Everything You Need to Know about 3D Walkthrough for Real Estate Industry [Round-up]

Discover the immersive world of 3D walkthroughs, a must-have tool for real estate agents and architects. Explore 360 views from your chair.

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Published on
June 30, 2021
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10 min
Everything You Need to Know about 3D Walkthrough for Real Estate Industry [Round-up]

The real estate industry is undergoing some serious innovations and improvements that are bound to change the way properties are designed and sold. One of such incredible innovations is employing 3D architect animation in your presentations and designs. These changes have caused a massive shift in real estate, interior design, and architecture – don’t miss out!

3D walkthroughs have the power to accurately showcase a building, house, or any other space in a full 360 view – all that without ever having to leave the comfort of your chair. If you haven’t heard of this wonderful technology yet, or are hesitant to try it out, let us explain why this has become a must-have tool in every real estate agent’s and architect’s toolkit.

What Is 3D Walkthrough and How Does It Work?

A 3D home tour has a wide set of applications and can be used in more than one way, which is precisely why this technology is slowly taking over the real estate market.

3D real estate walkthrough is basically a process where digital artists create virtual tours of any architectural piece. For example, if you’re looking to purchase a certain real estate property, with the help of 3D interior walkthrough technology, you’ll be able to get a full-view tour of the place and designs before ever physically implementing any changes.

3D architectural animations allow you to tour and view any place without having to physically be present. This technology has a wide set of applications and has made selling and renovating real estate much easier, quicker, and more convenient. Instead of having to go through crowded open houses, you can tour your desired real estate with only a couple of clicks.

However, 3D walkthrough animation services aren’t only useful for purchasing real estate. If you’re looking to redesign or renovate your home, a virtual house walkthrough will also let you make hyper-realistic changes in real-time. You can include all desired elements like rugs, windows, and accessories, see how they look in your space and conclude whether they’re a good design fit without ever having to purchase them.

This technology works by using specialized software which captures your home or any other real estate in 3D. Experts usually place the cameras inside each room which scans the space and notifies the user once the scan is complete. Or, artists can also plan and create a walkthrough of your home fully virtually, by employing animation rendering techniques.

What Are the Benefits of a 3D Walkthrough?

With recent technological advancements, regular sketches and mockups will no longer cut it if you want to impress your clients and score more sales. Integrating building walkthrough animations in your presentations has a wide set of benefits that will change your whole real estate game. Let’s see how.

It’s Cost-Effective

One of the main benefits of employing a 3D virtual walkthrough is cost-effectiveness. And, it helps with saving money in more than one way. First and foremost, it completely removes the need for creating sketches, mockups, and paper models. You won’t have to fun around with your hands filled with paper. Instead, you can do your whole presentation with only a single tablet or a computer.

The second way in which 3D walkthrough services are money-friendly is that they reduce the chances of human error and the painful process of going back and forth with designs. Instead of having to fix construction mistakes once they’re done, which is extremely expensive, you can fix all the issues in the digital world before construction ever begins and save a lot of money in the long run.

Advanced Technology Gives You More Options

With 3D walkthrough interior design technology, the options are endless. Real estate is a business that’s based on visual appeal, so using this technology cleverly will help rack in more sales than ever. It allows you to take your customers on a journey and helps them envision their future lives in a new home. You can even use it to showcase office space and other types of properties.

The thing about digital technology is that you can add so many realistic elements that will hook your customers and leave them wanting more. You can include details like pools, spa areas, playgrounds, or even home cinemas. Not only that, but you can create a walkthrough of a whole neighborhood and surrounding spaces. This will show customers exactly what they’re investing in and display the full potential of a home or a property.

It’s Better Than 2D

While 2D is still an important part of real estate marketing, a 3D architectural walkthrough has completely taken over the industry. Up until recently, 2D plans have been the main way to showcase a property or a home. However, we all know that 2D mockups can be quite confusing and difficult to understand, especially if your clients aren’t as well-versed in this area.

With 3D walkthroughs, there’s no room for error. A great benefit of employing 3D property visualization technology is that everyone can understand it. The visuals are so clear, powerful, and detailed, that even a novice client with no prior real estate experience will be able to fully grasp the main concept with ease and clear understanding. Also, 2D models have no scope of correction, unlike their 3D counterparts.

It Simplifies the Design Process

As we have briefly touched on in the previous point, a 3D house interior walkthrough is a good solution for everyone, regardless of their previous experience or tech-savviness. We all know how difficult it can be to get on the same page with a client, especially in the early stages of the design and construction process.

