Skip to Content

Why Virtual Tours are a Must for Rental Property Owners

Real estate agent doing a virtual showing of a property using a tablet.As a rental property owner in Chicopee, you know that effective marketing is key to finding perfect tenants. If you haven’t started using virtual tours yet, you’re missing out! Offering virtual tours to potential tenants is a great way to show them your rental properties before they visit in person.

We will explore the advantages of virtual tours for rental property marketing and why every owner should use them.

Virtual Tour Basics

A virtual tour is a digital simulation walk-through of a rental property. Unlike photos, which show the property from a photographer’s perspective, virtual tours provide an in-depth view of each room.

Studies indicate that renters are interested in virtual tours of rental properties. According to Zumper’s data, over 70% of renters would be content to rent an apartment without seeing it in person if they could view it through a 3D virtual tour.

Types of Virtual Tours

Virtual tours are an engaging method for potential tenants to see your rental properties. They allow potential tenants to explore the space and decide if it meets their needs without physically visiting the property.

Virtual tours come in three main types: 360-degree virtual tours, 3D virtual tours, and virtual reality tours.

  1. 360 Virtual Tour. A 360 virtual tour consists of a single panoramic image created from multiple photographs. These tours allow potential tenants to view an entire room in one image and click and drag to look around. 360 virtual tours are simple and cost-effective to create, making them ideal for property managers new to virtual tours.
  2. 3D Virtual Tours are more immersive than 360 virtual tours. They allow potential tenants to explore the property virtually as if they were actually there. These tours are generated by taking many photos of a rental property and assembling them with special software. Although this might seem complicated, there are many user-friendly tools and services to assist you. Because they require significant time and effort to create, three-dimensional virtual tours are usually used for high-end rental properties.
  3. Virtual Reality Tour. The most recent and immersive form of virtual tour is the virtual reality (VR) tour. These tours let potential tenants wear a VR headset and navigate the property as though they were walking through it. While VR tours are still uncommon, they are gaining popularity as VR technology becomes more accessible.

What are the benefits of virtual tours?

  • Convenience. Virtual tours significantly ease the traditional hassle of property tours. Potential tenants can browse your rental properties from home or during their work hours. This is especially beneficial for renters from out of state or abroad who find it hard to arrange physical tours.
  • 24/Hour Availability. Virtual tours are available to potential tenants around the clock, seven days a week. This allows them to view your rental properties at their convenience, without having to fit into your schedule. It’s an effective tool that offers them flexible viewing options.
  • Increased Engagement. Virtual tours have been shown to boost engagement. Websites featuring virtual tours retain potential residents longer than those without.
  • Improved SEO. Besides increased engagement, virtual tours can improve your rental property’s SEO. Google prioritizes fresh content, and including a virtual tour in your property listing is a great way to add new content and enhance your search ranking.

How to Optimize Your Virtual Tours.

  • Quality Matters. Use high-resolution images and videos, avoiding any low-quality or blurry photos. To give potential tenants a clear view of your rental properties, use high-quality virtual tour content.
  • Include a Call to Action. Add a call to action (CTA) at the conclusion of your virtual tour. A CTA is a statement or button prompting potential tenants to take the next step, such as arranging a showing or contacting you for details. Featuring a CTA boosts the chances that potential tenants will decide to rent from you.

Virtual tours let potential tenants explore your rental properties without having to visit them physically. Real Property Management Bay State West can assist in advertising your Chicopee properties and increasing your chances of finding excellent, reliable tenants. Contact us online or call 413-514-0050 today!

We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.

The Neighborly Done Right Promise

The Neighborly Done Right Promise ® delivered by Real Property Management, a proud Neighborly company

When it comes to finding the right property manager for your investment property, you want to know that they stand behind their work and get the job done right – the first time. At Real Property Management we have the expertise, technology, and systems to manage your property the right way. We work hard to optimize your return on investment while preserving your asset and giving you peace of mind. Our highly trained and skilled team works hard so you can be sure your property's management will be Done Right.

Canada excluded. Services performed by independently owned and operated franchises.

See Full Details