House-hunting is a major decision-making process. Factors like the quality, size, price, and location of a home usually all have to align before buyers or renters commit. Moreover, all these details are quite subjective to individuals’ or families’ tastes and needs.
Virtual house showings are not necessarily a new concept. However, most real estate companies hardly used them until the pandemic struck and in-person contact was restricted. They are, nevertheless, quite convenient and can unlock new possibilities for your business.
In this article, we explore why and how you can embrace this concept for your real estate business and share helpful tips. Let’s get to learning, shall we?
What Are Virtual Showings and Why Should You Take Them Up?
Virtual house showings are filmed house tours that potential buyers or renters can view online.
Most people typically prefer to view houses in-person as it gives them a chance to experience the home, evaluate its structure, check for flaws, and see what the neighborhood is like. However, virtual showings can be a great solution when:
- The client is in a different state or country but is house-hunting in your area
- The client has a busy schedule and may not have enough time for multiple showings
- You need to show a few options of the properties you have to get a sense of what the client is looking for
In a nutshell, virtual showings can save time, allow for remote house hunting, and enable you to showcase the caliber of properties in your book, especially in the early stages when clients are weighing their options.
Plus, it is not restrictive. Clients can either choose a house based on what they see in the showings or they can come up with a shortlist of houses that they would like to proceed to view in person.
Creating virtual house showings entails three major steps: staging the house, and then filming and editing the showing. Here is a glimpse of how they work and some tips on how to navigate them.
Staging the House
Staging a house is making it presentable so that clients can see its full potential as a living space. Make an effort to:
- Have the house cleaned.
- Have the seller address flaws in the house like chipped paint, broken windows, pet infestations, and such.
- Add some ambient touches like houseplants, blinds, or lighting especially if the house will be empty when you are filming the showing.
Filming the Showing
A great virtual tour should make the viewer feel as though they are actually walking through the house. Let’s look into some ways to achieve that.
Outline the Walkthrough
Begin by planning how you would like to move through the house and the key features that you would like to highlight as selling points for the house. Endeavor to show as much detail as possible as opposed to just giving a general view that will not leave an impression on the client.
Pick a Suitable Time
Choose a filming time when the house’s natural light is at its best. You can complement this with ambient lighting if there are areas where the house does not receive great lighting.
Choose a Filming Method
You can choose to film using an ordinary camera where a professional videographer follows you around the house as you highlight different aspects of the home to the viewer. It provides an interactive viewing where you can win over the customer with your personal touch.
Alternatively, you can opt to use drone filming. The upside to this is that the drone can deliver views of the house from all angles including overhead. It produces very immersive and detailed footage that will certainly make an impression on clients when done right.
Editing the Footage
This part is essential as it enables you to perfect the showing. You can have a professional editor do it but you could also do it yourself to:
- Save on costs
- Ensure that the showing is tailored exactly how you want it
If you choose the DIY approach, consider using CapCut. This free online video editor has an extensive range of editing tools, from a logo maker to a background remover, that you can use to edit your showings. They are user-friendly and you, therefore, do not need a tech background to nail the editing.
Here are some editing ideas for your virtual house showing that you can execute with CapCut.
- Add a Classy Intro
CapCut has a Youtube intro maker that you can use to make an appealing intro to use at the start of each showing. It could include a picture or brief video of the house or you could use your logo and some theme music.
- Bridge Gaps With Transitions
You may need to cut out sections of unnecessary footage of the virtual house tour to keep it concise. Consider adding CapCut transitions to make the video flow seamlessly after you cut out those parts.
- Emphasize Ambiance
People are naturally drawn to homes that elicit feelings of comfort and wellness. In a virtual showing, lighting is quite essential to creating this effect. If sections of your video are marred by poor or cold lighting, you can use CapCut color grading tools to add brightness, warmth, and other factors to improve the ambiance.
- Add a Voiceover
You can use CapCut audio tools to record voice narration highlighting house features and sync it to your video. This would particularly be helpful if you choose a drone-recorded showing.
- Theme Music
The CapCut music library has lots of music tracks and sound effects that you can add to your virtual house showing and elevating the experience for the viewer.
To Sum It Up
We now use online platforms to facilitate many aspects of our lives. So, embracing virtual house showings is a progressive step for your real estate business that clients in this generation are highly likely to appreciate.
