Virtual Reality Open House
Sam Barnes initiates a first for the Western Slope.
Posted: December 12, 2016 by Stacy Hite
Imagine if you could host an Open House from any location in the world. Imagine if you could show case several of your properties at once without driving across town with a caravan of clients. Welcome to the future of Real Estate Showings! Scott Stuart with Step Beyond Media has been offering Matter Port videos on many of our listings. He recently hosted a Tech Tuesday where agent Sam Barnes began to get this great idea. What if he held a Virtual Reality Open House! Sam has become quite familiar with hosting Open Houses. As a newer agent he has worked hard to gain clients. Sam has a great interest in the technical/electronic world. Our industry relies very heavily on visual photography. VR Tours: A Game Changer.
Sam pitched the idea to Keith Everitt. Nothing like this has been offered in Grand Junction. A little practice, a little research...chatting with an agent from Ohio who had just hosted his area's first VR Open House...they were ready to go. Sam joined in with Jack O'Neal at Guild Mortgage on Main Street on a Friday evening. Sam and Jack have a good rapport, the location has full glass front, and foot traffic on a Friday night was ideal! The combination of Facebook advertising, good sidewalk signage, and a friendly face saying "Hey, you wanna come try out a Virtual Reality headset?" brought in the crowds.
They had 3 VR headsets available. At least 50 people ages 5-90 tried them on and walked through a variety of homes. Sam chose two Maves Construction homes and a Conquest Builder's, each our listings and each already having a Matter Port video. They were able to bring the houses to the people! The VR headsets are easy to use. You can buy one for around $23.
What you need to know...the Matter Port videos work on Android phones only. At this time they're not compatible with Iphone. It's only a matter of time though before there's an ap for that. GoPro VR or Google Street View are great aps to use. A swivel chair is helpful. The user can easily get a 360 degree view of the house they're touring. This technology is easy to use, and in Sam's opinion, not a niche product. "This is 'THE NEXT THING'...how we'll shop for homes." He compared the comfort to the release of the first Ipad. "People just instinctively get it and know how to use it. We received 100% positive feedback." This tool could be a good time saver when working with your clients as well. 2nd viewings are as easy as strapping on a headset. Showings for out of towners can be done without the hassle of adjusting and coordinating several schedules at once.
Sam received 29 new contacts and the honor of being a Trend Setter for the Western Slope and CBDP. Interested in learning more about Matter Port videos, contact Scott Stuart, Step Beyond Media. Want to take the VR for a spin? Check in with Sam or Keith. It's truly a mind blowing experience!
To hear Sam and Jack discussing the experience: Click here