The Ideal Closing Gift for Your Buyer
How many thank you gift baskets and flower arrangements have you presented to congratulate buyers on their new homes? Sure, it's the thought that counts, but isn't it time to give your buyers something more valuable to keep you on their minds for months and years to come? A suite of photographs, floor plans, and 3D tours, like those offered by iGUIDE, is a unique closing gift that provides great long term value. iGUIDE offers multiple benefits for your clients and is also a continuous reminder of your brand. Identify with the space Great real estate photography, 3D tours and floor plans are more than eye-catching marketing material. These tools help buyers identify with spaces by creating a connection that ultimately leads to purchasing a home. But when the keys are handed over on closing day, buyers unfortunately no longer have access to all that valuable information about their newly purchased property. Here is where iGUIDE and agents can fill the void. Instead of just gifting the new homeowner with a glorious array of tropical flowers, give them a way to appreciate their new residence with a complete understanding of every square foot. An iGUIDE offers multiple ways for a buyer to get comfortable in their home. Floor plan measurements and virtual tours can be shared with movers, making the change of residence a smooth transition. Accurate measurements for furniture placement eliminate the need to rearrange things multiple times. Also, 3D tours let friends and family members participate in the excitement of a new home no matter where they are located. Help with design and renovations Every homeowner likes to add personal touches to their home. Whether it is design modifications or major renovations, they still need to figure out a cost. An iGUIDE closing gift gives your buyer the perfect tool to help calculate the price of supplies by using advanced measurement tools. Measurements can be captured from multiple points in 2D or 3D space. Changing flooring, cabinetry or doorways are major projects and your buyer will appreciate the ability to budget accurately for all the construction costs they'll require before initiating any demolition. Design isn't always about physical changes to the property; it also includes interior design. With an iGUIDE, floor plan measuring for new furniture and window treatments is easy. Buying furniture that doesn't fit will be a thing of the past, as your clients will now be able to use the measurement tools to determine how much space is required. Working with permits and contractors The house closing date is often the beginning of a long list of changes for the new owner. Not everyone is a do-it-yourself kind of person. When a home renovation project is more than just a couple of cans of paint, permits and outside help can be a must. Home buyers can help speed up the process by supplying their newly gifted iGUIDE to their contractors. The accurately measured floor plans can help get approval for potential development permits as municipalities often require drawings "to scale" for renovation projects. iGUIDE uniquely contains all the measurements, floorplans, photos and 3D virtual tours allowing everyone involved in the construction process access to accurate information. Insurance claims and replacement costs How does your buyer's insurance company calculate replacement costs when there is a claim? Most insurance adjusters visit the home "after" there has been an incident. What if your buyer could provide proof of quality before any potential disaster? Documented quality of finishing, personal items and measurements are crucial when settling a claim with an insurance adjuster. Not only does iGUIDE give the homeowner the advantage of providing proof, but it will also make any future claims process quicker and more transparent for everyone involved. They will appreciate your thoughtful closing gift when determining what needs to be replaced. The complete iGUIDE package also provides a visual keepsake of irreplaceable items. iGUIDE keeps you in the loop The house closing date is not the end for real estate agents. Home buyers often become a seller at some point or know someone who wants to list their property. What better way to keep your name coming to mind than to give them a way to share the closing gift repeatedly? The iGUIDE contains your branding, and when your buyer is ready to sell, your name and contact information are already at their fingertips. Satisfied buyers willingly share their real estate adventures with friends and family, providing you with priceless referrals. Real estate agent closing gifts are an appreciation for choosing you above the other agents in your area. Gift cards, flower arrangements and a basket of fruit give instant gratification, but if you want to give something with lasting value that doesn't end up forgotten after a couple of weeks, choose iGUIDE. Help your buyer stay connected long after you've handed over the keys. To learn more about all that iGUIDE offers, visit goiguide.com/showcase.

