As the name implies, virtual reality attempts to immerse viewers within a virtual world. Within the real estate context, this usually involves someone being able to put on a VR headset and virtually "walk" around a property. Buyers can then move their head and look around the property as if they were there. They can get a sense of how big the rooms are, how the light will shine, how the countertops will look, and so on.

VR headsets are incredibly advanced sales tools. They are comfortable, and anyone can wear them. People, old and young, grasp the controls quickly. Some people have heard that VR sets cause headaches or other issues like with 3D TVs and movies. Generally, this is not the case - especially for the length of time that it would take someone to "walk" through a house virtually. In short, these headsets are usable by a broad audience.
 

During the pre-construction phase, builders have historically not had a lot of options to sell units. Typically, they would have to build a full show home that people could peruse. This show home would be costly to construct and still may not reflect the actual layout of the property the buyer wanted. For example, the show home might have three bedrooms, but the buyer wants the five-bedroom unit. They could also show drawings and floor plans, but none of these sales techniques are particularly useful. Floor plans require a vivid imagination on the buyer's part and constructing a model home is costly and time-consuming.

VR is a game-changer in this space. Instead of constructing a costly model property or trying to get the buyer to imagine floor plans, you can put a headset on them and immerse them in the home experience. Buyers can see the countertop - the colour it will be and the texture - within the kitchen itself. They can envision what their furniture would look like in the living room. Many gamers will tell you that VR games are incredibly immersive. You quickly get "lost" in them and feel like the virtual world is the real one pretty quickly. The same goes for VR in real estate!

The best part is that all this immersion comes at a lower price than constructing a model suite. Consider the following example. Let's say a company wants to start selling units in a downtown building. For $10,000, we might be able to create VR versions of their 1 and 2 bedroom suites. The builder can start selling immediately. When someone's interested, they can put on the VR goggles and pretend like they are there. Now, the builder can also construct a smaller model suite that showcases the materials. Instead of waiting for the construction of two model suites and bearing that egregiously high expense, the builder can start selling faster and with a fraction of the money. In this scenario, it's a massive win during the pre-construction phase.

Virtual reality is a great way to showcase pre-construction homes. If you need to sell pre-construction properties, contact us today. We can transform your floor plans and material lists into engaging, immersive virtual reality experiences. You'll save time, sell your units faster, and save money in the process. It's an excellent experience for everyone!