In print, real estate listings are usually limited to text, or text plus one or two photographs. Additional photographs cost additional money, and print resolution is not always flattering to the subject. With the advent of online home sales, it became possible to showcase dozens of high-resolution property photographs with little incremental expense to the listing agent. While this was a step in the right direction, it still had limitations. Now, real estate agents have the virtual tour.

A virtual tour is built using many photographs of the property's interior and exterior. The photographs are then edited together to form a seamless panoramic view which the customer can pan and zoom in order to see every bit of the property. While it would be incorrect to say that such tours are new, it is correct to say that they are currently under-utilized. Adding 360-degree virtual tours to your real estate listings can help your firm and your product stand out from the crowd.

The appeal of the virtual tour

In the not-too-distant past, the only way for a potential buyer to get a feeling for a home was to physically walk through the property. The 360-degree virtual tour gives an interested party many of the same advantages as visiting the property, without the hassle and time expense. With a simple click and drag, the customer can view each room in its entirety from whichever angles she wishes. Imagine a buyer in Pennsylvania who is viewing potential homes in California. Which property is likely to make her short list, the one with a few photos taken from wherever the agent happened to be standing, or the one that allows her to take a virtual walk through the entire house?

Hiring a professional to build your virtual tours

Many times, the expense of hiring a professional to build your tours is justified. Depending on the market and the property in question, you will end up spending anywhere from $100 to $400 when you hire someone to create your tour for you. In many cases you can negotiate a better price by contracting with the photographer to handle multiple properties. In addition to equipment, a professional tour builder brings valuable experience to the job. When selecting a photographer for this type of work, insist on seeing previous tours he's done. There is more to a job like this than taking pretty pictures.

Building your own tours

If you decide to go it alone and do your own virtual tours, you will need to invest in equipment, including a camera, lenses, a tripod, and software. Among the available software packages for this type of work are Tourweaver, by Easypano, and Panotour Pro, by Kolor. Expect to spend several hundred to several thousand dollars on the photography equipment, and several hundred dollars on a software package.

Building your own tours requires significant up-front cash investment, as well as an investment of time for learning the techniques, and time for building the tours. The advantage of doing your own 360-degree virtual tour is that you have total control over the finished product. When done correctly, the results can be stunning.

If you want to draw attention to your properties, and project the image of a modern and cutting-edge real estate business, including 360-degree virtual tours in your listings is an investment that can provide fantastic returns.