Top 5 Things Home Sellers Expect from Their Real Estate Agent
Silence is golden, but when it comes to real estate, you are expected to be anything but quiet. Every seller wants to hear the details of how you will get their property sold. Your client's expectations can be met by providing what has become the norm. Current technological advancements, accurately measured floor plans and interactive ways to share property information are must-haves. It is no longer considered a perk to include virtual tours—it is expected. Are you offering everything you can to help your listings speak loud and clear? Here are the five most important must-haves that are now the norm in real estate marketing. 3D virtual tours What did you ever do without 3D virtual tours? It wasn't that long ago that we were calling everything a "video." But a 3D virtual tour is more than just a short video captured from a handheld camera or mobile phone. It is a carefully crafted series of 360° images that allow the user to navigate through a property in a three-dimensional way. When a seller knows what to expect from their real estate agent and what they get is a slightly fuzzy walk-through video of their home, they won't be happy. A professionally shot 3D virtual tour captures the essence of every space, allowing the user to look up, down and around at their leisure. This is why the technology is being used in a variety of industries from real estate and facility management to insurance and architecture. Floor plans How many times have you examined photos of a property only to discover that you have somehow made a disconnect with the space? Floor plans help complete the picture of a home by allowing you to see the placement of doors, windows, fixtures and stairways. Real estate agents not only need to meet the expectations of the seller, but also provide a way for the buyer to comprehend the fit and flow of the property. Back in the day, you were lucky to come across an old blueprint from the original builder. You could take that rolled-up pile of 24" x 36" papers and physically share it with potential buyers. The big problem with that was you never knew if the building was constructed according to the plan. Today, the bar has been raised much higher with the ability to share accurately measured floor plans gathered with the latest technology. The seller and the potential buyer can be confident that crucial measurements are accurate and reliable. Measurement standards Everyone has standards, and the real estate industry is no different. A measurement standard is what to expect from your real estate agent when determining the square footage of a home. A seller needs to be confident that you have researched comparable sales data when you price their home. One of the most important variables when it comes to valuation is size. The apples-to-apples method generally works with comparable properties within a similar district, so it is important to be accurate, especially when analyzing how your marketing plan is going. iGUIDE measurements are aligned with ANSI-Z765-2021 guidelines and can help speed up the mortgage approval process. Instead of waiting to determine if the measurement standard has been met, you can be confident in the square footage of every listing when using a technology like iGUIDE. Interactive technology Technology has given us the ability to be hands-on regarding expectations. Paper files are becoming more and more obsolete, replaced by digital methods of signing contracts, viewing properties and interacting with space. Twenty years ago, virtual reality was primarily a theme park venue where you could pretend to be somewhere besides the chair you were sitting in. Today, interactive technology gives the consumer the freedom to explore areas within a home anytime of day or night. Not only does the technology allow the consumer an up close and personal look, but it's what sellers expect when searching real estate properties. Interactive technology gives you control during a virtual showing. You can narrate through the rooms and hallways while directing interest to specific portions of a home. 360° images Going around in circles is a good thing with 360° images. What sellers expect from their real estate agent is a variety of ways to interact with a listing. No 3D virtual tour would be complete without complementary photographs. Think of staring at your surroundings from a stationary spot and then having a way to move in any direction fluidly. This is how the consumer gets a full experience and the ability to understand the seller's property. The longer they interact, the deeper the connection to the property and the potential for a sale. Your seller's expectations are not high. They are perfectly aligned with today's technology trends. If you are missing any of the five top things in your marketing plan, give some thought to the seller's and buyer's perspectives because that's what it's all about. To view the original article, visit the iGuide blog.

Real Estate Marketing in 2023: Focus on the Fundamentals
Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at 10:00 AM PDT With the real estate market cooling down significantly toward the end of 2022, the day-to-day routine of a Realtor might look a bit different this year compared to the last few trips around the sun. Gone are the days when leads and sales would seemingly fall in your lap, or at least for the time being. In 2023, real estate agents are going to have to get back to the basics and focus on the fundamentals in order to have a prosperous year. Join the VP of Sales & Marketing at Planitar Inc., Michael Vervena, as he discusses the importance of effective marketing tools to sell your listings quickly. Learn more about incorporating property details like accurate measurements, floor plans, and 3D virtual tours to leverage better results on the MLS. Register now!

Why Your Buyer May Be Dissatisfied with Their New Home
Everyone wants to know that their purchase is satisfaction guaranteed. But FOMO (the fear of missing out) has led to "I can't get no satisfaction" for many people across the nation. Homebuyer's remorse is not something you want to hear about when trying to build your real estate business. It is difficult for buyers to fully understand a property when there is a lack of reliable information. Quick listings and even quicker property sales have led to many dissatisfied homeowners. However, there are ways to help your clients get the satisfaction they deserve by giving them the tools and resources to work with. Understand the buyer's needs It is said that there is a buyer for every house. That may be true, but how do you know which buyer is for which house? Focus on the needs of your clients. Forty-three percent of homebuyers are concerned with commuting costs and convenience to their jobs, according to a 2022 NAR report. They want to own their home, but the past couple of years and the fear of missing out has led to impulse decisions. You may find a home within the ideal proximity to their place of employment, but the buyer needs to know that their new living space will accommodate their furniture, family, and lifestyle. Examining floor plans and 3D tours helps everyone understand the fit and flow of a home. Things of regret The majority of homebuyers over the past year experienced some form of homebuyer's remorse. Regrets include miscalculating the overall costs of owning a home, paying too much, poor layout and wrong location. Though not much can be done about unforeseen maintenance costs, a buyer would benefit from an accurate floor plan if one was provided before the purchase. Highly detailed floor plans with intuitive navigation allow potential buyers to understand the space before moving into it. Advanced measurement tools make it easy to measure for future renovations to avoid spending extra money on mistakes. Try before you buy Fear of missing out can have your buyer seeking a new home before they have settled into the one they just bought. That may sound like the perfect opportunity to make another sale, but a dissatisfied buyer may also seek out another agent who can guide them on their buyer's journey with better results. The "try before you buy" method of understanding the fit and flow of a home can help. Interactive floor plans and 3D tours allow a buyer to picture living in the space. Proptech tools offered by companies like iGUIDE® assist the buyer by giving them the ability to play with the space by virtually changing colors and fixtures or modifying floor plans. Caveat Emptor: Let the buyer beware! One way to avoid a serious case of homebuyer's remorse is to be aware of the big picture. Help your clients with a little "construction" criticism. All houses have the potential to be the perfect home when you remove a wall here and there or add an extra bathroom. However, before beginning any major or minor construction, it is wise to speak with an architect to discuss the viability of the property's floor plan. Theoretically, you can change any home with an unlimited budget, but in reality, changing the house to match that 3D tour you loved from HGTV requires time, money and a whole lot of planning. Foresight is better than hindsight The fear of missing out has led homebuyers into a frenzy of grabbing up properties without fully considering all the facts. Now some of those unhappy homeowners will want to re-sell their pandemic purchases. With home sales falling back in 2022 you can give your new listings a competitive edge by using 3D tour technology and floor plans to successfully market properties. Have a little foresight by ensuring measurements are ANSI-Z765-2021 compliant and ready for Fannie Mae appraisal requirements to help speed up the mortgage process. It may be better to regret doing something than to regret not doing something, but not when it comes to one of the largest acquisitions in someone's life. According to a recent article from Zillow, homebuyer's remorse is as high as 75%. You can help the buyer avoid regretting their purchase by communicating the important aspects of every home, from location to floor plans. Make those regrets too few to mention. To view the original article, visit the iGuide blog.

