EP47 - Home Tours&What Types - a podcast by Brian Cook And Kindra Cox

On Episode 47 of The Brian and Kindra Show, they discussed home tours and the pros & cons of each type. 

A video tour is a pre-recorded video that someone shoots walking through the house, or a live video chat tour. A virtual tour is an in-depth tour that allows you to navigate through the property on your own. However, none of these options are to be confused with a slideshow, a set of photos that you scroll through. 

The virtual tour system Brian and Kindra use is called a Matterport. The Matterport system is very detailed.   The camera tech uses the highly sensitive camera to take scans every 6-8 feet around the perimeter of each room. These scans can take a while! If it is a large room, they may take shots from the center of the room, so you can view the room from better vantage points. Each scan takes approximately one minute to complete. Most virtual tours take a couple of hours, but larger homes can take four to five. Each scan point shows up on the virtual tour as a place you can view the room from. Virtual tours are very detailed. In the past, you could see the detail of the family portraits around the home, but now they are edited and blurred out so those personal details aren’t shared on the virtual tour. 

Because the virtual tour system is so efficient and clear, what is the need for a video tour? Brian says a live video tour can be very beneficial. This gives you, the viewer, the power to direct the tour and request to look at the specifics you are interested in. Otherwise, on a pre-recorded video you have to either watch the full tour, waiting for what you want, or scroll through and find the rooms of interest. 

Another benefit of the virtual tour system is that you can view the property from your home or wherever you have internet access. Especially in this time of COVID concerns, your home buying process doesn’t have to be delayed with quarantines.

It is as important to prepare for a virtual tour than it is a showing. This might sound crazy, but in person you have much more creativity in your mind to see things from another angle. In a virtual tour you see things as face value. First thing to keep in mind is lighting. Open blinds and lamps will make a room brighter and more inviting. Second, storage is an issue in virtual tours. Typically, your cabinets are closed in a virtual tour because you can easily imagine how much space there is based on the number of doors. However, a pantry door should be opened so the tour can showcase that storage. If you have a cluttered pantry, it’s a good idea to remove some of the items until the tour is complete - making the pantry look bigger. In virtual tours, ALL doors have to be open. If anything is moved during the tour, it can throw off the images. 

Clutter is another issue with tours. You want to keep the home as minimalistic as possible, keeping the necessities and simple decorations. Brian and Kindra offer a “Home Ready” program that can help you get your house ready for showing. In person, tours give the seller opportunities to appeal to senses, like scent. However, in a virtual tour that isn’t an option. As a seller, you have to figure out how to make the home look homey through vision only. 

Virtual tours can help a buyer to eliminate a lot of home inventory from their interest list.  However, when you work with a Realtor, they are often able to learn what you like. Don’t be surprised if your agent suggests a house showing of a property that you previously rejected based solely on the virtual tour! 

Brian and Kindra hope these tips have been helpful to you. As always, if you have any questions or need help, please feel free to reach out to your local real estate professional.

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