Technology is one of the most integral parts of nearly every type of business. For real estate agents, this is no different. Adapting and staying up-to-date with the newest technology trends is one of the most important things a real estate agent can do to remain competitive and set themselves apart. Real estate agents must adopt the newest trend to emerge, 360° virtual real estate tours.
What Is a 360 Virtual Real Estate Tour?
A virtual 360° real estate tour or a VR (virtual reality) tour is a simulation of existing real estate using a sequence of videos or still 360° photos. A virtual tour may also include additional multimedia elements such as audio, text, or graphic overlays.
In this post, we will take a look at creating 360 degree video for real estate listings.
What You'll Need to Get Started
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Google & Zillow Account
You will need a Google account with access to Google Tour Creator and a Zillow account to register for Zillow 3d Homes.
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360° Camera for SmartPhone (Optional)
Camera Compatible Devices Price Insta360 Nano Compatible with iPhone 7, 7 plus, and iPhone 6/6S, 6 plus/6S plus, or used alone $142.58 Insta360 ONE X iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPhone8/8 plus, iPhone 7/7 plus, iPhone 6s/6s plus, iPhone SE iPad Pro, iPad (2018), HUAWEI: P20 Pro/P10/P9/Mate 9/Mate 10/Honor 9, Samsung: S9/Note 8/S8/S7/S7 Edge, XIAOMI: Mix/Mix2/Note3/6/8, OnePlus: 5t, Google：Pixel/Pixel 2, Vivo: X9Plus L, OPPO $399.95 Rylo Compatible with iOS devices from iPhone 5s and above (iPhone 8 and above is recommended for the highest quality images/videos) and Android devices running Android 8.0. $429.99 GoPro Max Compatible with iOS devices with A10 chips and above (iPhone 7 and newer) and Android devices running Android 8.0, that support OpenGL ES 3.1 or higher. $499
Method 1: Google Tour Creator
Follow these 6 steps to make your first 360° virtual real estate tour with Google Tour Creator.
Step 1: Take Your 360° Photos
Follow the directions on your smartphone camera attachment or take a panoramic photo with your iPhone or Android. You should end up with photos that look similar to the following:
You may also want to take standard photos of fixtures, lighting, or any other elements in the home or property that you want to show buyers and sellers. This will come in handy later when you want to add to or improve your VR tour.
Finally, organize your photos in an easy-to-locate folder on your desktop or laptop.
Step 2: Open Up Tour Creator and Create a New Tour
Login to your Google Account and open up Google VR Tour Creator and click on 'Get Started'. Next, click on "New Tour".
Once you have created your tour, you will be asked to name your tour and add a cover photo and a description. Name your tour with the address or property name that you will be showing, but don't be overly descriptive. The cover photo should be well-lit, inviting, and look professional. Remember, every photo going into your tour should be a representation of you and your business.
Step 3: Create Your First VR Scene
Once you have created your first tour and provided a name, description, and cover photo, you will be prompted to add your first scene. Next, click 'Upload' and locate the folder where you saved your 360° photos. Drag and drop the photo you would like to use for your first scene.
Once you have uploaded your image, you will have the ability to rotate it or position it how you would like. Click 'Add Scene' below your image and proceed.
Step 4: Edit Your Scene
Once you have finished creating your first scene, you will be able to edit and provide additional information about your 360° VR photo. Listed below are the items you will be able to modify.
- Title: E.g. Kitchen, Living Room, etc.
- Location: Address of the property)
- Description: A full description of the photo
- Starting View: Where in the image do you want your scene to start
- Credits: Provide attribution if someone else took the photo.
Step 5: Add Audio, Narration, and Points of Interest (Optional)
After creating your scenes, you can go back through and spice up your VR tour. In each scene, you have the option to add additional ambient audio, narration, and points of interest.
Narration
Narration is an excellent way to add a personal touch to your VR tour and can help provide essential information to your real estate clients. On your iPhone, open up your Voice Memos app or on Android download the Smart Recorder app. For each scene, create a short, but descriptive narration of what your viewers are looking at. Once you are finished, save your MP3 file, click the narration icon at the bottom of your scene, and upload your file.
Points of Interest
If you would like to highlight any fixtures, lighting, or additional elements in your scene, you may want to have a few 'points of interest'. To add a point of interest, first start by clicking 'Add Point of Interest' at the bottom of your scenes' information panel. You will have the ability to add narration or an image. Once you have added your point of interest, adjust where you would like to place it in the scene inside the preview area. This will allow your viewers to click on the point of interest as they progress through and learn more about that element in virtual reality.
Step 6: Save and Publish Your Tour
Once you have finished creating your scene, click 'Publish' at the top. You will be asked whether you want to make your scene private or public. After publishing your scene, click on the 'copy link' icon. You will now be able to share this link on Facebook, Twitter, or Google Expeditions. You can also paste this link in an email and share it directly with your clients!
Final Home Tour Using Google Tour Creator
You and your clients will be able to view this tour on their desktop, laptop, smartphone, tablet, or Google Cardboard.
Method 2: Zillow 3D Home Tours
Zillow 3D Home is a brand new app that allows iPhone users to create virtual real estate tours that can be shared privately or attached to a current Zillow listing. Users can create a free virtual real estate tour with an iPhone (7 or later) or with a 3D camera.
Zillow recommends using a Ricoh Theta V or a Ricoh Theta Z1 360-degree camera.
Optional 360-Degree Cameras
| Camera | Still Image Performance | RAW (DNG) Image Recording | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ricoh Theta V | 5376x2688 | No | $379.95 |
| Ricoh Theta ZI | 6720x3360 | Yes | $999.95 |
Follow these 7 steps to create your first Zillow 3D Home Tours real estate tour.
Step 1: Download the Zillow 3D Home Tours App
Download the Zillow 3D Home Tours App on your iPhone from the Apple App Store.
Step 2: Open the App, Login, and Tap "Start Capture"
Open the app and login using you iCloud account, Gmail account, or your Zillow account. Next, tap "Start Capture". Select "Use iPhone Camera".
Step 3: Select the Room You want to Capture
Once you have added your address, Zillow provides you with a variety of rooms and areas of your apartment or house to choose from, including:
- Front door
- Kitchen
- Bathroom
- Dining room
- Living room
- Garage
- Bedroom
- Master bedroom
- Master bathroom
- Hallway
- Front yard
- Backyard
Once you have selected the first room you want to include, you are ready to capture your panorama.
Step 4: Capture Your Panorama
Hold your iPhone vertically in front of your chest. Slowly rotate to the right in a full circle while following the apps instructions. If you are going too quickly or the app failed to capture an area, you will be prompted to slow down or redo that part of the panorama.
Step 5: Review Your 360° Photos
Review your 360° photos of each room and retake and photos that are blurry or misaligned.
Step 6: Repeat Steps 3-5
Repeat steps 3-5 until you have taken a high-quality panorama photo of each room requested.
Step 7: Publish Your Virtual Tour
Login to your Zillow dashboard to edit, publish, and share your tour.
Visit How to Make a Virtual Tour for Real Estate with Zillow 3D Home Tours to learn more and improve the quality of your iPhone-created tours.
Improve Your Understanding of Real Estate Technology
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Written and Published by: VanEd
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