5 Simple Ways to Increase the Screen Value of Your Online Real Estate Listings
Are your listings getting enough screen time? To grab attention and keep it, you need to encourage homebuyers to stay a little longer, checking out more than the primary photo. Are you currently using 3D tours and floor plans as part of your real estate marketing plan? If not, here are a few good ways to drive engagement and increase your screen value. Use a professional real estate photographer Market your real estate listing with professional real estate photos. A good first photo is a perfect way to entice potential buyers to want more. Think of your real estate photos like a storefront window. If the display is good, you want to go inside. It's no different with real estate. Attractive photographs increase the amount of time the consumer spends clicking through the images. You want to encourage a connection during the buyer's journey. They stay a little longer and get to the consideration stage faster when they like what they see. Speak with a local real estate photographer who offers services from leading-edge companies like iGUIDE. Unconventional camera systems capture outstanding photos and accurate measurements simultaneously, so turnaround time is quick. Video tours and drone shots Consumers love drone footage. This eye in the sky captures amazing aerial shots to offer a different point of view. Extensive landscaping, outdoor entertaining areas, and sprawling properties benefit well from the use of drone shots. Not every property is a good fit for drone photos, however. You may list a stunning condo or a multi-unit residential property, but a drone shot just won't do it justice. However, video tours highlight the essence of unique spaces, and are an excellent tool for your real estate listing marketing. Video is popular because it allows for narration and lets you point out multiple features within a property. Virtual staging to spark joy Increase the consumers' screen time for your listing by using virtual staging. Virtual staging can help your real estate marketing by presenting a space that makes it look and feel more like home. Whether it's a vacant property or a home that just doesn't have the best furniture placement, virtual staging can spruce it up. Using proptech tools like Floorplanner encourages homebuyers to try before they buy. With multiple furniture choices, accents, the ability to change door and window placements, virtual staging makes decision making easier. 3D tours are a must By now you are using 3D tours, right? If you want to keep the attention of potential buyers, the implementation of 3D tours is the ideal way to market your real estate listing. The goal is to drive engagement, and what better way to do that than using the consumer's favorite way to interact? According to 3Kit, there are 87% more views on listings that incorporate virtual tours. That means you increase the consumers' screen time from just a quick look at the main photo to connecting and interacting with a 3D tour. You know how it works. It's the same reason that reels and video stories are so popular on social media. These attention grabbers drive engagement, leading to the awareness stage on the buyer's journey. Use interactive floor plans to make a connection Understanding a space requires not only beautifully captured photos, but the ability to virtually walk through and make a personal connection. Buyers want to know all their stuff will fit into each space within the home. Accurately measured floor plans give them the ability to compare their existing living quarters to new ones. As Inman notes, buyers have come to expect floor plans as part of the way you market your real estate listing. Measurements give meaning and value to a space and help increase the amount of time the consumer spends looking at a property. As a bonus, floor plans include important dimensions for future renovations. With the help of advanced measurements from an iGUIDE, the buyer can remotely plan and design each space. Increasing screen value and screen time for online real estate listings provides benefits for the seller and the buyer. When you use tech tools like virtual tours and floor plans, your sellers experience fewer interruptions in their daily life. The property gets shown to more qualified buyers, thus saving time for both the seller and you. Buyers will start to form an emotional connection as they are drawn in by captivating professional real estate photos and multiple ways to interact online. Help your real estate listings make their best impression online by using all the services available to you from a professional real estate photographer. For more information regarding iGUIDE, click here. To view the original article, visit the iGuide blog.

