I just ran a spreadsheet that counted 167 out of 571 listings in our MLS that used Visual Tours. That is less than 3 out of 10 listings.
While I am sure this is tremendous growth over the number from one year ago, I still wonder why all Realtors® do not make use of this tool.
Consider one of the single most important facts being that http://www.realtor.com/ allows buyers to sort listings by whether the listing has a visual tour or not. Consider that photos on MLS and on most websites are limited but visual tour photos usually are virtually unlimited. Consider that visual tours can show panoramas of how the home fits into the neighborhood and facilitates showing consumers how the floorplan is laid out.
The company I use charges a flat $29.95 per month for as many visual tours as I want. They don't even have to be on listings. I even did one on Christmas Lights in my neighborhood that can be found by clicking on the photo below.
Making innovative uses of visual tours just adds to their existing value. I believe as time goes on, more and more sellers will bring their listings to a Realtor® who makes use of tours to help sell their homes.
What are your comments on visual tour usage and what success stories do you have?
Thanks!
Rob Lang, ABR, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS 66049
785-393-2274 (cell) 785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com http://www.letrobdoit.com/
NOTE: This blog was written in the past about properties on the market at the time of the blog being written and should not be considered as active listings beyond the date of this blog.
That amazes me, as well. Besides giving your listings and your clients an edge on marketing the property to potential buyers, it gives you, the agent/broker an edge when competing for business.
With things getting more competitive by the day, I don't understand why agents and brokers don't harness every tool possible, including virtual tours. We're even looking to replace virtual tours with videos in 2007.
Things constantly change and you have to keep up with what's going on. Otherwise, you'll be left in the dust.
www.realdiablog.com
WOW! Not to bash your Christmas slides but this product is just another Slide show want-to-be virtual tour. Eventually I hope that the industry weeds out slide shows that are claiming to be virtual tours. To see real virtual tours with interactive walk throughs please take a moment and review the samples listed at www.realtourvision.com
Mark, the visual tour that I did on the Christmas Lights was only slides and that was why it looked like a slide show. I have done some interactive visual tours with my software and at $30 per month unlimited tours they are just perfect for my sellers. The 15356 Milan Lane demo tour on your website link has several "slides" as well as the interactive panoramas. The software I use can do interactive also as is seen in this visual tour that has both slides and interactivity. It provides stats for my sellers. All in all it does everything your link does.
Your link did not give pricing information which I thought was unfortunate. I wouldn't be tempted to contact a visual tour company that wants to hide its pricing. I didn't have to buy a kit to take photos as your link has an agent do.
I can do a visual tour on a $70,000 listing to a $600,000 listing since it is an affordable rate with my company.
NOTE: I do not have any financial interest in the company I use and in fact have not even given the name of the company I use. This blog was not written to promote any particular company over another but was written to show the affordability and benefits of using visual tours and that not many Realtors were making use of them.
Ouch!!!!!! I did some research on this link that Mark provided and was quoted "Each "Tour" consists of an average of 4 spins and each spin is $25. Therefore a typical Virtual Tour is $100.00 plus applicable Florida sales tax."
I think I will stick with $30 per month unlimited tours that do the same thing with unlimited "spins" (interactive panoramas).
No problem just thought I would pass my comments about the blog not meaning to ruffle feathers. Yes the virtual tours are more expensive because a virtual tour service provider has to shoot the tours for agents. So, its not really a do it yourself program but I've been really impressed with the hot spot linking capabilities of the software and the ability to navigate a customers walk-through.
Hey thanks for the responses and you know that's the greatest thing about blogs and sharing of information nobody has to be totally right about the products we decide to use or not but look at what we just learned.
Thats wonderful...