By now, leasing teams know that offering virtual tours for real estate is a must. What comes next is figuring out HOW to make a virtual tour for real estate. What should you consider first, and what all needs to go into giving the tour itself? What camera do you need? How do you edit, host and share your tours?

The idea of running a virtual tour can, at times, feel overwhelming. You may have many questions such as: How do you start? What should you consider first, and what all needs to go into giving the tour itself? What are the must haves or the absolute don’ts?

There are plenty of great tips and tricks out there for giving a virtual tour of multifamily real estate. In fact, you can find plenty right here on this blog. But in the end, the key is to treat it no differently than an in-person tour. Here’s what we mean.

Determine the Tour Type

Before you even start down the virtual tour path, you need to ask the key question. What type of tour experience does this prospective resident want? Rarely will you find that a prospective resident will want a single one and done tour. As virtual tours for real estate have grown in popularity, it’s important to understand that there are different types of virtual tours. These include:

  • Self functioning 3D virtual tours for real estate
  • 360 virtual tours that live on the property homepage
  • Personalized, pre-recorded video tours
  • Live virtual tours
  • Self-guided tours

The list might seem rather endless! Be sure to have a conversation with the prospect to make sure they are getting the exact experience they want. Listen to them and be willing to give them the experience they ask for.

That experience is going to vary now more than ever. Some prospective residents would appreciate the option of not having to physically visit a property so they’ll want virtual only. Others will want to preview the property virtually, potentially with a 3D home tour, and then come in person. Additionally, it’s possible they’ll want to do an entirely self-guided tour or have a self-guided tour with a pre-recorded video of the exact unit they’re interested in. They may even want to come in person, then have a live virtual tour with their parent, child, or roommate who may be a part of the decision making process.

The key lesson here is before you start looking into real estate virtual tour software or real estate virtual tour services – and real estate virtual tour pricing – make sure it’s providing the experience your prospects are looking for. Empower your prospects to make their decision by giving them options.

Learn more about how apartment communities can use a virtual tour creator

Prep the Space

As we mentioned in the beginning, treat your virtual tour for real estate as if it were an in person tour. That means, making sure the space is perfectly prepped and staged as if you were walking through with a client. All the lights should be on. All of the window blinds or curtains should be open – especially those with a killer view! Make sure everything is neat, clean and tidy. This is something any virtual tour real estate company would tell you. Oh, and don’t forget to close the toilet seats! While some virtual tour apps can do magic, no one wants their tour to end looking into a toilet bowl.

Keep it Professional

Make sure to keep things professional even if the prospect is virtual or even if you’re doing a pre-recorded video. Treat this virtual tour experience with the same level of formality and professionalism as you would when doing a face-to-face physical tour. You are still representing your property and your brand. Make sure to showcase that regardless of the tour format.

Be Authentic

One of the biggest tips we can give when it comes to giving a virtual tour for real estate is to be real and authentic. Show your prospective resident as much as you can of the property. Plus, show them what they want and ask to see. If you’re giving a virtual tour and the prospect wants to see under the sink, show them! Or do they want to see the closet space? Awesome – show them. Answer their questions and don’t hide anything. You’re working to build trust with this prospective resident. Regardless of how you may feel, be sure to put on a smile and make the experience personalized and real to your prospect while on screen.

In the end, the tour format is just that – a change in format. Your appearance, professionalism, and authenticity should be just as sharp in the virtual tour world as it is in person. That’s what prospects are looking for in virtual tours for real estate and that’s what you need to provide.

Let Us Help You!

Close more leases, market more effectively, engage with residents and, as always, keep it real. Do you have a question or suggestion? Or want to learn more about what you read? Email us at contact@realync.com. We’d love to hear from you!