How Real Estate Agents Can Decrease Interruptions in the Home Selling Process
There is a buyer for every house, sometimes even more than one buyer depending on the market, the age and style of the home and, of course, the price. The point is that homes sell over and over. What can agents do to facilitate this recycling of homes to limit the lulls and time consuming steps in the sales process? Preparation is the key to decreasing interruptions in the journey. Time management, pre-qualification for financing, a few helpful checklists, and sharing your knowledge and experience will guide home buyers and sellers through every step along the way. Start with a Clean Sweep! Selling a home is a huge undertaking. There are several steps to take to ensure the process has limited interruptions. The first step is to prepare your clients for the big tidy up. Before they think about selling their house, they'll need to ensure that it is presentable and appealing to prospective buyers. High quality photos, floor plans and measurements will need to be taken and 3D tour data will need to be shot, all in preparation for showing the property. Provide your clients with a checklist to help them sift through each room, including the bathrooms and storage spaces. The goal is to remove as many items as possible from the potential buyers' line of vision. Ensuring that each space looks uncluttered and roomy is essential when presenting the home. Making the home appealing to a possible new owner means they need to be able to visualize their personal items in the space. By clearing away your home sellers' collectibles, personal photos, and large furniture pieces, the space is visually more welcoming to the camera and ultimately the buyer. Keeping the space clean will be a lot easier with fewer obstacles to maneuver around when preparing for the 3D tour shoot. Don't forget to tidy up the front and back yards because first impressions are often the driving factor that leads interested home buyers to have a look inside. Cleaning up ahead of the photo shoot and scan to determine dimensions for measurements will ensure that photographer isn't delayed in their photo shoot and that the visuals are clutter-free, engaging, and show the property off in its best light. Those dynamic visuals will go one step further in preventing unnecessary delays in the selling process by allowing online home shoppers to visually inspect the property and use the room dimensions and square footage calculations to determine if they are a good match. They are pre-qualifying themselves for the sale and not wasting the homeowners' time with unfruitful, in-person visits to satisfy their curiosity or to discover that there is hardwood when they prefer carpet! Securing Financing and Home Inspections Once the home has been prepared placed on the market, your home sellers' job is complete. It's now up to you, the Realtor, to effectively market the home to the public. Drawing on your experience, you need to explain to your clients how you will pre-qualify potential buyers for their home. The buyer must meet the required criteria from their lender in order to obtain funding for a purchase. Once this is confirmed, then the transition from viewing a home to a written purchase contract will run smoothly. Though a financing condition is almost always placed in a contract, with mortgage pre-qualification, the process is less likely to run into interruptions. With the financial needs being met, buyer's agent can then facilitate a home inspection for the property to help the buyer better understand any potential issues regarding structure, electrical, plumbing, environmental, and mechanical areas. It is essential to have a property inspection for the buyer's peace of mind, but it is just as important for insurance purposes for their new home. Insurance companies need to know that the property has been maintained which limits liability issues. A major concern in recent years is the use of asbestos, which can be hazardous to your health, and poly-B plumbing fittings that have caused sudden leaks resulting in water damage to the property. Having a clean bill of health for the property will speed up the next steps in preparing for the change of ownership. Make a List and Check It Twice For a smooth transition from the purchase contract, to a home inspection, to possession day, it is a good idea to create a final checklist of "Things to Do." Before you complete the sale, you will need to share the property report that indicates the home is compliant with municipal bylaws. You should know about any possible penalties with regard to moving, discharging, or changing the home sellers' current financing. Financial institutions often charge large interest penalties when changing the parameters of existing mortgages. It is better to know ahead of time rather than be shocked when they have to come up with thousands of extra dollars to discharge their mortgage. Whether your clients are the seller or the buyer, as a Realtor, you'll need to make sure to clean up the loose ends to make it a seamless and stress-free transaction. Items that need attention by the home sellers are: notifying all the utility services of a new owner, redirecting their mail, cancelling or requesting home insurance, setting up security systems, scheduling a mover, checking schools, transportation routes, and residential parking permits. You'll also need to remind them to engage with a lawyer or paralegal to help with the preparation of legal documents and registration of the property at the Land Titles Registry. Preparation is key to decreasing interruptions in the sales process. Buying or selling a property doesn't have to be scary or confusing. Be sure to keep the lines of communication open, provide timely advice and helpful checklists, and the transition to or from a home will be as easy for your clients as turning the key. To view the original article, visit the iGuide blog.

