As Will Rogers famously said, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”

In our high paced, data-driven world this phrase has never been more accurate. Research shows that we now form our first impression in just a tenth of a second. And those first impressions really matter in real estate, from your first meeting with a client to the moment you begin to market their home.

But that first good impression actually starts with your online listing. Because today, it may be your first (and perhaps only) impression to entice buyers.

While much is said about younger home buyers and their increased likelihood to use online resources, a significant percentage of all generations find value in them, according to the Zillow Group’s Consumer Housing Trends Report 2018. Eighty-eight percent of Millennials, 79 percent of Gen-Xers and 70 percent of Boomers all say they value online resources while shopping for a home. Consumers want to learn as much about a home as possible as they shop online — before they ever step foot inside. If you’re like most real estate professionals, you provide beautiful photos and detailed listing information, but it may not be enough for that vital first impression.

To truly capture the attention of buyers, rich media is the way to go. Zillow Group’s research shows that videos and 3D tours, in particular, catch the attention of younger buyers, with 45 percent of Millennials stating that live virtual tours are important and 42 percent of Millennial buyers saying they value 3D tours, panoramas, and other media.

However, Zillow data also shows the emphasis on floor plans and layouts grows with buyer age, with 73 percent of Boomer buyers indicating that floor plans/layouts are extremely or very important, versus 66 percent of Millennial buyers. Both 3D and video tours present a much clearer picture of home layouts, such as showing how one room may flow into others or home features from different vantage points within the property. For interested buyers, a 3D home tour helps them visualizing their lives in that home, which is a powerful sales advantage. Once they start arranging their furniture in their minds within that listing, chances are an offer is forthcoming.

Rich media also gives you a jump on your competition, driving more traffic to your listings and growing your brand and reputation. You also assure millennials, (the largest cohort of home buyers and a growing number of sellers), that as an agent or brokerage, you speak their language. A 3D home tour also weeds out the less interested buyers – a great benefit for occupied listings as it reduces the number of times a seller or tenant needs to be out of the house during a tour.

For all these reasons, Zillow Group recently introduced the 3D Home app. In the past this technology required cameras and equipment costing thousands of dollars. Now agents can leverage our free, simple-to-use app with their iPhone. For a next level experience, agents can use an affordable Ricoh Theta camera (at launch both the Ricoh Theta V & Ricoh Theta Z1 360° cameras are supported). By using a Theta to capture your tour, you will benefit from an increased field of view (360 x 180 field of view) and can capture a home in less time as you create a panoramic view of a room with the press of a button. Once the tour is created, you can easily copy a link to an unbranded version of upir tour to paste into your MLS posting for a property.

In real estate, first impressions matter. Make your mark with sellers and buyers with a 3D tour.

Learn more about 3D tours. Download Zillow’s free app today.

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