Most listing agents will not have a budget to cover a 3D Virtual Tour for every listing they have. That can get expensive. We have some ideas we would like to share about how you can afford 3D Virtual Tours for your listings. 

First, not every listing deserves a 3D Virtual Tour. It might be nice, but it is not practical. A simple two bedroom 850 square foot home with an open floor plan probably will not benefit from a tour. It would not be cost effective. What would make that listing pop are really great photographs taken with a high speed wide angle lens with the right lighting.

Second, we recommend selecting your best listings in the upper price ranges, the kinds of listings that need a virtual tour so potential buyers can walk through the homes online and instantly know whether they need to book a showing with you. This could be a luxury home or it could be a luxury condo. If you have a condo complex with several condo floor plans, what better way to help buyers than to give them a 3D Virtual Tour of the different floor plans!

Third, we highly recommend a 3D Virtual Tour for multi-million dollar luxury homes. This is almost essential when your clients are wealthy buyers and wealthy sellers. If you don’t have these tours for your listings, sellers may list with an agent who does. The commissions on these homes make a 3D Virtual Tour very cost effective. A 3D Virtual Tour may be the most cost effective way to promote a listing.

Fourth, you do not necessarily have to bear the full cost of a 3D Virtual Tour. You could approach your clients and explain that there is as brand new, very powerful, virtual reality available at a small cost to them. Show them one of our virtual tour examples, and some sellers are likely to simply write a check for the tour.

Fifth, if you have a seller who either cannot or will not pay the full cost, consider splitting the cost with them 50-50. Or ask them to pay for it, and tell them they will be reimbursed at closing by you.

Sixth, some agents are collecting a fee up front when they list a property to cover some of their initial outlays. We know of an agent who collects $1,250 in advance as marketing costs, and selling clients are paying that fee. He also tells them they will be reimbursed at closing.