Why Are Floor Plans Gaining New Importance?
Should every home listing have a floor plan? With the growing popularity of 3D tours, floor plans are part of the package. Floor plans give home shoppers additional perspective on any tour, even an immersive 3D virtual tour. Adding a floor plan to a listing is gaining a lot of attention these days, and for several good reasons. Research tells us that floor plans are important to buyers. Buyers want them. Floor plans were ranked No. 3 on a list of the most valuable website features for home buyers, according to the National Association of Realtors 2021 Home Buyers and Sellers Generation Trends Report. Photos topped the website features list desired by 89% of all buyers, followed by property listing details (86%). Floor plans (67%) were ranked higher than virtual tours (58%) and neighborhood information (53%). Rightmove found that adding a floor plan to a listing can increase click-throughs by 52%. Conversely, listings without floor plans mean buyers would be less likely to view the property for one in ten. According to Zillow, a floor plan is the second most important listing feature and correlates to capturing potential leads. Companies have created technology that harnesses the remarkable power of today's smartphones for an agent to scan a home and create a floor plan in minutes. Even MLSs are leading the way in encouraging the addition of floor plans to real estate listings. FBS, creators of FlexMLS and one of the largest MLS tech providers in the nation, deployed FloPlan as part of its FBS IDX solution. A simple app allows an agent to scan the home – in about 10 minutes – and then converts the scan to a floor plan the agent can include in their listings. It's even easier with a 3D tour, as the agents don't have to lift a finger to create a floor plan. Instead, the photography process does all the calculations and measurements. So, in addition to making the user-driven tour and a 3D dollhouse view, a traditional floor plan is also created. Enter the 800-lb gorilla What may change the game when it comes to answering the question, "Should every listing have a floor plan?" is what is happening at Fannie Mae. Fannie Mae continues to be the 800-lb gorilla of the housing market one can't ignore. Fannie Mae alone holds $4.2 trillion (yes, with a "T") in total assets and its net earnings were $22.2 billion last year. Fannie Mae and Freddie still purchase two-thirds of all home loans. Recently, Fannie Mae made a breakthrough announcement that directly impacts floor plans. For many years, Fannie Mae's underwriting system allowed specific properties to forgo a full appraisal and use a desktop (remote) appraisal instead. These properties were limited to refinances. In March, Fannie Mae announced desktop appraisals as an option that would include home purchase loans. However, according to reports, eligible properties must still be in a market where the data is widely available and accurate. Freddie Mac also followed suit and now allows desktop appraisals for qualified purchases. The timing is crucial for the housing market, as there is a shortage of appraisers. People are just not going into the profession to replace those who are retiring or otherwise leaving the business. The Appraisal Institute reports that more than 10,000 appraisers have left the industry since 2013 – more than 10% of the workforce. Appraisal brain drain is growing. The AI also says more than half of all appraisers are approaching retirement age and that one-in-five are 66 years old or older. As a result, appraisal completion times in some markets take as long as two months. But what do the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac desktop appraisal expansions have to do with floor plans? A mobile app can capture the data Fannie needs for its desktop appraisal. The key is to figure out how agents can scan a floor plan as part of their workflow – and at what price point does it make sense? Providing the new floor plan solution At HomeJab, we manage hundreds of professional real estate photography assignments each week and see the growing interest in 3D tours, which, again, all feature floor plans. The opportunity for these new floor plans fits right into the HomeJab model and our platform. Our real estate photographers are already visiting homes to take listing photos, 3D tours with floor plans, virtual tours, drone footage, and more. Adding a new scanning service seems like a no-brainer. It will all come down to the economics. To fulfill the requirements of a desktop appraisal, you need these new, more in-depth floor plans. They deliver a different value than consumer desire. They help buyers avoid paying hundreds of dollars for a full appraisal and eliminate the waiting game. What is a reasonable cost to add a new floor plan into a photo package or a standalone assignment? At HomeJab, we are working to make the economics work. It needs to be affordable for the buyer, accessible for their agent, the photographer, the remote appraisal firm, the lender, and of course, meets Fannie Mae's guidelines. HomeJab is looking to help facilitate the growth and availability of new floor plans those remote appraisals will create. Joe Jesuele is the founder and CEO of HomeJab, America's most popular and reliable on-demand professional real estate photography and video marketplace for real estate pros and architect of the real NFT Marketplace. HomeJab delivers over 4,000,000 images to help agents sell and rent more than $35 billion in listings.

How @Realty Agents Benefit from Using Virtual Tours and Interactive Floor Plans
See for yourself how @Realty agents benefit from using virtual tours and interactive floor plans to sell properties in 2021! Watch the video below: Rent or sell sight unseen, win more listings, and stand out of your competition with Virtual Tours Creator. Present your offers in most effective and easiest, affordable way. Use online software to create unique virtual tours in under 15 minutes for less than $3! Learn more here.

