Unlocking the Advantages of Virtual House Tours for Homebuyers

Technology innovations have reshaped the real estate landscape for years, making the homebuying experience more seamless and accessible. Among these advancements, the real estate virtual tour is in a league of its own. 

Virtual house tours have revolutionized how homebuyers explore properties, offering them an effortless, immersive experience from the comfort of their couches. With this tool, the nooks and crannies of any home listed are now a mere click away; it doesn’t matter if you are browsing homes for sale across the country or right in your neighborhood. 

In this blog post, we’ll delve into how virtual tours work, their key advantages for the modern homebuyer, and why they’re quickly becoming a paramount tool for savvy real estate buyers and investors. Ready to explore? Let’s get to it!

What Is a Virtual Tour in Real Estate?

A real estate virtual tour is an online experience that lets you explore your chosen property without stepping foot in it. It’s a digital simulation of a home’s spaces, permitting potential buyers to navigate it using 360-degree imagery, videos, or 3D modeling through their computers, tablets, or smartphones. 

Virtual tours are created using specialized cameras and software that capture high-resolution visuals of each dwelling room. Then, those images are grouped and edited to create an interactive experience. You can click, drag, or tap to move around the house as if you were attending an open house. Some advanced virtual tours offer additional perks, such as zooming in to spot details or interactive floor plans. 

Types of Virtual Tours In Real Estate

Something as basic as a picture slideshow or video is considered a virtual tour, but more advanced alternatives exist. Keep reading to learn more about the types of real estate virtual tours.

360-Degree Panoramic Tours

360-degree tours use panoramic photography from a specialized camera, such as the Ricoh Theta or the Insta360. The high-res images are bound together to create an interactive home viewing experience that can be viewed from various compatible devices. 360-degree tours are great for home tours but better suited for large, open spaces. 

3D Interactive Walkthroughs

3D tours use 3D modeling software to create a realistic representation of your desired home for sale, giving you a view of its layout, dimensions, atmosphere, and even details. 3D real estate virtual tours are more interactive and detailed than 360-degree tours because they better showcase enclosed, smaller spaces. 

Video Walkthroughs

Video real estate tours have been a staple for some time and continue to be a valuable resource for homebuyers seeking deeper insights into a property. These tours feature pre-recorded videos that walk buyers through the home, often paired with narration to highlight standout features. They’re an excellent complement to listing photos, giving viewers a better feel for the home’s spaces and overall ambiance.

Virtual Reality (VR) Tours

Real estate virtual tours are leveraging VR technology for a fully immersive experience. These tours work as simulated environments buyers can explore using a VR headset, providing a sense of presence within the space with a realistic understanding of scale and spatial proportions that mimic walking through the property in real life. 

Interactive Floor Plans

As its name suggests, this type of real estate virtual tour combines a traditional floor plan model with interactive details. Potential homebuyers can click on different areas of the floor plan model to view additional, more detailed photos or 360-degree images, gaining a better understanding of the space.  

Dollhouse Views

Dollhouse Views is a virtual home tour that showcases a full 3D model of the property, resembling a traditional dollhouse. This bird’s-eye perspective gives prospective buyers a clear understanding of the home’s layout and how its spaces connect.

How Virtual Home Tours Work For Homebuyers?

Navigating a virtual tour is pretty straightforward. Every homebuyer, no matter their age or level of confidence in using technology, should be able to access and navigate it. 

These digital tools are designed with arrows, hotspots, or intuitive navigation points that guide you through the property. Simply click or tap on these markers to move from room to room, explore different angles, or zoom in on details like countertops or fixtures to see them up close. Many platforms also include interactive features like floor plans, information pop-ups, or audio guides to enhance the experience and make it even more user-friendly.

Accessing Real Estate Virtual Tours When Buying Homes

Accessing a virtual tour is often just a few clicks away; you just need to know where to look. Here’s how you can explore virtual tours with ease as a homebuyer:

• Head to Real Estate Listing Websites. These platforms are the best places to find virtual home tours. While navigating your desired property listing at ezHomeSearch, look for the ”virtual tour” button (shown below).

