For several years now, virtual reality headsets have been flooding the market. virtual reality headsets have been flooding the market for several years now, thanks to their ability to immerse the user in a universe that is certainly virtual, but particularly realistic.
For a long time, it was thought that entertainment (mainly cinema and video games) would democratise these headsets and make them adopted by the general public. But their cost, the equipment needed to operate them and their uses have redirected their application to the professional markets. And it is, among others, the real estate industry that has seized upon them by proposing new ways of visiting properties that offer numerous advantages. Virtual tours were born.
THE BENEFITS OF VIRTUAL REALITY
For the customer: It is first of all the user experience itself that represents a real plus. Once equipped with the virtual reality headset, the customer is immersed in his future property in 360°. The whole is either modelled in a 3D The whole is either modelled in a very realistic way for an unbuilt property, or made thanks to a 360° scan for an already existing property. Add to this an intuitive navigation system and you have a virtual visit. It is its projection capacity that will be immediately improved thanks to the immersion.
Unlike a sale on plan, the customer feels his environment as if he were on the spot thanks to 3D, which is now almost photo realistic. They can walk through the property as they wish and this reassures them of their intention to buy. In the case where the construction is already completed, a 360° capture allows the client to visit different properties without moving, while having the feeling of the spaces.
For the propertydeveloper: For the property developer, it is possible to offer several virtual visits in a relatively short period of time. It is no longer necessary to move from property to property physically. This saves a lot of time and optimises the organisation for both the developer and the customer. Real estate visits abroad are also made easier. It is now possible to virtually visit a flat, a house or offices on the other side of the world.
We can also add to this that all virtual tours are scriptable and customisable. The interiors can be highlighted with a particular decoration. It is a real enhancement of the current or future property.
THE FUTURE OF THE VIRTUAL TOUR
The future of the virtual tour is already underway. Virtual reality headsets have already proved their worth and their prices are constantly falling. In the long term, we can imagine different tools created from the crossing of several existing technologies. The creation of virtual property tour catalogues could eventually be developed and democratised. Combined with an interactive tool, customers could modify certain elements as they wish and personalise their future property (colours, finishes, etc.).
Moreover, thanks to the Internet and the growing power of machines, visits can be made at a distance and will allow a much wider audience to be reached. It will then be possible to make virtual visits from home.
We can therefore see that these tools and the practices that result from them are spreading little by little and are tending to become essential to the real estate virtual visit. The immersive experience is for the moment reserved for certain markets: mainly luxury and commercial. It could eventually be available on more properties, especially before the building is built. In short, this tool will complement the sale on 2D planThis tool will complement the sale on the Internet, which currently limits customers' ability to project.
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