Feature
Home3D: This is not a photo –
but a virtually- dressed room.
“The technology is becoming mainstream. This virtual reality will become how people plan
and then move house.” Malcolm McCallion Home3D
voice over on the video and you can say what you need to say.” Mobile Agent’s Davis points out that the
Property Misdescription Act puts some agents off going down the virtual path, as they feel it may mislead buyers who think that the virtual bricks and mortar images are exactly what they will be getting. A virtual tour can also save on the cost and
time of a real visit. Helliar says, “You need to look at it in terms of saving you 10-12 viewings at least, cutting out all that driving around.” One client used to make video tours for each of the larger country houses he sold. With a 2,000 strong database to email, the agent got ten replies for each email, asking for a physical viewing, and from those ten viewings, an average two off ers.
NEW REVENUE
Virtual tours can even create a new revenue stream. Some agents are charging vendors up to £150 for a Home3D plan which they paying
28 ● July 2012 ● TheNegotiator
£50 for. Another spin off from the
mydeco.com connection is the possibility of getting commission from a piece of furniture that is sold to the end user. But the key use of off ering an improved product is to act as a sweetener to win instructions. Also any product that makes you stand out from the competition is a valuable accessory. McCallion says, “Many potential buyers looking at properties on a portal will just browse and go no further – staged images can turn a buyer around go further.” In a market with limited uptake, any user of new technology will stand out from the crowd as they act as a marketing tool, James Davis says, “a high quality 3D plan looks fantastic in a window. They really make the agent stand out and help them sell themselves.” Metropix’s Brian Farrell points put that agents can make themselves appear to be at the cutting edge of technology. “We typically see that the market leader within a town will be the fi rst to use them, as they tend
to always be looking for a competitive edge over other agents within their local vicinity.” Whilst not the norm yet on the high street, 3D plans and virtual tours are absolutely vital in the new build sector, particularly for off -plan sales, as they can help establish understanding and give a feel for the property. Interactive plans can extend the marketing phase as buyers can envisage what the property will actually be like to live in at the earliest stage of development. The use of technology by the house builders will also lead to economies of scale coming through to the rest of the market. The immediate mainstream future is
defi nitely 3D for fl oorplans and in the slightly longer term maybe virtual – this could be two to three years according to McCallion, “The technology is becoming mainstream – Tesco has launched a virtual fi tting room for its online clothes store – this virtual reality will become how people plan and then move house.” ●
www.thenegotiator.co.uk
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