As with most things in life, you tend to get what you pay for.
Typically, when it comes to virtual tour software that is free, “free” comes with a few too many strings attached. Here are a few of the many things to consider when going for a free option.
Is It Actually Free?
Many times, when something claims to be free, it really isn’t. That includes virtual tour creators,
virtual tour apps, and other platforms in the virtual tour arena. Here are just a few questions to consider as well as pricing factors you’ll need to know before investing in something that claims to show how to create a virtual tour for free.
Imagine you’ve taken the time and energy to create a top-notch virtual tour. Are there now costs associated with accessing that video content? It could be that you need to pay for hosting in order to access that tour after you created it. Or, there may be limitations on how you may share your video content. In order to share, you may have to upgrade to a paid option. What if parts of the service are free, but you have to pay for extra virtual tour equipment and software? You can’t make a 3D virtual tour or 360 virtual tour with just any old camera.
There are plenty of “gotcha” factors that come into play. It could be that you’re only getting the free virtual tour creator, but then you’re also having to pay for other services. In that case, it’s anything but free.
The Functionality Factor
There are also a number of things to consider from a functionality standpoint before committing to virtual tour software that claims they’re free.
- Is this free software built for multifamily?
- Will this software integrate seamlessly with existing lead management systems and other already existing platforms? If it doesn’t, what sort of issues will that cause you?
- Is this software going to track the data your leasing teams need it to track? For example, if the video just exists and you can’t track who is watching or how they are engaging with the content, it’s not really useful. It won’t become the powerful lead to lease tool it is capable of.
- Oh – and is it Fair Housing and WCAG compliant? You’re going to definitely want to know that.
- Will the software work on all browsers? Additionally, will it have a requirement that the prospect needs to sign up for something or download an app in order to watch or view this tour? That’s probably one of the biggest things to consider. Especially if that’s signing in or downloading an app. Prospects do not want to sign up for or download something and take that additional step to see what they want to see in a property. So, making sure the software doesn’t have those barriers is important.
If you’re looking at how to make a virtual tour for real estate, it needs to be as simple, streamlined and efficient as possible. It should also be built for multifamily communities and able to integrate with those existing processes and systems. If you want it to be easy for your team and your prospects, that needs to be prioritized.
Next time you see an ad pop up claiming to be the best virtual tour software, spend some time digging into the details. You’ll probably find out that free doesn’t get you what you really need.
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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!