Selling your property on the real estate market is neither easy nor instantaneous.
Simply snapping a few photos and uploading them to an online real estate portal isn’t going to fill your inbox with offers. You have to make preparations in order to create an appealing property listing that will attract buyers at the price point it deserves.
These days, that takes more than just photos. With first impressions often being made through online listings, using a real estate virtual tour has become a must for individuals selling their luxury real estate.
Find out how to utilize this tool to turn your “For Sale” sign into “Sold”!
5 Ways to Optimize Your Real Estate Virtual Tour
Just like an in-person tour, there is quite a bit of prep work that goes into setting up for a real estate virtual tour. From understanding your target buyer to identifying your property’s unique selling features, you’ll want to plan ahead.
Use these five helpful tips to turn your three-dimensional tour into a killer marketing tool.
1. Set the Scene with Professional Home Staging
When you put together the presentation for your new real estate listing, it’s important to remember that you aren’t selling your home, but rather the buyer’s idea of home.
As you begin staging your house, you’ll want to remove your personal touch and make the setting as neutral as possible. This includes (but is not limited to):
- Family photographs
- Large collections and memorabilia
- Personal belongings
- Children’s toys
- Clutter
If you currently have bold, bright walls, consider repainting them to a more neutral tone. The key is to allow the buyer to envision themselves living there instead of being distracted by your own style, presence, and taste.
You can hire home staging services that provide their own furniture or will rearrange your own in order to create an open, welcoming atmosphere within your home.
Keep in mind that when you’re selling luxury real estate, you want the furniture and decor to match that lifestyle. If you have old, worn out recliners or scuffed up end tables, consider having them removed or replaced.
Pay attention to the details and create an ambiance with well-placed candles, indoor plants, or other light accents.
2. Update, Repair or Polish Any Imperfections Prior to Filming
When you live in the same house day in and day out, it’s easy to overlook the small dings, scuffs, and imperfections that develop over time. However, when you’re putting your home on the market, the last thing you want to do is risk detracting buyers with small, easy-to-fix details.
Before you even put your home up for sale, make sure you do a meticulous walkthrough of the interior and exterior of the home. Make any affordable updates, repairs or touch-ups that will make the property look picture perfect.
This includes:
- Creating curb appeal with pristine, attractive landscaping
- Replacing any burnt out light bulbs
- Giving every room a thorough cleaning
- Keeping the beds made and the bathroom tidy
- Refinishing or painting worn out decks, patios, and lanais
- Updating kitchens that have outdated appliances
- Pressure washing the driveway
- Make sure all windows are washed inside and out, even if they’re hard to reach
- Washing the exterior of your home, if needed
- Eliminating any unpleasant odors within the house, including pet smells
- Clean and organize closets to showcase storage space
Every detail matters. You’d be surprised how much time buyers will spend scouring every detail within an online listing. Whet their appetite with a perfect presentation.
Even in visual tours, paying attention to all of the little details will result in a stunning overall impression.
3. Highlight Your Home’s Unique Value
Size alone doesn’t make your luxury real estate property worth a larger price tag. You have to showcase the selling points that demonstrate why it is worth paying more for your listing.
Every property has its own unique personality. Evaluate what it is about your home and property that makes it worth every penny, such as:
- Attractive waterfront views
- Scenic balconies, terraces, or patios
- Sunny courtyards
- Spacious walk-in closet space
- Roomy garage space
- Open floor plans that flow from one room to the next
- Large lot space for privacy and outdoor use
- Pools or hot tubs
- His and hers bathrooms
Ask yourself this: what puts the “luxury” into your real estate? Make a list to share with your real estate agent or virtual tour professional. These are the features you’ll want to highlight in your virtual tour while filming.
4. Use High-Quality Equipment and Professionals
When it comes to putting together a virtual tour of your real estate, quality is essential. It doesn’t matter how well you stage your home if the virtual presentation is poorly executed. Amateur technology or filming will fail to make your property shine.
If you have little to no experience in creating virtual tours, avoid the do-it-yourself approach. Instead, hire a professional to come in and film it for you. While cost can vary from one vendor to the next, the average cost for virtual tour filming and editing is roughly $350.
Professional real estate agents typically have contacts for this kind of service and can either set it up for you or provide you with the necessary information to arrange it yourself.
5. Execute Smart Marketing for Your Listing
The last step in optimizing your real estate listing success with virtual real estate tours is to make sure buyers can find it. This includes digital marketing efforts such as creating online listings, syndicating them through social media and blogs, and making sure the listing description is well-written and attractive.
Many real estate agents also utilize direct mail marketing in order to help promote open houses and other marketing tactics to get your property in front of the eyes of its target buyers.
Are You Preparing to Sell Your Luxury Home?
It takes more than a great real estate virtual tour to sell your home. If you’re putting your luxury real estate back on the market in the Sarasota, Bradenton, or Longboat Key area, let me help you close the deal at a price you deserve.
Fill out my online home valuation request form to get a custom quote for your property’s market value.
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