Modern technology is making so much more possible in the world of marketing, but when it comes to marketing homes to potential buyers it’s true that quite often the home sells itself. In Canada if that home is a nice, modern, and spacious home in a desirable location in Greater Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Montreal or Ottawa it quite likely is going to be selling itself. But there still may be instances where realtors can take advantage of modern camera and video technology to make these properties even more irresistible to people who are considering making an offer. We’re talking about virtual home tours, and in a roundabout way becoming good with them can also help you with real estate lead generation in Canada.
An agent’s inherent duty when they are the listing realtor is to get the highest price possible for their client’s home, and for homes that tend to sell themselves that’s never much of a problem. If you’re an agent who’s starting to use virtual tours for the properties you have listed then the focus you need to have can be expanded to include the idea of possibly contributing to a more competitive environment among different would-be buyers. This is part of digital marketing for realtors in Canada, and if creating a virtual tour of an attractive home prompts multiple groups of interested buyers to put in ever-greater offers on the home then that’s exactly what you’ll want to see.
We’re fairly certain that every agent in Canada has a smartphone, and most smartphones nowadays are capable of taking 1080p video. It’s better if you do have an SLR camera that is capable of getting 4K video if you’re going to make virtual tours of homes, but it’s true that you can get a fairly good quality product with 1080p smartphone video and particularly with the newer Samsung Galaxy and Apple iPhone models. Steady hands are a must though, and if you’re not capable of that then you will need to invest in a gimbal that will make sure the shot is taken steadily at all times.
There’s quite a bit to the topic of taking good virtual tour videos for realtors, so that’s what we’re going to look at with this week’s blog entry here. Along with how these virtual house tours can be leveraged to attract more buyers and fulfill the duty we talked about earlier – getting the best price for your clients as they sell their house. Often as they have their sights set on a new one for themselves, which may be a different opportunity itself for you. So let’s get right into it.
Nurture Leads with V Tours Too
Realtors who are newer to the business won’t have the savvy that experienced agents will have, and for that reason they’ll have more difficulty with real estate lead generation in Canada. Many of these fledgling realtors will choose to get paid real estate leads as a means of building up a client base a little more quickly, and of course that’s the service we provide here. Getting the leads is HALF the equation, and the other half is converting them into clients. In between those two points there’s the act of lead nurturing in real estate, and when an agent has good virtual home tours featured on their website it’s very beneficial for lead nurturing.
This is because people who you’ve met and made contact with and are considering working with you will probably visit your site. If they see these videos it will make a favourable impression on them and they’ll see you’re an agent who has the right level of savvy with digital marketing for realtors in Canada. Making these types of good impressions on them is conducive to effective lead nurturing. Get them to work with in the first place by signing up with us and get more qualified buyer leads – start with RealEstateLeads.ca today.
All of this is framed by the reality that visual content has become increasingly important for digital marketing in real estate. It is estimated that businesses utilizing virtual tours on their websites or Google Maps listings experience a remarkable 36% higher chance of converting potential customers, and it’s safe to say similar conversion rates exist for real estate too and in this case for buyers putting in offers on homes you have listed for clients.
This conversion can also be the result of vide tours leading to:
- Increased time spent on websites
- Higher rates of contact form submissions
- More phone call inquiries
5 Leveraging Approaches for Virtual Property Tours
We’ve touched on how having success with virtual tours and featuring current and past ones on your realtor website can be a solid contributor to real estate lead generation Canada. But let’s now get right to the primary focus for this entry. That’s to look at what exactly you want to do with your virtual tours so that you get the most traction from them with regards to greater buyer interest and greater numbers of offers being submitted.
We have 5 concrete suggestions for you, and you should try to be utilizing / incorporating each one for every virtual home tour you create for clients.
Conduct Virtual Tours During Property Appraisals
A virtual tour tour that’s created during the property appraisal can often be better, especially if it’s done prior to securing a mandate. There are numerous benefits to this. You can enhance the image of the home as you will be reassuring the home sellers of your abilities with managing their listing effectively and deploy all necessary resources to add perceived value to their property. This helps contribute to a quicker sale at the best price.
