What’s the Matter… Port?

by CENTURY 21 Assurance Realty Ltd.

3D Virtual Tour – The New Standard for Home Marketing and Sales

In 2008, CENTURY 21 Assurance Realty Ltd. pioneered high definition(HD) photography for home sales in the Central Okanagan. At that time, the MLS^® System allowed just eight photographs in an online listing. Agents would add extra photos to their listings on their personal websites to give interested buyers a more fulsome view. Even so, buyers were often left in the dark about the home’s layout, site lines from each room, and overall feel.

By 2012, the MLS^® system allowed up to 20 photos, and today, Realtor.ca allows 50. Excellent progress for sure. Yet, static photos do not tell the entire story.

In 2018, CENTURY 21 Assurance Realty Ltd pioneered the adoption of the Matterport 3D system across all of its listings. All new listings; every listing when the seller or tenant allows. No other National Brand can make this claim in the Central Okanagan.

Our Matterpoprt camera shoots 360° scans of the home and stitches them together into a seamless online walk-thru. Prospective purchasers can “walk” from room to room, turn corners, look up, down, and even views through windows/patio doors.

More exposure equals more $$$ for our sellers.

With the average onsite viewing lasting less than 15 minutes (source: NAR 2016), buyers can refresh their memory and excitement of a property after the confusion of a rushed showing.

On Realtor.ca, the 3D Matterport software window shows up on the first page. Our clients’ listings look full and detailed. Buyers are reported to spend more time viewing listings that have a 3D Virtual Tour. 74% of agents using Matterport win more listings and 95% of people are more likely to call about properties with 3D Virtual Tours (source: Matterport)

3D Virtual Tour software also allows buyers to visualize the layout of the home better.

We know from our statistical tracking that buyers often upload our HD photos and 3D Virtual Tour software during negotiations.

In certain price ranges, more than 50% of buyers do not live in the Central Okanagan, and homes are often purchased without a viewing. Does this give our sellers an edge in negotiations? I think it does.