As a Saint Louis rental property owner, you realize that marketing is essential to attracting the right renters. If you haven’t incorporated virtual tours yet, you’re missing out! Allowing potential tenants to take virtual tours of your rental properties is an excellent way to show them what to expect before they visit.
We’ll talk about the benefits of virtual tours for rental property marketing and explain why all rental property owners should adopt them.
Virtual Tour Basics
A virtual tour provides a digitally rendered exploration of a rental property. Unlike photographs that show the property from a single angle, virtual tours offer a detailed look into every room.
Recent research indicates that renters prefer virtual tours of rental properties. According to Zumper, over 70% of renters would be willing to rent an apartment without an in-person visit if they could view it through a 3D virtual tour.
Types of Virtual Tours
Virtual tours offer an engaging way for potential tenants to explore your rental properties. These tours let potential renters evaluate the space and see if it fits their needs without visiting in person.
Three main types of virtual tours exist: 360-degree virtual tours, 3D virtual tours, and virtual reality tours.
- 360 Virtual Tour. A 360 virtual tour is an extensive panoramic image created by stitching together numerous photos. These tours enable potential tenants to see an entire room in one image and navigate by clicking and dragging. Creating 360 virtual tours is easy and relatively affordable, making them a good choice for property managers new to virtual tours.
- 3D Virtual Tours are more immersive than 360 virtual tours. They give potential tenants the ability to walk through the property virtually, just like they were there. These tours are created by photographing a rental property extensively and piecing the images together with special software. This may sound complex, but many user-friendly tools and services can assist you. Due to the time and effort involved in creating them, high-end rental properties typically use only three-dimensional virtual tours.
- Virtual Reality Tour. The most immersive and newest type of virtual tour is the virtual reality (VR) tour. These tours give potential tenants the ability to wear a VR headset and explore the property as if walking through it. Even though VR tours are still relatively rare, their popularity is growing as VR technology becomes more accessible.
What are the benefits of virtual tours?
- Convenience. Virtual tours eliminate much of the traditional hassle associated with property tours. Prospective tenants can view your rental properties from the comfort of their homes or during work hours. This is particularly advantageous for out-of-state or international renters who struggle to arrange in-person tours.
- 24/Hour Availability. Virtual tours are accessible to potential tenants 24/7. This allows them to explore your rental properties at their convenience, without needing to consider your availability. It’s a robust tool that empowers them with flexible viewing options.
- Increased Engagement. It is proven that virtual tours enhance engagement. Potential residents spend more time on websites with virtual tours compared to those without.
- Improved SEO. Along with increasing engagement, virtual tours can improve your rental property’s SEO. Google favors fresh content, so adding a virtual tour to your property listing is a great way to update content and boost your search ranking.
How to Optimize Your Virtual Tours.
- Quality Matters. Use clear, high-quality images and videos, and avoid using low-resolution or blurry photos. Quality virtual tour content helps potential tenants understand your rental properties better.
- Include a Call to Action. Place a call to action (CTA) at the end of your virtual tour. A CTA is a statement or button urging potential tenants to take the next step, like scheduling a showing or contacting you for more information. With a CTA, potential tenants are more inclined to rent from you.
Virtual tours provide potential tenants with a feel for your rental properties without requiring an in-person visit. Real Property Management Endeavor can aid in marketing your Saint Louis properties and improving your chances of finding reliable tenants. Contact us online or call 636-244-5959 today!
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