When you consider the uses of videoconferencing technology, you might automatically think about how it can facilitate meetings between individuals who may be based in different geographic locations. In general, that’s what video conferencing technology is intended for.
Theoretically, however, it can also be employed to highlight a property you wish to show to potential tenants. If a prospective tenant is not able to visit the property in person, but definitely seems interested in renting, you could use video conferencing tech to create a virtual walkthrough.
You’ll need to study certain factors when you shop for which tools you want to use. They include the following:
Portability
Conducting a live walk-through via video conference will typically require the use of a smartphone or similar mobile device that you can easily carry as you walk through the property. Some video conferencing tools are better suited to this than others. Find one that empowers you to conduct a smooth tour with a small camera.
Video Quality
Video quality is essential when conducting a walkthrough over a video conferencing program. Your goal is to ensure a potential tenant clearly sees why he or she would want to live in your property. If the video quality is poor, you won’t make an ideal impression.
The best way to determine whether a tool is right for your needs is to test it with this in mind. If you have the opportunity to do so, conduct site walkthroughs while testing various options. This is an easy way to determine which will be best for your goals.
Audio Quality
Strong audio quality is at least as important as strong video quality when showing a potential tenant a property via remote means. You’re not merely showing them why the property is appealing; that’s something you could easily do with a real estate slideshow.
The point is to use virtual reality technology to facilitate a virtual tour of the entire property. It’s a tactic that’s become increasingly common in recent years.
If you’re letting someone “tour” a property through a live video conference, it’s probably because you want to give the prospect an opportunity to ask direct questions about various facets of the space you’re exhibiting for them. That being the case, you’ll need to be confident that you can hear their questions and they can hear your responses.
This is another factor to pay attention to when testing various tools you’re considering using.
Availability and Cost
The cost of video conferencing technology varies from one product to another, for a variety of reasons. If you’re conferencing with business partners, they may already be paying for the same enterprise-level technology as you.
However, if you're simply facilitating a video property tour with a prospective tenant, he or she might not have access to certain higher-end tools. Unless you’re willing to purchase such tools on behalf of the potential tenant, you need to find one that provides all the essential benefits listed here while being available at a low (or no) cost.
Ideally, you also want to employ video conferencing tech that doesn’t require a customer to sign up for a long-term plan.
Finally, though the focus of this overview has been on identifying the best video conferencing tool for a property tour, if you’re seeking renters, it’s also crucial not to neglect the basics. For example, you should strongly consider partnering with a property management company to market your property, screen tenants, and manage relationships with tenants.
This will ensure the steps you took and the time you devoted to finding the right technology for a video tour will have been worth the investment.
