Why Virtual Tours are a Must for Rental Property Owners

As a Chesapeake rental property owner, you understand the importance of marketing to attract qualified renters. And if you haven’t used virtual tours yet, you’re missing out! Allowing potential tenants to take a virtual tour of your rental properties is a terrific way to show them what they’re getting before they even step through the door. In this section, we will talk about the rewards of using virtual tours for your rental property marketing and explain why every rental property owner should be using them.

Virtual Tour Basics

By definition, a virtual tour is a digitally rendered walk-through of a rental property. Unlike photographs, which illustrate the property based on the photographer’s point of view, virtual tours can offer an in-depth view into each room of a property. Virtual tours can also provide potential renters the opportunity to measure spaces and parts of the home and even digitally place their furnishings to see how they would fit.

Recent studies show that renters prefer virtual tours of rental properties. According to results compiled by Zumper, over 70% of renters said they would be happy to rent an apartment without seeing it in person if they could check it through a 3D virtual tour.

Types of Virtual Tours

Virtual tours are an immersive means for potential tenants to check your rental properties. They let potential renters get a feel for the space and decide if it meets their needs without needing them to visit the property physically.

There are three primary types of virtual tours: a 360 virtual tour, a 3D virtual tour, and a virtual reality tour.

1. 360 Virtual Tour. A 360 virtual tour is a single panoramic image composed of multiple photographs stitched together. These tours enable future tenants to see the entire room in one image; after that, click and drag to look around. 360 virtual tours are convenient and cost-effective to create, making them a perfect option for Chesapeake property managers just starting with virtual tours.
2. 3D Virtual Tour. A three-dimensional (or “true”) virtual tour, which is a more immersive choice than a 360 virtual tour, allows potential tenants to walk through the property as if they were there. These tours are created by taking several photographs of a rental property and then putting them together using special software. Due to the time and effort required to create them, high-end rental properties usually only use three-dimensional virtual tours.
3. Virtual Reality Tour. The latest and most immersive type of virtual tour is the virtual reality (VR) tour. These tours allow potential tenants to wear a VR headset and explore the property as if they were walking through it. While VR tours are still relatively unusual, they are becoming more and more popular as VR technology becomes more accessible.

What are the benefits of virtual tours?

• Convenience. Probably the best thing about virtual tours is that they are incredibly convenient. Future tenants can tour your rental properties without having to leave their homes or work schedules. This is especially handy for out-of-state or international renters who may have difficulties arranging a time to tour the property physically.
• 24/Hour Availability. Virtual tours are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This means that prospective tenants can tour your rental properties on their own schedule rather than needing to struggle around your availability.
• Increased Engagement. Virtual tours are also proven to increase engagement. A study by Inman News discovered that properties with virtual tours receive, on average, 42% more website views than those without virtual tours.
• Improved SEO. Aside from improved engagement, virtual tours can also enhance your rental property’s SEO. Google likes new content, and adding a virtual tour to your property listing is an excellent approach to add new content and boost your ranking in search results.

How to Optimize Your Virtual Tours

Quality Matters. Don’t forget to use high-quality images and videos and avoid uploading low-resolution or blurry photos. You want potential tenants to have a positive sense of your rental properties; therefore, you need to use quality virtual tour content.

Include a Call to Action. You need to include a call to action (CTA) at the end of your virtual tour. A CTA is a statement or button that pushes potential tenants to take the next step, such as scheduling a showing or contacting you for more information. By including a CTA, potential tenants are more likely to rent from you.

 

Virtual tours are a wonderful way to give prospective tenants a sense of your rental properties without requiring them to physically visit the property. Now is the best time to start if you haven’t used virtual tours in your rental property marketing. Ready to learn more about how to incorporate virtual tours into your rental property marketing? Contact us online today!