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Virtual Tours Changing The Real Estate Industry
By Gayla Schaefer

As the Internet affects the buying habits of homebuyers nationwide, the number of homes a buyer will need to physically walk through, accompanied by a realtor, is shrinking.

“ We bought this house in Florida just by seeing a virtual tour,” said Alissa Crespo of Rockledge who moved from Chicago a few years ago.

Most computer literate home buyers now utilize the Internet during their search. Those who use the popular site, Realtor.com, know that customers are asked if they would like to view search results which include virtual tours first.

The Crespos used virtual tours in their search and now are using the new technology again to sell their Rockledge home as they return back to Illinois.

“ We are in the market for a house in Chicago and I do constant Internet searching,” said Crespo. “I only look at houses that have pictures or virtual tours.”

The Crespos are among a growing number of home buyers whose buying habits are shaped by the relatively new ability to see potential houses from the comfort of their home computer.

“ Every home seller is also a buyer,” Jerry Arnold, owner of Visual Marketing Technologies in Rockledge said. “And they are starting to demand that their realtors use a virtual tour when selling their homes.”

Arnold has been providing virtual tour photography to real estate agents in Brevard for seven years. He also provides virtual tour services to hotels, for which he charges much more than he does for real estate.

“ At first, when I started doing this the Realtors didn’t know what it was,” he said. “Then during the recent boom they didn’t really need it. But now I am seeing a whole lot more business because enough sellers know about virtual tours and the real estate market in Brevard has gotten so much more competitive.”

Arnold uses iPix software and services to edit the images and upload them to national sites. He uses cameras with a fisheye lens that take 185-degree panoramic views.

Walter Simpson, a Realtor with South Island Real Estate, spent about $10,000 on Easy Pano software, and two Nikon cameras to start doing his own virtual tours a little more than a year ago. So many real estate agents started asking him to do their tours that he asked his brother, Dan Simpson, to come down from Pittsburgh to take over Be There 360 Virtual Tours in Melbourne Beach.

“ We have been slammed since the beginning of the year,” Dan Simpson said.

Susan Perron, owner of Cape Canaveral Right Shot Photography, jumped into the business in February. Before she even had equipment delivered she was getting phone calls.

“ I found my home by seeing a virtual tour when my husband was transferred to Patrick Air Force Base,” she said. “As soon as my listing went on the Space Coast Association of Realtors web site I started receiving calls.”

Perron uses Real Tour Vision as her host site for final editing and uploading to national sites. She uses a Nikon Cool Pix 8700 that does not result in the fisheye view.

There are other options for agents and homeowners who do not want to pay the $75 to $170 fees associated with using a virtual photographer.

“ We pooled our realtors to purchase software directly from the manufacturer at a group rate,” said Marilyn Pinkerman, broker of Re/Max 2000 in Melbourne. “The software lets our realtors make the tours themselves using their own digital cameras.”

Computer savvy realtors at many different brokerages are finding ways to offer the new technology to customers.

“ I do my own tours,” Jackie Griffin of Cape Canaveral ERA Showcase Properties said. She bought her own virtual tour software for $300 and pays $30 per month in fees. “It is quick and easy.”

“ We take multiple images and stitch them together on the computer so they give the appearance of movement,” Perron said.

All virtual tours are made up of a series of still digital images. There are different methods and styles to the technology, each with their pros and cons, according to those using virtual tours now.

Regardless of the quality of the images or the style of photography used, however, it is the increased sales that matter to home sellers. As a result, many are starting to realize that regardless of the costs, offering an added incentive for sellers means more business.

“ I work with one agent who offers all sellers virtual tours,” Arnold said. “Even though some really wouldn’t seem to need one, she gets more business by the end of the year because she has a better sales pitch.”

Griffin agreed that going the extra mile not only will attract buyers, but also sellers.

“ I've sold about 30 percent of my listings over the Internet with the help of visual tours,” said Griffin. “The customers have bought site unseen and been very pleased when they come to see the property in person.”

Arnold, Perron and Pinkerman all noted that the rapid increase in use of virtual tours has been driven by the Florida market being heavily dependent on attracting buyers from out of state.

The Simpson brothers offer their clients options such as an integrated floor plan and CD of digital images. Griffin does virtual tours of properties listed by others to send to her own buyers.

“ When working with customers from out of town that need to relocate, I go do the shopping for them, making tours of properties that fit their criteria,” she said. “Again, they are very pleased with the service. Some of the tours include local interest as well.”

Savvy real estate agents are quickly picking up on the growing trend and making multiple uses of the technology.

“As more realtors come on board there is a domino effect because everyone wants to be the one offering the best marketing for sellers,” Walter Simpson said.

“ My tours are on many different international web sites, allowing for the most exposure,” said Griffin. “As they say – a picture is worth a thousand words.”