North Carolina Regional MLS, claimed to be the largest in the state, plans to incorporate a 3D virtual viewing capability in its systems, using offerings from BrokerBay and Planitar, the latter maker of iGUIDE.
The addition “will enable NCRMLS’s Realtors to schedule, invite and host their clients in immersive, 3D environments for virtual showing tours through the MLS” and “will allow realtors to coordinate with their client(s) in real-time, even if they are on the other side of the world in another time zone.”
“This virtual tour feature will streamline the buying process,” Jody Wainio, 2022 President of NCRMLS said in prepared remarks. “This gives our realtors a vital tool when working with a remote buyer. Moreover, it qualifies the buyers, benefiting all by making it more efficient. Buyers and realtors do not have to worry about unnecessary travel viewing unqualified homes while searching. Meanwhile, sellers do not have to worry about being displaced by uninterested buyers.”
Planitar’s iGuide system, which requires a special camera, scans a room to create a floor plan but also can provide measurements between two points in 3D space as well as photos and an interesting feature where a digital floor plan shows the locations in the space where the camera operated. If a user clicks on one of them, the result is a 360-degree image capture with the ability to pan up and down to see floor and overhead.
Meanwhile, BrokerBay’s 3D showing platform includes video conferencing and live streaming; real-time synched tour viewing and control sharing; and full integration with the online MLS booking interface.
According to the National Association of Realtors 2021 Profile of Homebuyer and Seller Report, 83% of respondents perceived value in virtual tours, even though still photography remained the first choice of tool for potential buyers.
However, an additional feature like virtual tours, even if not the first choice, can help offerings stand out from others. Also, something market research has shown is that consumers are notoriously unreliable when describing what is of most importance to them. There is a gap between self-perception of what they would do or look for and how they actually choice when faced with a decision.