RESIDENTIALsales
marketing literature – concentrating on other strengths such as their market position or local expertise. Steven Gravett at The Mobile Agent says
that Rightmove has encouraged agents to use 3D floorplans, citing dramatic improvements to click through rates for properties that have them. And agents using 3D floorplans say they can can also reduce the number of abortive viewings. While a 3D floorplan is never going to replace a property viewing, it can give applicants a better sense of how the space feels and how rooms interconnect than the 2D floorplan does. While some estate agents obviously
perceive 3D floorplans to have significant value, what about the end user? While there is definite evidence to show that floorplans increase the number of enquiries a property will get, there is so far no evidence on whether a 3D floorplan will get more enquiries than a 2D plan. Anecdotally, it seems that consumers are
pretty evenly split between those who prefer to see a 2D plan and those who relate better to 3D images, which suggests that agents who want to benefit the most should include both types of floorplan on their materials. On the internet, for instance, tabs can be used to let viewers flick between the two floorplan types.
Risks and benefits 3D interactive plans come closest to allowing the full experience of a full property viewing online, with the ability to rotate the view and add photos. But greater complexity comes with the risk of alienating many viewers. Brian Farrell warns that implementation
has to be user-friendly. Videogamers who are used to navigating complex environments with a joystick in hand will find walking through a three bedroom flat easy – browsers whose acquaintance with a computer begins and ends with Microsoft Office can find it frustrating.
Agents using 3D floorplans say that they can also reduce the number of abortive viewings.’
Metropix
floorplans show dimensions and furniture
He says Metropix has now given
up enabling people to control the walkthrough; instead, “if we show a walkthrough, we just run it as a film at the click of a button, so that it plays, the user doesn’t control it.” Adding too much functionality can be as dangerous as providing too little. Another concern expressed by agents
has been that floorplans showing or representing furniture could just fall foul of the Property Misdescriptions Act. Steven Gravett says, “It is unlikely, but possible, that someone may complain that furniture in a 3D floorplan may just be said to misrepresent the size or spaciousness of a room.” It seems that the 3D floorplan has come
to stay – and at prices not far removed from the 2D version. But it also has to compete with 360 degree tours, movie, and 2D floor plans – or, more likely, to coexist with them in different formats and packages. After all, most estate agents still produce
paper particulars, as well as listing on the property portals and on their own web pages. So it seems likely that 3D won’t totally kill off the use of 2D – but it will be included increasingly often as a further enrichment of the property particulars, giving agents another useful way of proving their worth to their clients.
Add your own ideas and opinions online at:
www.propertydrum.com/articles/3dplans
42 JUNE 2011 PROPERTYdrum
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