In addition, the comprehensive nature of virtual tours, as opposed to mere photographs, allows you to revisit the property in its entirety, capturing every nook and cranny from floor to ceiling. This enables a more detailed appraisal, eliminating potential errors and inaccuracies that might arise from a photo-based estimate. Then there’s the value in sharing the virtual tour with colleagues at your brokerage as means of getting fresh perspectives on the property, which may result in a more accurate appraisal.
Integrate Virtual Tours into Property Descriptive Files
Prospective buyers will like to have as much information as possible about properties before visiting the open house. An OptimHome USA study indicates that 85% of buyers prefer to conduct a virtual tour before a physical visit, and the same is probably true for here in Canada too. When an agent can incorporate a virtual tour into a comprehensive descriptive file they usually provide a more immersive and interactive experience for potential buyers, helping them to visualize the property from all angles and understand its features more fully before visiting.
Include a descriptive file with yours. Adding one to your virtual tour enables the prospect to review all details at leisure and make an informed choice. Prospects can easily gather opinions from family and friends by sharing the virtual tour of the property, and virtual tours also save valuable time for potential buyers and real estate agents alike. Those opting for a physical visit will be individuals who have already shown genuine interest through the virtual tour.
Document Renovations in Common Areas with Virtual Tours
Virtual tours are typically used to showcase properties for sale, but their application extends far beyond that and is much more central to digital marketing for realtors in Canada. They can also be used to document any renovations made to the home plus maintain a record of the state of common areas before and after work. This can be helpful in case of disputes or insurance claims and helps keep a historical record of building maintenance.
If it’s a home in a multi-family dwelling that is being sold then allowing owners and tenants to view the condition of common areas before renovations start can also prevent misunderstandings and potential conflicts. Common areas are often used by multiple parties, so if everyone is informed about upcoming works and potential disruptions it’s better for both buyer and seller.
Employ Virtual Tours for Property Inspections
Virtual tours are excellent for property owners, tenants, and real estate management professional when a property inspections is part of the subject-to that a home sale will be conditional upon. Virtual tours can augment the findings of property inspections by providing visual evidence of the property’s condition before the home was listed, and possibly providing proof of damages or wear and tear. This can help prevent future disputes and issues related to this sort of stuff.
They can also allow for a more precise documentation than manual notes and photographs, and for some buyers in adverse situations after purchase it may be very fortuitous for them to know that you have this video proof for them.
Create a Portfolio of Your Properties with Virtual Tours
It’s possible to create a virtual tour for each of your mandates without necessarily publishing them. Focus on documenting all the properties you have been entrusted with for sale and compile a portfolio, one that can be shared with future clients or kept for internal use. What this has the potential to do is demonstrate to sellers that you have previously worked on similar properties and you have more of the ability to effectively manage the sale of their property. It then becomes more likely they’ll choose to list with you.
Another good idea is to export URLs of your most impressive virtual tours and use video editing software to quickly and easily generate content. This is especially advisable if you are submitting your virtual home tours to any sort of home marketing agency as a further means of expanding your scope and casting a wider net for potential buyers of the home. An agency offering high-quality content that stands out is more likely to attract prospects and become a reference in the field.
Virtual tours can be a powerful tool for real estate professionals. They’re excellent for providing an accurate representation of both the home and the property. Plus as we mentioned earlier if you get good at making them and have them featured prominently on your website then they’re also a good component to have in your efforts with real estate lead generation in Canada. Creatively using virtual tours can enhance your sales strategy and provide superior service to your clients.
Sign up for real estate leads here and you’ll start receiving a set quota of qualified buyer and / or seller leads each month. The key in all of this is that you will be the only realtor who receives these leads, and also the fact that they will be for potential clients who are looking to sell or buy a home in the city or town in Canada where you are working as a real estate agent. It’s a proven effective way to build your client base faster and have more people working with you at all times. Get more qualified buyer leads – start with RealEstateLeads.ca today!
