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One niche network on the move has rolled out virtual reality and other interactive tools to give buyers ability to step inside a property regardless of where they are.
Starr Partners, who has been recognised as Innovator of the Year for three years running at the Australian Real Estate Awards, has equipped 12 of its offices with virtual reality headsets.
Douglas Driscoll, CEO of Starr Partners, said that the decision was made to stay ahead of the real estate industry.
“Starr Partners has always been an early adaptor of interactive tools, but sometimes we can be ahead of the curb. Habits are changing, people are looking for faster, smarter and more exciting ways to connect, and technology is revolutionising how buyers view and purchase properties,” the CEO said.
According to a new report, one in four Aussie households will have a virtual reality headset by the end of 2021, and Mr Driscoll said that it is the perfect vehicle for buyers to view property.
“Virtual reality has come of age and is the answer to the time-poor, overseas or interstate buyers that want to be able to view a property anytime, anywhere.
“Vendors can now enhance their listing with virtual reality, allowing buyers to view the property from the comfort of their own home or one of our agencies.”
Mr Driscoll added that the technology allows for buyers to actually get a feel for the space, better than a photograph ever could.
“The technology, which gives a better perspective of a property than what you can gauge from just a photograph, lets the remote viewer really experience how it feels to stand inside the house and get a genuine feel of the space.”
Virtual reality is just one of the new tools for Starr Partners, for it has also rolled out digital styling and furnishing tools for property listings last year.
“Buyers can now ‘style’ a property to their tastes and visualise what a listing will look like with, for instance, floorboards instead of carpet, or a glass splashback rather than tiles,” Mr Driscoll said.
With so many options to choose from, customers can see how the space will look like and vendors are increasingly looking to use these technologies, the CEO said.
“With customers spending an average of 22 per cent more time looking at a property with these features, we’re seeing an increasing number of vendors interested in utilising these technologies.”
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