A UK firm has announced a major investment in new American cameras that it is claimed will showcase agents’ properties in a very different way. It says earlier trials show the public “absolutely love it”.
Andy South, founder of estate agency marketing specialist Niche Communications, believes the Matterport 3D Showcase will be an instruction getter for early users. The firm is the single biggest buyer in the UK of the American technology, which has been causing waves in the US.
The Matterport camera produces three-dimensional, photographic images which allow users to explore a property, going from room to room, using a mouse, keyboard or, on smartphones and tablets, a finger.
For a small additional fee, properties can also be adapted for viewing through the latest virtual reality goggles.
The effect, as demonstrated to EYE (although we dispensed with the goggles on the grounds that it is not a good look) is as though you are actually in the property, and in charge of your own viewing – with the effect described as a ‘dollhouse’ overview.
Viewers can choose their own route through the property, and can bring the camera to focus on whatever they want – a view from a window, for example, or a detailed close-up of a period detail.
Berkshire-based Niche Communications has already bought 18 of the cameras at £4,500 each, and intends to equip all 80 of its national network of photographers with them by Easter.
South said: “We really believe in this product – it’s incredibly exciting, and as a firm, we are making the largest single purchase in this country of the equipment.
“We plan to be the market leaders and our clients will have access to the most cost-effective way to take advantage of this new product by simply bolting a 3D Showcase on to an existing floorplan, photography or EPC visit.
“In trials, we have found sellers and buyers absolutely love it.
“The Showcase can also be embedded into Rightmove and Zoopla, as well as the agent’s own website, so users can experience it instantly and without any plug-ins or downloads.”
South claims that the product is completely different from the photo galleries, 3D panoramas and fly-through videos that are currently on the market.
He says these lack both the perspective and quality that viewers want.
There are some interesting refinements that the Matterport can offer.
For example, metatags can be added, allowing the 3D Showcase to be annotated as a user is going round the property.
Another innovation to be launched in the New Year will be the ability to blur pictures so that, for example, a photograph of a grandchild is obscured.
It is also possible to ‘prevent access’ to particular areas – for example, a media room or home office where there might be very expensive equipment.
South also says that there are other uses for the Matterport, particularly for inventories.
Agents can access examples here
Comments (9)
Great for thieves or “I dont want to view it, I already have online and not for me”
So it’s a fad and you do not charge sellers for it because it does not benefit them directly?
I would like to see ( not be told) the analytics on these. On my video’s I can see how many searches they came up in, how many times they were clicked on, and, most importantly, what percentage of the video was actually viewed.
Personally I find the technology clever, image quality good and load speeds decent. However, I loose interest after a couple of rooms. Might just be me though.
Blue,
Think the industry average for virtual tours is something like an extra 30% click through rate.
Don’t invest in it expecting to sell more properties. It’s an instruction winner.
Allows you to differenchiate yourself from other agents – until they all start using it!
Smile Please
I have found that Video tours have halved my viewings for sales and lettings and the take up rate has increased?
Over the past 5 years of filming them myself only one seller did not want me to shoot one for privacy reasons. Their first viewer came from a long way out the area and the first thing they asked was if they could film a video for their partner…..totally unprompted by me! That made me smile.
I would like to share experiences so shall email you my number at the address I used last time I sent you something.
I can invest less, to get a better instruction winner that will help to sell more properties.
Hardly “new”. We used this camera over a year ago!
Definitely not new, GCP have been doing this for ages. One photographer tells me now that the where it was being used for yacht 360 tours, the brokers are now asking for stills again! Example of other equivalents http://gilesclark.com/
They are good. And they are proper virtual tours.
We have been doing virtual tours for sometime now.
We opted for a different camera at a tenth of the price.
Granted pictures not quite as sharp but still an instruction winner.
If you are not a high end agent (stately homes) you can find more cost effective cameras / software.