Realtor.com® Adds More Immersive 3D Home Tour Experiences

Virtual tours are the No. 1 most helpful technology feature when deciding on a new home according to home shoppers

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Jan 19, 2021, 06:00 ET

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- To address increased consumer demand, realtor.com^® today announced that it is adding two new technology providers, Asteroom and CloudPano to provide additional 3D tour options for home shoppers. In addition to Matterport tours, real estate agents can now upload tours from Asteroom and CloudPano directly to listings on realtor.com^®.

"Concerns around the pandemic certainly heightened the demand for 3D tours, as many home shoppers wanted to explore the home but didn't feel comfortable visiting in person. However, they are more than just a COVID solution, they are now an important option for consumers during their home buying journey," said Rachel Morley, Chief Product Officer, realtor.com^®. "Realtor.com^®is adding two new technology providers, Asteroom and CloudPano, to help empower agents and brokerages to add more 3D tours to their listings, which we know leads to more views and better engagement."

3D tours have become a crucial part of the home buying journey, and enable home shoppers to understand what it feels like to be in a home without having to step foot inside. By clicking on the 3D tour button on a realtor.com^® listing, the viewer can explore an interactive 360-degree view of the home, just as if they were walking the property in person.

Asteroom, CloudPano and Matterport have offerings that leverage smartphone cameras which enable quick scanning and cost less than solutions that require specialized equipment. By providing agents with low-cost, easy-to-use options, realtor.com^®will increase the accessibility and availability of 3D tours on its listings.

A realtor.com^® consumer survey conducted in the spring found that 65% of home buyers believed that virtual tours would continue to be a great resource in their home shopping process even after the pandemic. And while the pandemic accelerated virtual tour adoption -- at the peak of the lockdowns, listings with virtual tours received 17% more views per property -- that momentum has continued. In December, listings with 3D tours on realtor.com^® were up 227% since the pandemic began in March.

To learn more, visit: https://hub.realtor.com/concierge-insights/new-virtual-tour-partners

About realtor.com^®Realtor.com^® makes buying, selling and living in homes easier and more rewarding for everyone. Realtor.com^® pioneered the world of digital real estate 20 years ago, and today through its website and mobile apps is a trusted source for the information, tools and professional expertise that help people move confidently through every step of their home journey. Using proprietary data science and machine learning technology, realtor.com^® pairs buyers and sellers with local agents in their market, helping take the guesswork out of buying and selling a home. For professionals, realtor.com^® is a trusted provider of consumer connections and branding solutions that help them succeed in today's on-demand world. Realtor.com^® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc. under a perpetual license from the National Association of REALTORS^®. For more information, visit realtor.com^®.