Virtual tour options are a must-have in today’s hyper-competitive multifamily environment. When most prospects are only looking at two properties before signing a lease, you want to make sure your real estate photography and virtual tours are the best they can be. That’s why many leasing teams are looking for the most effective option.

If you’re looking for a 360 camera for real estate, and you want the best for a multifamily property, you don’t have to look far or spend too much. However, before you spend too much time Googling “best 360 camera for real estate,” you may also want to keep your options for virtual tours open. Here’s what we mean:

360 Real Estate Camera

The best camera for real estate is the one you probably already have in your pocket. That’s right—your iPhone, Android, or any mobile device can work to create 360 virtual tours.

For 360 tours, there are plenty of easy-to-use apps available for you to download on your phone. With them, you can shoot footage using your mobile device as a virtual tour camera for real estate and stitch together a 360 video on your own.

However, before you head straight to your app store, you’ll likely need additional add-on devices. There is the Insta360 and a handful of other devices that allow you to turn your mobile device into a 360 or 3D camera. You can buy the device, download the app and shoot 360 virtual tours or 3D virtual tours for real estate.

The other options are to contract an outside agency that owns their own necessary equipment which isn’t free. This can be difficult if you want to change a video or create a full library of virtual tour options. Or you can purchase a very expensive camera to create these tours yourself. A Matterport virtual tour is certainly nice to have but it may not be in your budget.

Another resource to consider when looking at ways to create 360 tours is time. Today’s on-site leasing teams barely have time to create videos quickly, much less the time it takes to create a 360 tour which is exponentially more time-consuming. Ask your teams what they’d prefer you invest in and what tools are valuable to them for videos.

Virtual Video Tours

Creating virtual video tours is an easier and more effective way to offer virtual touring options to prospects. Plus, you can use these virtual tour platforms in various ways throughout the resident lifecycle. In our opinion, the best camera for virtual tours of this type is still in your pocket—your mobile device.

Using your mobile device and a built-for multifamily video touring and leasing option, like Realync, opens up a whole new way to connect with prospects and residents. With video, you can create a personalized video experience, catering to the needs of that individual prospect or resident. Plus, you can do it in less than five minutes.

Using your phone, you can quickly shoot a personalized tour of the exact unit a prospect is interested in or the amenities they’d like, answering their specific questions along the way. You can also use these videos to share important updates and next steps with the prospect along the way. This allows for more human-to-human relationship building than an email or having to view the same 360 or 3D tour every other prospect sees.

You can also use video to create videos on move-in policies, introduce them to the office and maintenance team, and stay better connected throughout the leasing process. With video, you can create a catered personalized video for prospects that is easy, streamlined, efficient, and effective. While it may not be a “traditional” 360 virtual tour, it can be even better.

In the world of virtual tours, every type of tour can have a place. Of course, if you’re set on 360 virtual tours, let Realync’s Real360 click-through-videos and Real360 videos do it for you! Whatever you choose, make sure you’re able to create customized, personal touch virtual tours that your prospects need and want.

Subscribe to The Reel — Starring Multifamily Video Insights and Conversations

Enhancing your video engagement strategy with 1:1, DIY, or pre-recorded videos will help leasing teams WIN more leases! Get video tips, multifamily knowledge, and more delivered to your inbox monthly by subscribing to The Reel newsletter!