Virtual Reality and the Future of Home Sales

Virtual Reality technology has made incredible advancements over the years. Since our last blog about VR in 2018, it has significantly increased in value within the building industry. Amidst COVID-19 regulations, VR is an exceptional tool for selling homes, allowing potential buyers to tour a home without physically stepping foot into a model.

With VR, prospective buyers can be fully immersed to experience the look and feel of a new home in a healthy and safe manner. People can easily experience VR tours on a computer or mobile device. It no longer requires goggles to view a 360° virtual environment, only a digital device with a screen is needed. Today’s VR is simple to use, and the results are remarkably realistic.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the building industry’s “new normal” is driving builders and designers to adopt the latest technologies and digital processes to sell homes. Most new residential construction can still be toured in person by appointment, but many potential buyers are stuck at home, researching extensively online for a new home. For this reason, virtual reality tours have become a necessary sales tool to include on websites.

Current market research from BDX (Builders Digital Experience) found that home listings with virtual tours get 87% more views than those without. Websites with virtual tours are viewed three to six times longer and properties with virtual tours receive 49% more qualified leads. These stats suggest that virtual reality tour experiences will continue to be important into the future, after the dust settles from this pandemic.

In order to promptly support our builders’ efforts in driving sales for their projects, our firm offers virtual tour design solutions. WHA’s in-house rendering studio is a one-stop-shop for VR design services and professional project insight from our architects. From conceptual design to completion, our clients can benefit from working directly with WHA staff to implement their design goals and virtually sell to consumers.

WHA’s VR touring services and realistic 3D rendering photos and videos ensure “All Corners are Met”. Investing in these tools will increase home sales in this current market and help builders pivot towards reaching potential homebuyers through an online sales platform.