Buying a new property can become a burden when you spend so much time going from one location to another for viewings. On average, a person will be shown around 7 properties/day and depending on how indecisive one is, this can be a long and tedious process. Once again, technology comes to our rescue, this time in the form of Virtual Reality (VR). Although it is a new concept, VR is proving to become a useful tool for estate agencies who could use VR as a means for prospective homebuyers to view as many properties as they want from the comfort of their home. One of the estate agents who have already introduced the concept of virtual reality viewing is the English company Foxtons, and it is predicted that many others will soon follow in their footsteps.
How does it work?
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If you don’t own a virtual reality head set this doesn’t mean the experience is off the table for you. You can simply view the property like you would view any video on your device, but the head set would definitely add to the overall experience. A mobile phone and VR set could be offered to you by the agent, depending on the firm you are working with. The app will give you a realistic viewing of the property and you will be able to move around the house as you please. With the ability to turn around in any direction, it means that you will be able to see every corner of the house, and not just the areas that estate agents want you to see. This will help you decide which property you really wish to see in person and filter out the ones you don’t; spending less time out and about on the road.
This technology has the potential to boost sales for new build properties as well, as you can customise the interior design to your liking. This can help a potential buyer visualise how their dream home would look like with all the furniture inside. This will make the process of making decisions easier and quicker, leading to a deal closed sooner, speeding up the house buying process.
In addition, many furniture companies such as Ikea, are using virtual reality to help you visualise how their products would look like in your home. So not only can you use VR to view a potential property, you can also use virtual reality programmes such as what Ikea offers to help understand how your furniture will fit in the property, making the experience easier, and less regrets.
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