Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
Real estate agents with Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC recently offered brokers a viewings of a newly listed property in Northeast Ohio, despite not physically being at the property. Instead, they did so using virtual reality headsets and visiting the house by remote.
Agents Anthony Colantuono and Mike Crimaldi of Coldwell Banker Hunter Realty in Brecksville, Ohio, co-listed the $1.65 million Moreland Hills, Cleveland. They thought it was the perfect opportunity to invite brokers in for a quick virtual tour from a restaurant located 20 miles away from the actual property, which was more convenient for the brokers to come to.
"Agents are always looking for the next best way to market their homes, and virtual reality is it,” Colantuono said. “I'm now convinced. We more than doubled the amount of agents we would have normally had at a traditional open house. This type of exposure is critical. And while we would fully expect these agents to bring prospective buyers to the home itself, the agents now have an amazingly realistic view of the home."
The agents first secured permission from the home owners to film the property so as to make it compatible with VR headsets. They then teamed up with Samsung, which provided the VR headsets and and phones for the technology demonstration, so that almost 80 brokers and agents could view the home in VR.
"Through virtual reality, we were able to see each detail of the house without ever stepping inside,” Crimaldi said. “It is so realistic that many actually reached down to hold the railing as they virtually walked down the steps. It's a game-changer for real estate agents who potentially can use the technology to see dozens of listings in one sitting and provide even greater value to their clients. "