Trending Now: Smart Technology, Smart Marketing, Smart Realtors
Real estate technology in 2021 is giving you ways to shape your future. Whether you are focused primarily on residential or commercial property, you can't ignore the changing landscape of your industry. Now is your time to take advantage of proptech trends to boost your brand, increase buyer awareness, grow your leads, and keep those referrals coming. As threatening as the word sounds, technology is your friend and it can influence the way you do business and the way the consumer judges your competency. The popularity of smart devices, social media, and video streaming are reasons to take note and implement these tools into your real estate marketing plans. Get social Not a day goes by without someone discussing something happening on their social media feed. According to a recent NAR survey, social media is one of the most valuable proptech tools for real estate agents. With buyers and sellers checking out Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube regularly, these channels are places where you can share one of the best proptech trends 2021 has to offer: the virtual tour. You have been using 3D videos and virtual tours throughout the past several months to offer a way for the consumer to easily navigate a property. But now you can allow the user more control using interactive floor plans with 360° panoramic visuals. The best part is you can share it all on your social media channels, websites, or even host a live tour where you can interact in real-time with your clients. Added value Everyone wants an upgrade and, in real estate, there are ways to provide added value to your clients by giving them the benefit of an immersive floor plan with the accurate square footage of a property. Measurements are important especially when communicating value to the consumer. Complimenting a virtual tour with an interactive floor plan allows for seamless navigation throughout every space within the property. When using real estate technology in 2021, be sure to include advanced measurements to assist the buyer when making important decisions for renovations, insurance claims, or placement of furniture. BIG data One of the most useful proptech trends 2021 has to offer real estate agents is data. Bigger is better when it comes to analyzing all the important facts and figures in the industry. How does big data affect your day-to-day business? The consumer is looking for ways to compare and analyze potential homes to target their individual specifications. Big data allows you to provide insight into all the statistics you need to help the buyer on their journey. Everything from neighbourhood demographic information to walk scores, crime rates and the all-important selling and buying trends allow for better decisions based on analytics. Real estate agents can use analytics to track the success of marketing campaigns by using big data to compile user feedback, interest in a property, and the overall performance of every transaction. Easy to share with 5G Yes, big data is important but without the ability to share all that information you could be left waiting for long periods of time before you see results. Enter the power of 5G networks to support all the real estate technology in 2021. Transmission speed helps you get information to the consumer in a timely manner. 5G helps you connect all your virtual tours, interactive floor plans and communication tools quickly and less costly. High definition imagery, connection to cameras, virtual reality and massive data transmissions can happen instantly with the power of 5G. When you are looking to increase buyer awareness amongst millennials, their predecessors and successors, you need speed. Instant gratification is key when capturing the attention of a potential client. Lose the fear One of the biggest challenges facing real estate agents is the fear of proptech trends in 2021 and beyond. Let's face it, technology can be difficult to keep up with. But once you get past the fear of the changing landscape of the real estate industry you will embrace the trends and welcome newer and better innovative proptech. According to Realtor® Magazine, 84% of consumers want to see virtual tours of homes. Before the pandemic hit, you may not have considered using virtual tours as part of your marketing plan. But now immersive 3D tours and interactive floor plans with reliable square footage are the best way to market a property, increase leads, and get properties sold quickly. Technology gives you the ideal way to attract qualified buyers while providing a safe, unintrusive method of presenting a seller's home. Considering what is trending now and where real estate technology in 2021 has taken you. There is a whole lot more coming at you in the not-so-distant future. A reshaping of the real estate industry through proptech innovations is well underway, so if you want to stay in shape you need to be informed and embrace technology like your best friend.

The Importance of Property Information When the Market Is Frantic
If the market is feeling a little nutty to you, you are not alone. We hate to use the word unprecedented yet again, but in many markets, the conditions are exactly that. According to the National Association of REALTORS, despite all the challenges, 2020 was a record year for US housing activity. Existing-home sales rose in December, with home sales in 2020 reaching their highest level since 2006. Existing-home sales totaled 5.64 million in 2020, up 5.6% from 2019 and the most since before the Great Recession. The median existing home sales price was $309,800, up 12.9% from one year previously, and housing inventory sank to 1.07 million and a 1.9-month supply – both historic lows. (source) As we are dealing with record low inventory, record low interest rates, rising COVID cases, and a looming spring market, it's clear there are no shortage of challenges for Realtors right now. On top of that, U.S. Realtors are seeing astronomical numbers of offers being placed sight unseen — over 60% buyers in 2020 say they made a bid on a home without seeing it in person first, according to Redfin. And December showing activity jumped 63.5% nationwide, year-over-year, the eighth consecutive month to see an increase over 2019, according to the ShowingTime Showing Index. It's clear that buyers are more likely now than ever before to do their research online prior to viewing a property. This means that virtual showing options are no longer a perk — they are a necessity. It also means that in times like this, accurate and complete property information becomes more important than ever. People are living differently Across the country, we are seeing people's habits change. Work from home and remote work is a trend that may shape our lives for years to come. As buyers consider new living spaces, they are taking this into account. Space planning has become not just about "Where will I put my furniture?" but also about how to incorporate living, working, and schooling spaces into a home. (We've even heard of buyers looking for "Zoom rooms" where they can take calls and conduct virtual meetings!) Accurate and interactive floor plans are becoming a critical marketing tool for forward-thinking Realtors. Accuracy matters It's simply not good enough anymore for a Realtor to list a home without accurate measurements and square footage. Gone are the days when an agent could simply note "to be verified by buyer" in the comments of a listing. Buyers are becoming savvy enough to demand virtual 3D tours, virtual showings, and accurate measurements in advance of a showing. These technology amenities can now mean the difference between a showing or a pass, even when inventory is low. One-stop shopping Google Analytics tell us that if someone doesn't find what they need on a website, they are unlikely to return to that site. The same is true on our listings. If a buyer is searching for a home and doesn't see great photos, a video or virtual tour, or an interactive experience, they are unlikely to ever click on that listing again. Having all of these marketing features built into a single platform on your listings ensures that buyers are going to spend more time there, and they are going to come back. Your reputation is on the line When a market is frantic, inventory is low, and buyers are plenty, some Realtors assume they can skip steps when it comes to property information. After all, the house will likely sell anyway, right? But great agents know that accuracy and marketing matters even in a seller's market. Creating an emotional pull for buyers always puts your sellers in a better position, and usually ends up in a better sale price. Not to mention that fact that you want those sellers to become a referral source for years to come. And let's face it – people talk. Your extra efforts will not go unnoticed. One thing is for sure – this is our new normal. Forecast reports from NAR suggest real estate activity will remain healthy through 2021, with prices either continuing to climb or remaining steady. There is no doubt that agents who pay attention to these trends and maximize their marketing will continue to see success.

