What a Virtual Tour Should Be

What a Virtual Tour Should Be

What is a Virtual Tour…or Rather What Should It Be?

Both of my parents are tour guides in BC.  BC is among the tourism capitals of the world so perhaps it is there that I get my idea of what a “tour” should be.  At Magnolia Plantation, it was my mother’s job to guide visitors through the home showing them from room to room and educating them about the history and features of the stately plantation house.  Pretty much what you might expect if you paid to get a “tour”. 

If you did an online search for the words “Virtual Tour”, you would find that there are many different ideas of what a virtual tour is.  So called tours range anywhere from a series of still photographs put to music to a full fledged video walk through of the house.  The still photographs are somewhat like trying to put a jigsaw puzzle together – you can see the pieces but are not exactly sure how they fit together.  The videos are reminiscent of watching someone’s home movies — you have no control over the viewing experience and they may not focus on what you want to see and they are certainly not an Interactive Virtual Tour.

At our assisted care photography company,  we feel that a virtual tour should provide the viewer as close to an actual tour as possible.  Here are some ways we accomplish that goal:

•    Interactive Panoramic Images – We provide 360º panoramic images which allow the viewer to visualize the details of the main rooms.  The viewer controls the speed and can zoom in to see specific features of the area.
•    Customized Hot Spots – Each image has embedded “hot spots” which allows the viewer to navigate from room to room.  This allows for a real feel of the layout and flow of the property.
•    Offline Tour Capabilities – It is our hope that after touring your property, the viewer will not want to look any further.  Truth of the matter is that an internet shopper is likely going to create a “short list” of prospective places to go back to later.  Your virtual tour can be downloaded as well as emailed which will keep your property top-of-mind when it comes time to make a decision.
•    Professional Virtual Tour Photography – We have over 10 years of professional photography experience so our eye for detail will allow us to provide you the best possible images to showcase your home.  Image editing and enhancements are included at no charge!

In this challenging market, the proper presentation of listings has become increasingly important.  With 85% of home shoppers turning to the internet before they pick up the phone, it is vital that you maximize your window of opportunity to grab their interest. 

 

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