The entirety of the real estate community seems divided with where they stand on 3D tours. While some agents refuse to bring a property to market without one - others will go out of their way to make sure a 3D tour is never created in the first place. Fortunately for media creators like ourselves, we work with both sides of that coin. Messner Media does offer Matterport 3D Tours for our clients in Bozeman, Big Sky, and throughout southwest Montana, but we want to make sure it’s a good fit for the property as well. Let’s explore which listings are the best candidates for this marketing.
The first thing to consider about 3D tours is the purpose that they serve. Our Matterports are designed to work in synthesis with Professional Listing Photography to put buyers inside the home without physically being there. Naturally, this appeals greatly to out of state buyers and investors who may not have the opportunity to quickly step foot in the property. For markets like ours here in southwest Montana, a 3D tour is far greater of an asset than it would be in a small town of less than a thousand people. The opportunity for buyers to relocate or have ownership interest in this market more than justifies the need for a 3D tour, but not all properties are ideal for this kind of marketing
It must also be a property worthy enough to justify the work it takes to create one of these tours. By using a specialized camera, anywhere from 40 to 200 scans will be taken to create an immersive and interactive experience for buyers. Naturally, a 550sqft studio may not be the highest and best use of this technology. The home should have the square footage and noteworthy characteristics to allow the 3D tour to go beyond conventional marketing methods. Thinking back to those who view them frequently; out of state buyers and investors - What kind of properties are they buying? 3D Tours should be included for properties that fit that profile.
The advantages that come with 3D tours should not be overlooked. We hear the word “engagement” quite a bit; all it really means is how much time are buyers spending consuming content surrounding your listing. Flipping through photos is one thing, but interacting with a virtual model is another. Since a Matterport can also be SEO optimized, you’ll benefit from increased reach. By linking the Matterport to your listing and your website, and linking your website to the back end of the Matterport; the connection between the two is strengthened and yields the best outcome for publicizing your listing.
The last point of consideration should be the cost associated with creating one. Messner Media offers these tours for $150 + $0.07/foot. This comes out to $325 for a 2500sqft property, which is more than reasonable given the costs incurred for simply offering the services. We don’t pick favorites between one form of media over the other, simply because we cover all mediums of content; but the importance of 3D Tours should be viewed the same as Aerial Media in some cases. By not including it, you could be leaving buyers behind.