Just a few years ago, it was unlikely someone would rent a house they never physically toured.
Today, virtual tours have become as normal as in-person tours.
With this in mind, let’s look at the six reasons that you, as a landlord, should focus on virtual tours moving forward.
Enhanced Convenience
Potential tenants don’t need to drive over to the rental. You don’t have to make a trip to the rental. You don’t need to stage the rental every time you want to show it. You don’t need to rely on your current tenants to clean the place or vacate at the proper time.
While it does take some work to create a virtual tour, it’s a one-time task. Overall, virtual tours are more convenient for you and your prospective tenants. You can also make sure the tour covers everything you want it to and gives an in-depth look at the residence.
Greater Safety
With COVID-19 still lingering, health safety will continue to be a priority going forward. Virtual tours make it so that you and potential tenants don’t have to share the same space during the showing. This is a major benefit in today’s increasingly germ-conscious world.
It is also no longer necessary to spend a day or two showing a rental to tons of people who probably won’t end up signing a lease. With virtual tours, you may be able to come to an agreement without ever conducting an in-person tour or you may only need to do it once. Either way, it removes a lot of risk for spreading disease.
Focusing on virtual tours will increase your credibility and create a sense of trust for potential clients. This is because they know you will go above and beyond to make sure everyone is safe while operating your business more efficiently. It is a win-win for you and your potential tenants.
Staying Competitive
More and more, virtual tours are becoming normal. They’re not the competitive advantage or unique offering they once were. Instead, they’re turning into an expectation. If you only have photos and a short listing without a virtual tour option, you may be behind the times.
According to a 2020 survey by Zumper and Matterport, 82% of property owners that have advertised with a 3D walkthrough were able to rent their property entirely virtually. This means that this isn’t the way of the future; virtual tours are popular now and they’re only going to get more popular.
Wider Audience
In the past, property managers and landlords relied heavily on word of mouth to attract new renters. Today, there are more marketing channels than ever before. Social media and listing sites make rental properties a mere click away. Virtual tours can reach a massive audience all over the internet. People hundreds of miles away from your property can go straight from your Facebook page to a virtual tour. The limitations of the past are gone.
Without virtual tours, you may have to carve time out of your busy schedule to meet an out-of-state prospect who is only in town for a limited time. Virtual tours let them tour your rental without making demands on your time. Virtual tours give a substantial number of people a fantastic way to see your property without travelling anywhere.
Decreased Cost
Years ago, setting up a virtual tour was expensive because you needed equipment and a professional videographer to shoot and edit the video. Nowadays, most of us have cellphones with excellent cameras and you can watch YouTube videos or read in-depth blogs on how to create a great virtual tour. This means the cost is exponentially lower than it used to be.
Virtual tours also save you and potential tenants money because no one has to pay for gas. You can also spend the time you save not giving personal tours for other tasks like advertising and tenant management.
Increased Reliability
Pictures don’t tell the whole story of a property and potential tenants know that. Virtual tours solve for this issue without requiring you to give face-to-face tours. Potential tenants can get an in-depth sense of the property online. Virtual tours help tenants see you as reliable because they can quickly see details about your property beyond just words and static images.
Virtual tours also show you have nothing to hide and, if your rental matches what you have online, people will be more likely to sign a lease. Trust and transparency mean a lot when people are looking for somewhere to live. Virtual tours give people a sense that your property is what you say it is.
Conclusion
As a landlord, if you don’t embrace virtual tours, you will fall behind. People want convenience and have an easier time relying on properties that offer virtual tours.
It’s not just about potential tenants, though. Virtual tours make your life easier, too. You can skip giving a myriad of tours that lead nowhere and know you’re getting people who are actually interested in your property if they show up in-person.
