Should Agents and Sellers use 360 Virtual Tours for Selling Homes?

Charles Shepherd • March 18, 2018

360 degree virtual tours add perspective and value to any listing.

Showing off a location or event by creating a VR tour is a great way to engage potential visitors or buyers. A variety of virtual tour software exists today, each with a different focus. At the higher end of the market, you’ll find companies like Matterport using 3D cameras to capture images of hotels, retail, and other spaces. In middle of the market you will find companies like CS360Studio.biz using software like Pano2VR and 360 HDR cameras. On the lower end, companies like iStaging create tours using monoscopic 360 photos.

Virtual reality (VR) is gaining traction at an unprecedented pace. 360 degree virtual tours add perspective and value to any listing. Virtual tours, also show much more of the property than conventional still photos, while allowing the viewers to feel like they are actual there on the property.

According to the large sites like Trulia, Realtor.com, and Zillow--listings with virtual tours get viewed more often than those without.

Virtual tours decrease the time spent on “low yield” site visits. The listing agent can bring their clients into their office and show multiple VR homes before driving around. The VR tour can help them narrow down their choices before going out to see the home in person.

Virtual tours give buyers the experience of viewing homes without being present at those homes. They are also a safer and more convenient option. They are also great for potential buyers who live in another state; they cannot view a home in great detail without having to fly out to the home to see it. The seller also benefits by reducing the number of times they have to vacate to show the home.

Virtual tours are available 24/7 from any location. This means that out-of-town buyers can tour several homes from the comfort of their home without travel or the travel expense.

Potential buyers can also view homes whenever it is convenient for them without having to schedule an appointment. Buyers can show homes to their family and friends effortlessly by simply sharing a link through email or even a social networking site. This is important because many buyers rely on opinions of others (like parents) when making the decision to buy a home.

A 360 virtual tour will increase both the exposure of the home and the agent. Compared to traditional photos of a listing, 360 virtual tours offer an interactive experience from the perspective of the viewer that is more engaging and fun.

Virtual tours make the listing agents look more tech savvy in the eyes of their clients. This is important because more and more buyers will come to depend on the technology. For example, Forbes magazine predicts that VR ( Virtual Reality ) and AR ( Augmented Reality ) will hit 80 million by 2012.

Research from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) defines the opportunity that property tours, when done correctly, can provide in helping buyers make a decision to purchase. According to NAR , baby boomers find virtual tours more useful than millennials (45 percent to 36 percent) with 40 percent of all buyers ranking them as “very useful,” more so than information on agents, contract status, recently sold properties and pending sales.

Everything is going mobile today in real estate, and that means virtual tours need to be at the forefront of any mobile strategy.

In a recent survey done by Coldwell Banker , “Sixty-two percent of the more than 3,000 respondents to Coldwell Banker’s survey say they’d choose a real estate agent who offers VR house tours as a service to their clients over one who does not. Further, 77 percent of respondents surveyed say they want to take a VR house tour before seeing a property in person. That is nearing the percentage of those who said they are satisfied with traditional video tours (84 percent).”

From the realtor’s perspective currently there are two main applications of VR: (1) 360 degree virtual home tour (which can be viewed almost on any web browser or device.) and (2) the Google Cardboard Home Tour (which needs to be viewed with a VR Headset like the Pansonite VR Headset for iPhone and Android Smartphones.). Each has its own advantages. For example, the 360 virtual home tour like this example , does not depend on a VR headset and can be viewed on almost any device. This type of tour also shows way more than traditional photos with more detail and interactivity. On the other hand the Google Cardboard Home Tour needs a VR headset but offers the viewer a full immersive experience, which feels like you are actually in the home.

However, there is no need to decide which kind of tour to offer. They can both be produced during the same filming session.

So, should agents and sellers use 360 Virtual Tours for selling homes?

Absolutely!