If you’re looking at properties outside your area or out of state and there’s no virtual tour available, don’t stress! Our local experts can visit the property for you and offer a live walkthrough via FaceTime or a similar app. This can be especially valuable in fast-paced markets where homes sell quickly, giving you the chance to explore the property in real-time and make informed decisions without delay.

• Real Estate Agent Websites: If a property outside the online realm catches your eye, ask the real estate agent if a virtual tour is available. Agents often upload their virtual tours to the listings on their websites. Their marketing materials also provide links to those real estate virtual tours. 

• Direct Links: Real estate professionals can also share direct links to virtual tours of the homes for sale you’re interested in. These links are usually hosted on platforms such as Matterport, Kuula, or EyeSpy360.

• Social Media: Homebuyers can also find virtual tours of real estate on social media. Property sellers often post links to virtual tours on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. If you are house hunting on social media, Look at listings shared in local real estate groups or your local agents’ social media profiles. 

• QR Codes: Open houses and print ads at real estate events are sources of QR codes that may link to virtual tours of properties. If you find a QR code, scan it with your smartphone. It will take you directly to the tour.

• Email or Online Invitations: Real estate agents may email invitations for exclusive properties or pre-market listings with links to access virtual tours. If you are subscribed, check your inbox for personalized updates. 

Benefits of Real Estate Virtual Tours

Virtual tours have become a game-changer for home buyers, offering an alternative beyond static listing photos to explore homes without being there in person. In fact, NAR’s 2023 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers found that Millennial and Gen Z home buyers prioritize finding virtual tour options before reaching out to a real estate agent. 

According to the same report, 47% of recent buyers began their home search online, and 43% of all buyers found virtual tours to be “very useful” during their home-buying journey.

This resource became particularly meaningful during the pandemic year. According to the 2020 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, also by NAR, the pandemic accelerated this (and other) tech habits in homebuyers. However, virtual tours continue to be a worthwhile option for all buyers, but particularly for those who are:

• Buying a house sight unseen.
• Making relocation purchases.
• Buying via Instant Offers or iBuyers.
• Buying through a real estate wholesaler.
• Buying a foreclosed home at auction.
• Buying investment properties.

Whether you’re browsing from out-of-state or narrowing down options locally when surfing your local real estate market, here are some benefits of virtual tours in real estate:

Explore Your Dream Home From Anywhere

Are you buying a home from out of state? Cross-country? Outside the United States? Virtual tours allow you to view your future home from the comfort of your chair, using only a device and a reliable Internet connection. 

Buying Locally? Narrow Down Your Options!

Going to multiple open houses or scheduled in-person viewings can be tiring and requires a lot of your time. Pre-screen your favorite properties with virtual tours and choose which are worth stepping to the front door. 

Inspect Features Up Close Anytime, Anywhere

With 360-degree virtual tours, you can explore every room in detail and zoom in on the finer points, like finishes, fixtures, and other standout features. It’s like having a personal walkthrough on your schedule, no matter where you are!

Have a Better Idea of The Living Space as a Whole

Dollhouse views and interactive floor plans integrated into virtual tours can help you understand your desired property’s layout, spatial flow, and room proportions. This makes it easier to imagine how the space fits (or does not fit) your individual needs.

Compare Homes Effortlessly

A virtual tour makes it easy and efficient to revisit that home you like—even after seeing it in person. You don’t need to spend extra time driving back; explore the property from the comfort of your home or office and with a coffee or tea on hand. Virtual tours also allow you to compare multiple homes side by side before deciding on the one that feels just right. 

Loop In Your Friends and Family

You can easily share the virtual tour link with friends, family, or your real estate agent to get second opinions in a breeze. This is a convenient way to involve important people in your life in decision-making.

Final Thoughts: Virtual Tours Real Estate

Virtual tours have made home-buying smoother, smarter, and more accessible than ever, offering to explore properties from anywhere, at any time, something that was once unimaginable. And you don’t even have to be a techie to access its benefits! So, if you haven’t taken advantage of this tool yet, don’t wait. Your perfect home might be just a virtual step away.

Ready to dive deeper into your real estate journey? Head to the ez Home Search blog for more tips, insights, and expert advice to help you find the right property for you.