the property.
Ultimately, while virtual house tours may not offer a definitive answer on whether to purchase the property, its influence on a buyer’s final decision is undeniable. When used in conjunction with physical property viewings, the home buying process is made less daunting and the property can be experienced more comprehensively.