Real Estate Porn and Floor Plans
What are buyers really looking for online these days, and where are they searching for it? These stats may surprise you. There are a whole lot of things to look at on the internet these days. Recently, GrowthBadger put the number of active blogs at somewhere around 600 million, with another 1.7 trillion websites indexed by Google. Of those, I'd wager that a hefty percentage are devoted to food. When Twitter and Instagram first became a thing, everyone used to joke that "No one wants to see what you had for breakfast." At last count, I follow 37 Instagrammers who only post pictures of food. So I'd argue that there are a lot of people who do, actually, want to see what's for breakfast. In fact, Brandwatch named food as one of the biggest online search trends of the last decade. But we are heading into 2021, and there is an even bigger trend than food. These days, it's all about real estate porn. Like almost every other adult I know, I am more than a little addicted to looking at other people's houses. Given the opportunity, I could easily burn a couple of hours dreaming about that NYC loft, that stone cottage, or that mid-mod houseboat, à la Sleepless in Seattle. I know I am not alone in this obsession, because look: Or A quick search will find you hundreds of similar messages. And those websites mentioned are just a few of the sites that offer a visual buffet of gorgeous kitchens, bedrooms, and gift wrapping rooms. Gift-wrapping rooms, y'all. Can you imagine? While I do love me a good real estate website, I also spend a considerable amount of time on that other amazing invention: Pinterest. Boasting over 322 million monthly users, Pinterest is as popular with Millennials as Instagram, according to Sprout Social. Not to mention, over 5% of all referral traffic to all websites comes from Pinterest. That's an insane stat. Not just for wedding planning or recipes, Pinterest also has a plethora of real estate related content. Best of all, there are floor plans. Floor plans are the holy grail of real estate porn. Not only can you drool over the photos, you can actually go so far as to mentally move in your furniture. Or, in my case, mentally ditch all your old furniture and buy new. I am not alone in my love of floor plans. Rightmove released a study that suggests that real estate buyers consider floor plans not just a nice extra, but essential. One in five said they would ignore a property without a floor plan. They also rated floor plans as more important than photos and the description of the property. On the flip side, when sellers consider hiring a real estate agent, Rightmove found that 42% wouldn't hire an agent who didn't offer a floor plan. And before you say, "Yeah, but that is the UK and maybe they are funny over there. After all, they like cricket!" check this out. In the NAR 2019 Home Buyers & Sellers Generational Trends Report, floor plans were ranked third in terms of buyer requests, ranking higher than virtual tours, sold properties, and even agent contact info. In fact, adding a floor plan to a real estate listing can increase click-throughs from buyers by 52%. That's twice as many eyeballs, folks. The problem is that most real estate agents aren't placing the value on floor plans that they should be. Common excuses for not offering floor plans include cost, hassle, and liability issues. The reality is that floor plans are not difficult to get and they aren't as expensive as you might think. Sources like iGUIDE make it super easy and economical to give buyers that mental move-in experience. In this day and age, it's not just about getting your customer's attention. It's about keeping it. Each and every second of attention spent on your marketing matters, whether you are using social media or a search portal. Want to drive more traffic to your listings? Go the extra mile and give us real estate porn stalkers what we want: floor plans. (And more gift-wrapping rooms.) To view the original article, visit the iGuide blog.

How to Draw a Floor Plan without a Laser Measure
Did you know that one in five buyers would ignore a property listing completely if it didn't include a floor plan? That means you could be missing out on 20% of your inquiries with potential buyers scrolling right past your listing. But don't panic! We're going to show you the easiest and fastest way to create a floor plan without using a measuring tape or laser measure.

Is the Square Footage of Your Listing Fake News or Are You Selling Properties Using Accurate Square Footage?
Agents say they will do anything possible to represent the best interests of their sellers. However, some are missing one really important aspect of selling a house: the square footage. Many agents assume the square footage information from an old listing in the MLS or found in public tax records is accurate. But is it really? No, it is not. It is what we call unverified square footage. To successfully represent the best interest of their sellers, agents should always be using verified square footage of a property. Verified square footage comes in three different forms: appraisers or agents measure the home themselves (if they are knowledgeable of the local rules on what should be counted as square footage), or they use technology. Technology can be a powerful tool because there are several companies in the market that don't just measure the seller's home, they also provide ways of promoting the home. In just a couple of paragraphs, we have just scratched the surface as to what an agent needs to know to understand how verified square footage can improve their level of professionalism. Download the case study written by WAV Group to get a full understanding of improving your professionalism using square footage.