CS360Studio.biz

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Nucamp Bootcamp Review 2021

By Charles Shepherd • April 25, 2021
Hello I am CS (Charles Shepherd) and this is my honest review of the Nucamp Bootstrap. I even left notes of the class for you all to look at too! My Background: I have degree in multimedia from San Jose State. I produced an educational CD-ROM for "The Oakland Zoo," which took the viewer on a virtual tour of zoo. I have worked at the prestigious firm "CKS" in Cupertino, CA; where I was involved in the development of in-store demos and sales CD-ROM's for such clients as Apple, HP, and Compaq. As a freelance contractor for Color Vu I produced an exceptional sales CD-ROM that won "an honor of distinction" in the annual publication The Communicator Award (2000). I am also a published author , product photographer and 360 photographer. You can visit my portfolio site here . Why I took the Nucamp bootcamp: After I found the Nucamp ad on Facebook. I took this Nucamp bootcamp to increase my skills and knowledge about web development. I was out of work because of my health so I had time on my hands. Also my wife and best friend encouraged me to do the class. Also, Covid was a good excuse too to take the class since I wanted to minimize my contact with people too. The cost of the class was also a factor. Heck it was cheaper then a lot of those other bootcamps! What you should do to prepare for this Nucamp bootcamp: Start learning Javascript from w3schools Take the Web Development Fundamentals class before Front-End development Maybe get a tutor lined up on wyzant Get a good screen capture software for the Saturday class workshops What you should really have for this class: Duel screen setup minimum. Three screens is better. A fast computer based on Nucamp's recommendations A blogging site like blogger for taking notes. What should you do during the Nucamp bootcamp to succeed: Take notes as you learn by starting a blog like I did on this site. Create a schedule and stick to it Start early on your class assignments and portfolio project Don't wait until the last minute to do the assignments! Use Google Search to find answers! Watch Youtube videos on JavaScript, React, React Native See a tutor once a week to cover the things you do not understand from the lessons. What you will have difficulty with: React React Native Github Redux Intermediate JavaScript Design (If you don't have any background in this) Portfolio Project for React and React Native What you will find easy: HTML CSS Bootstrap Beginning Javascript Using Visual Studio Code Multiple choice tests Portfolio Project using HTML and Bootstrap Very useful sites: HTML to JSX Compiler for React (Life saver for converting your bootstrap project over to React) W3SCHOOLS (Use this over and over again) Logomaker Free stock photos Free stock photos by Pixaboy CodewithMosh FontAwesome CodePen (Practice coding) Github Breakdown of Website Structure What is great about NuCamp: Slack channel support from students and staff Instructors are very friendly and work in the field Lessons are pretty well done Cost is very affordable You can pause your class if something comes up You can retake a class for cheap What I wish they would do: Increase the number of test questions! Have one class on Javascript for 4 weeks after Bootstrap before React Have more on Redux Good tips for passing: Get ahead as soon as you can on assignments so you can have Friday's off from school. On the day of class make sure to volunteer to share your code screen in the breakout rooms. That way you will have working code and can turn in the assignment early! Take notes on a blog! Helps you to remember stuff and helps your classmates too! If you get stuck, take a breather and walk away. Come back and try again. Use slack and ask students for help. Beware: Many students tend to drop off around the 2nd or 3rd week of React. This is when the hard stuff hits the fan! My notes for each class (They will help you but are not a substitute for the class): Web Development Fundamentals Bootstrap React React Native My Completed React Portfolio Project - AquaFlow Plumbing My Completed React Native Portfolio Project - AquaFlow Plumbing Conclusion: Was this bootcamp worth it? It depends on your needs and what you put into it. Do some students find web work after this bootcamp? Yes! Will I find work myself? Hopefully! Basically, what you put in is what you get out. I believe this is a great bootcamp for those who want to get their foot wet before really diving into web development. The price is very affordable and the class schedule is great for those who are currently working. If you end up loving this class, then you may need to consider a more advanced bootcamp afterwords like codingdojo to get really good! Of course you will spend big bucks with them! The good thing about this bootcamp is you will know by the end, if you really want to do web development as a career, without having to spend a lot of money! I did learn a lot which I can use in my life as a multimedia artist. I also wish NuCamp would have one class just on JavaScript that was 4 weeks long. That class should be right after Bootstap! I think overall NuCamp is a pretty good deal!

360 Photo Home Inventory is the new way to document your home.

By Charles Shepherd • May 9, 2018
Introduction A 360 Photo Home Inventory is a quick way and effective way to document your home and the personal property in and around your home. Such documentation is the best way to prepare for insurance claims before that theft, fire, or natural disaster hits your home. A 360 Photo Home Inventory can also be valuable for estate and financial planning. Importance of a 360 Photo Home Inventory If you were to step outside your home, could you remember and list all the items you own? A 360 Photo Home Inventory ensures that homeowners are sufficiently prepared, in terms of their insurance coverage, to deal with potential losses. A detailed list of all the items destroyed, damaged, or stolen is required for an insurance claim. Proper documentation ensures a faster and smoother claims process, as well as maximizing your insurance reimbursement. In fact, you must provide documented proof of ownership to receive a settlement covering the full extent of the loss. According to the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters, most policyholders do not realize that the burden of proof rests with them. Benefits of a 360 Photo Home Inventory · Helps you determine how much insurance coverage you need. · Identifies visible items—such as antiques, and artwork—that have limited coverage. The decision can then be made to purchase additional coverage (known as a “rider”) so the items will be insured for their full value. · Helps you evaluate whether to insure your property and contents at “replacement cost” or “actual cash value.” (Replacement cost is the amount it takes to replace or repair your home and possessions with materials of similar quality. Actual cash value is a lower amount that consists of replacement cost less depreciation.) · Could result in a higher appraisal for your home, since you document and can provide proof of home improvement projects which add value to your home. · Verifies the condition of your assets before moving or placing them in storage in case of loss or damage. · Could be used to show condition of the property in case of property tax disputes. · Requires one or two photos of a room because 360 photography records everything in sight. There is no need to take multiple photos of a room like traditional photography. · 360 Photos can be quickly put together to make a virtual tour of the home or 360 video of a home. · Unlike other video techniques, 360 Photos from cs360studio.biz have the tripod removed from every photo. · 360 Photos can provide a valuable resource for estate sales and auctions. · 360 Photo inventory could also acts as a valuable resource and supplement for wills, trusts, or other legal documents. Keeping a 360 Photo Home Inventory Secure Once your 360 Photo Home Inventory is complete, you can store the information in a safe location for the long run. Here are some options: · Copying the files on a USB thumb drive and storing them in a fireproof safe or a safe deposit box. · Storing your 360 photos and 360 video on mommento360.com · Storing all your files on Dropbox . · Storing your 360 videos and normal videos on YouTube and making them private so nobody else can find or access them. · Storing your 360 videos and normal videos on Vimeo and making them private so nobody else can find or access them. · Storing all your files on Google Drive. A Word of Caution: Inviting a stranger into your home to photograph your valuables is a potentially risky thing. To be safe, be sure that you obtain the services of an established, and reputable provider.