When will more builders start using virtual reality to sell homes?

With more homebuyers shopping for their next new home online and builders and developers focusing more on e-communications with registrants, it makes sense that the industry is beginning to embrace the use of virtual reality (VR) technology.

To learn more about the use of VR in the new home industry, we chatted with Gary Roberts of Integrated Marketing in Guelph. Roberts has 25 years of experience working with builders and developers on exciting and innovative residential marketing campaigns. Recognizing the potential of VR, Integrated Marketing invested in the software and hardware necessary to offer builders and developers the opportunity to create VR model homes/3D walkthroughs.   

“Getting to experience a builder’s model home and immerse yourself in their space is becoming as easy as grabbing your phone and putting on a headset,” explains Roberts. “Major companies today are investing heavily into VR. Google, Facebook, and Samsung are companies that are currently involved in the next evolution of the mobile experience.”

Google has manufactured over 5 million Cardboard VR Viewers and Samsung has over 1 million Gear VR viewers, which are powered by Oculus. YouTube has allowed the publishing of 3D videos for a while now and more and more are popping up in people’s Facebook newsfeeds.

“Today, homebuyers have less and less time to travel to various new home communities and builders are seeking out new and innovative methods to showcase their model homes and suites,” Roberts says. “3D walkthroughs and VR put realistic home tours into their hands, allowing buyers immediate access, from their mobile phone device. VR is shortening the buying cycles, and delighting online buyers.”

Courtesy Integrated Marketing

There are a lot of young buyers in the market now that easily adapt to new technology like VR. There are also remote investors/buyers that live either out of the country or far enough away that it is inconvenient to travel to a sales centre. We imagine there are probably some downtown Toronto condo owners who are looking to move-up, but find it inconvenient to drive all the way up to Innisfil or Stouffville, or out to Whitby. Having access to a virtual home tour online can help narrow down their options and convince them to make the trip.  

Integrated Marketing uses a camera system developed by Matterport, a California based company that was recently named on a list of top 50 VR tech companies. An entire model home is photographed using the camera system, then people download the free Matterport app to tour it. There is also a “dollhouse” feature that allows you to select a room and instantly arrive, so you don’t need to move through the whole home to revisit a room.  

“The added advantage of VR, now gives the prospective homebuyer, a higher immersive and interactive tour, without actually having to be there, yet feeling as if they are,” Roberts says. “Not only does this free up an incredible amount of time for the potential purchase decision, but it allows the homebuyer the opportunity and the ability to prepare any and all questions they may have for the sales person.”

Don’t be surprised if you see more VR model homes popping up on builders’ and developers’ project websites. It's already happening; earlier this year, we experienced a VR tour built from a rendering, and the technology was in the presentation centre.

We’re not sure VR tours will ever fully replace a tangible home that you can physically walk through, but it is definitely another tool in a builder’s marketing arsenal that can get people through the sales centre doors.  

“Builders today understand the value of time, both of their salesperson and of all new homebuyers,” says Roberts. “With this new tool, both parties are able to guarantee their time is maximized.”

Check out this VR model home tour by Integrated Marketing!

All images courtesy Integrated Marketing.