Understanding the Difficulty of Differing Residential Square Footage Standards in North America
If you're buying, selling, or listing a home, you want to know its square footage, but do you need to use a standard of measurement? When you bought your current home, who told you its total square footage? It's a critical question, as you likely based your offer on that figure. The problem is, if you're in North America, that figure may not be consistent with typical measurement practices in your area. Your home could be much smaller than you expect.

Food, Facts, and Floor Plans
What are buyers really looking for online these days, and where are they searching for it? These stats may surprise you. There are a whole lot of things to look at on the internet these days. Recently, Statista put the number of active blogs at somewhere around 28.3 million. That's not even counting the 30+ trillion websites currently indexed by Google. Of those, I'd wager that a hefty percentage are devoted to food. When Twitter and Instagram first became a thing, everyone used to joke that "no one wants to see what you had for breakfast." At last count, I follow 28 Instagrammers who only post pictures of food. So I'd argue that there are a lot of people who do, actually, want to see what's for breakfast. In fact, Brandwatch named food as one of the biggest online search trends of 2017. But that was 2017. And food is so two years ago. These days, I'll admit it. I am all about real estate porn. It's true. Like almost every other adult I know, I am more than a little addicted to looking at other people's houses. Given the opportunity, I could easily burn a couple of hours dreaming about that NYC loft, a stone cottage, or that mid-mod houseboat, a la Sleepless in Seattle. I know I am not alone in this obsession, because look: A quick search will find you hundreds of similar messages. And those websites mentioned are just a few of the sites that offer a visual buffet of gorgeous kitchens, bedrooms, and gift wrapping rooms. Gift wrapping rooms, y'all. Can you imagine? While I do love me a good real estate website, I also spend a considerable amount of time on that other amazing invention: Pinterest. Boasting over 175 million monthly users, Pinterest is as popular with millennials as Instagram, according to Omnicore. Not to mention, over 5 percent of all referral traffic to websites comes from Pinterest. That's an insane stat. Not just for wedding planning or recipes, Pinterest also has a plethora of real estate related content. Best of all, there are floor plans. Floor plans are the holy grail of real estate porn. Not only can you drool over the photos, you can actually go so far as to mentally move in your furniture. Or, in my case, mentally ditch all your old furniture and buy new. I am not alone in my love of floor plans. Rightmove released a study in 2013 that suggests that real estate buyers consider floor plans as not just a nice extra, but essential. One in five said they would ignore a property without a floor plan. They also rated floor plans as more important than photos and the description of the property. On the flip side, when sellers consider hiring a real estate agent, Rightmove found that 42 percent wouldn't hire an agent that didn't offer a floor plan. And before you say, "Yeah, but that is the UK and maybe they are funny over there. After all, they like cricket!" check this out. In the NAR 2017 Home Buyer & Seller Generational Trends Report, floor plans were ranked third in terms of buyer requests, ranking higher than virtual tours, sold properties and even agent contact info. And, adding a floor plan to a real estate listing can increase click-throughs from buyers by 52 percent. That's twice as many eyeballs, folks. The problem is that most real estate agents aren't placing the value on floor plans that they should. Common excuses for not offering floor plans include cost, hassle, and liability issues. The reality is that floor plans are not difficult to get and they aren't as expensive as you might think. In this day and age, it's not just about getting your customer's attention. It's about keeping it. Each and every second of attention spent on your marketing matters, whether you are using social media or a search portal. Want to drive more traffic to your listings? Go the extra mile and give us real estate porn stalkers what we want: floor plans. (And more gift wrapping rooms.) To view the original article, visit the iGuide blog.

Stand Out in Your Market and Win Listings for Less with All-in-one Marketing
Real estate agents - are you looking for new ways to differentiate yourself in 2018 and win listings for less? Top agents from RE/MAX, Keller Williams, Coldwell Banker, Century21, and more are flocking to all-in-one marketing services like Matterport that provide both traditional and cutting-edge marketing at affordable rates. With Matterport, real estate agents can get HDR photos, teaser videos, floor plans, 3D walkthroughs, and virtual reality from one fast, easy 3D scan. By getting traditional and cutting-edge marketing assets from the same one-stop shop, they are able to reduce their per-listing marketing expenses and offer stand-out marketing like virtual reality for all of their clients (and not just a select few). This is helping them attract more home sellers and buyers alike. Learn how it all works in Matterport's most recent webinar. In fact, according to a new survey from Coldwell Banker, 62 percent of U.S. consumers would be more likely to choose an agent that offers virtual reality property tours over an agent that does not. What's more, virtual reality tours can save you and your clients time on unnecessary showings. The survey found that 84 percent of prospective buyers would like to see video footage of a home, and 77 percent would like to be able to take a virtual reality tour before visiting a listing.