How to Create a Virtual House Tour: 5 Best Tips

Virtual house tours are great to give potential buyers an immersive experience of your home without physically being there. They also help to show off the features and amenities of your property to those who can't visit in person.

With a few simple tips, you can easily create your virtual house tour that will “wow” viewers and help you get the best possible price for your home.

What's a Virtual Tour and Its Benefits

A virtual tour is a digital representation of a real-world environment, created using a series of photographs or videos. It allows a person to explore a location and view different sections of a place. Some advantages of virtual house tours include:

• Easy to set up and customize: Creating a virtual tour is relatively simple and cost-effective. You can customize the tour to your taste, making it as long or short as you'd like and adding any features or information that might entice potential buyers.
• Show off the features of your home: You can highlight the unique characteristics of your property, such as the outdoor space, interesting design elements, exceptional amenities, and any upgrades or improvements you’ve made.
• Save time: A virtual house tour can save you from having to do multiple in-person showings, and it’s more convenient for those who can't attend physically. They can explore your home from the comfort of their couch, which allows them to get the full experience without being there.
• Speed up the sales process: Buyers want to move quickly, and virtual house tours allow them to do that. They don’t have to wait for a real estate agent and can immediately see the house to determine if it fascinates them.
• Create interest in your property: It's often hard to capture attention when selling a home. There is more than just a picture or two to get attention. With virtual house tours, each space is featured in such detail that it can create an emotional connection with viewers.

Types of Virtual House Tours

Walk-through Tours

A walk-through takes viewers through an entire space, from start to finish. It allows viewers to explore the environment in its entirety, taking them on a journey from one point to another.  This type of tour is generally best for larger properties, as it gives viewers a better understanding of the layout and flow. It's a POV (point of view) tour, so viewers will “walk” through the house with you as you guide them.

Video Tours

Video content has a large impact on property sales. A video tour is a series of short clips showing different areas and aspects of the home. You can include voiceover and music in these videos and edit them to create a more cinematic experience. Video tours are the best way to show the features of your home, as well as the lifestyle that comes with it.

3D Virtual Tours

A 3D tour gives viewers a more interactive experience, as they can zoom in and out of the space, rotate it, and move through the property as if they were physically walking through it. Unlike videos, the flow from room to room can feel jumpy, like looking at something in Google Street View. However, It gives them a better sense of the size and shape of each room and allows them to experience the home more closely.

360-Degree Tours

An interactive 360-degree virtual tour is an immersive, true-to-life experience of walking through a home, similar to wearing a virtual reality (VR) headset. It allows users to view spaces from different angles, turn around, and back up in each room to see details.  This type of tour is typically used for larger properties, giving viewers a better sense of the size and scope.

5 Tips to Create a Virtual House Tour

Free Up the Space

An empty home is like an empty canvas, waiting to be filled with a beautiful masterpiece. People want to imagine living in the space, seeing it in their way, and empty rooms create optical illusions that can be misleading.

On the other hand, cluttered spaces take the attention away from the home’s features and unique details. Remove any clutter that might take away from your home's “wow” factor, and make any improvements if necessary. You want to create an inviting atmosphere, so ensure there's plenty of room for viewers to look around.

Plan Your Shots

Think ahead and plan which shots you want to capture in each room. Think of each space as a separate story and consider the best way to tell it. While it can be helpful to have a visual guide, try not to stick too rigidly to an idea. Allow yourself some creative freedom when shooting, but remember that the tour is meant to show off the home.

Pick the Right Equipment

Depending on your home's size, type, and location, you may need to use different equipment. For example, if you’re shooting a large estate with lots of outdoor space, then you might want to invest in a high-end camera and drone. On the other hand, if you have a smaller home, then you can use your smartphone or a basic DSLR camera.

Note that stability is essential when shooting videos. If you’re using a hand-held device, try to use a stabilizer for the best results.

Take Test Shots

Before shooting, take some test shots and figure out the best angles. Experiment with different lighting levels and camera positions in each room to get a feel for what will work best.

Once you’ve had a chance to review your shots, you should have a better idea of which angles and perspectives will help showcase the home in the best light. For example, for a large living room, try shooting from a corner angle instead of straight on.

Edit Your Footage   

Editing is one of the most essential steps in creating a virtual tour. This will help you create an accurate idea of your home and make the viewers love it. You can also add music, transitions, text, and filters to make the tour look even more professional. Use any software of your choice like Movavi or Lightworks for example.

Wrapping Up

Knowing how to create a virtual tour for real estate is an effective way to market your home and make it stand out from the competition. Following these tips, you can create an engaging, informative tour that will delight potential buyers. Consider that this is an important part of the home selling process, so don't rush it and make sure you put in the effort to create a great tour.