With this technology, there’s no room for confusion because everything is as clear as day. Both clients and designers can pitch different ideas, add elements, and make a bunch of changes before actually implementing any of them in real life.

Also, because this technology renders designs in super detail, you’ll be able to zoom in and out of different spaces to highlight certain elements that might be overlooked with other traditional methods. If there’s something that your client disapproves of, you can modify it in under 24 hours without any additional hassle.

It Provides You with a Clear Neighborhood Visualization

In real estate, the neighborhood surrounding the home is just as important as the home itself. Customers want to get the full experience and see what it would be like living in that particular home. You can add contextual elements like trees, streets, people walking around, or even golf centers or playgrounds. You can also show off the neighborhood in different environments, be it a different season, time of day, or weather conditions.

Remember, in real estate, you’re not only selling a space – you’re also selling a lifestyle. Buyers are usually interested in learning more about the surrounding infrastructure, how close other properties are, and how the whole neighborhood will look once the construction is complete. Employing digital walkthroughs will help customers fully understand what their new investment will look like.

Better Presentations for Your Clients

Lastly, 3D walkthroughs will impress your clients during presentations. Clear visuals, a stunning aerial 3D render of the space, combined with the ability to walk around the space virtually and add or remove elements in real-time will make your customers’ jaw drop. You can also give your clients a copy of the design or send them a link where they would be able to access it anytime. This will for sure create an unforgettable experience that will result in more sales and trust between you and your customers.

How to Create a 3D Real Estate Walkthrough

While different design companies employ different techniques and processes to create 3D walkthroughs, the overall concept is more or less the same. Below, we’ll explain some basics on how to create 3D real estate walkthroughs and briefs. These are the four most important steps:

  • Define Waypoints – waypoints are clickable elements that, once clicked, allow you to proceed with your walkthrough. Start at a single location and move your way up, creating a route that your customers will follow once they’re testing the walkthrough.
  • Choose Camera Settings – define the focal length and frame rate to ensure that all elements are clear, realistic, high-quality, and visually appealing.
  • Pay Attention to Vertical Movements – this is especially important for properties with high ceilings. Define the height which will limit the vertical movement function. While it doesn’t have to go all the way, it should be able to move around enough to get a good feel for the place.
  • Share – integrate the design on your company website and share them. Clients will be able to go through designs and properties without ever leaving their homes.

Steps to Create a 3D Walkthrough Brief

Having a comprehensive and detailed brief is imperative, especially if you want to capture your client’s attention from the get-go. Here’s how to nail your brief and score more clients than ever:

  • Give General Project Information – make sure to include specific goals and targets, locations, notes, and requirements. This will be like a legend for your walkthrough visualization you’ll design later on.
  • Add References – convey the main idea and concept by including references and inspiration. This can be a site plan, floor plan, architectural and design sketches, 3D renders, texture examples, or anything else that was used to inspire the concept.
  • Provide Script Information – include information like camera waypoints, vertical movement limits, frame transitions, objects, people, and other important elements that are to be included in the walkthrough.
  • Choose Environmental Elements – define the light sources, weather conditions, and time of day.
  • Choose Post-Production Elements – see whether your client wants to include any background noise or music, subtitles, voiceovers, and logos. Choose whether you want to display your design in HD, Full HD, or UHD 4K.

How to Choose 3D Walkthrough Services

When it comes to choosing the best 3D architectural walkthrough services, you have to be careful who you choose because that will significantly impact the 3D walkthrough cost, as well as the final outcome. Here are our tips:

  • Check out their portfolio
  • Inquire about their project completion rate
  • Inquire about their animation style
  • Request a demo
  • Schedule an orientation call
  • Look for online reviews
  • Reach out to past customers

Ready to Crush Your Client Presentations?

PIXREADY is comprised of amazingly skilled professionals who can create jaw-dropping house plans with a 3D walkthrough quickly and efficiently, without compromising on quality. Our team boasts industry experts, licensed architects, and 3D rendering experts with decades of combined experience.

We conduct all operations in-house, ensuring that the whole process is handled carefully and diligently, without leaving any room for error. Whether you need architectural walkthroughs or 3D interior visualization services, our team is capable of handling even the most demanding of tasks.

Book a call with one of our 3D real estate walkthrough experts, receive a free quote, and explore your options.

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PIXREADY team

Founded by a group of technology, architecture, and design professionals in 2018, PIXREADY is one of the challengers empowering the 3D visualization industry and making its products and services more affordable. We are determined to assist businesses around the world to create photorealistic images of their products and ideas and enrich the experience of their clients. We focus on the details, with the highest precision in every pixel.

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