# How the pandemic has driven a rise in virtual tours Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2021-08-13 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: Virtual Property Tours: The Ultimate Time-Saver | Made Meta Description: Discover how virtual property tours can revolutionise the way you market properties, save time, and increase sales. Learn more with Made Snappy. URL: https://financedigest.com/how-the-pandemic-has-driven-a-rise-in-virtual-tourshtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/new-home-construction-interior-room-with-unfinished-wood-floors-stairway-and-railings-electrical-and-hvac-connections-are-also-partially-unfinished-and-missing-outletsstqgmmu0bo-1-1736838019288-compressed.jpg) _By_ _Mark McCorrie,_ _Made Snappy_ The pandemic has changed so much about the way we think about our homes – not just obvious things like a desire for more space or the freedom to move beyond commuting distance to the office, but even the processes that we use to rent and buy property. ![](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/mike-204x300-1736838019143-compressed.jpg) Mark McCorrie, Made Snappy An example of this is virtual property tours. Between November 2019 and June 2021, the use of virtual tours increased by 600%, according to [Made Snappy’s analysis](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-financial-literacy-or-luck-the-year-small-time-traders-made-a-big-impact.html "Analysis-Financial literacy or luck? The year small-time traders made a big impact") of data from Rightmove. Prior to the pandemic, they were used for 1% of [properties to let and 2% of properties for sale](https://www.financedigest.com/frances-axa-q1-sales-rise-2-as-property-policy-demand-grows.html "France’s AXA Q1 sales rise 2% as property policy demand grows"). Fast-forward to the [present day](https://www.financedigest.com/the-medical-tourism-market-is-estimated-to-substantiate-i-e-grow-at-a-handsome-rate-in-upcoming-years-the-present-day-scenario-implies-the-adoption-of-smarter-ways-to-do-business-as-such-digital.html "The Medical Tourism Market to get filtered through organic digitized growth") and virtual tours are now used for 7% of rental homes and 14% of homes for sale. **The benefits of virtual tours** Clearly, virtual tours – or 360 tours, as those in the property [industry call](https://www.financedigest.com/struggling-british-pig-industry-calls-for-tesco-to-step-up.html "Struggling British pig industry calls for Tesco to step-up") them – are advantageous when it comes to reducing face-to-face interaction. This has [made them ideal for use during the pandemic](https://www.financedigest.com/tripling-the-size-of-my-business-in-the-pandemic-the-mistakes-made-and-lessons-learned.html "Tripling the Size of my Business in the Pandemic — The Mistakes Made and Lessons Learned"), but it is far from the only benefit that 360 tours deliver. With an in-house solution such as that offered by Made Snappy, the tour itself can be created by staff in as little as 10 minutes per property, with another 15 minutes or so on the computer [back in the office](https://www.financedigest.com/to-be-or-not-to-be-back-at-the-office-that-is-the-question.html "To be or not to be (back at the office)? That is the Question"). Any potential viewer can then tour the [property online](https://www.financedigest.com/prime-property-finance-online-marketplace-capitalrise-secures-seed-funding-from-financial-services-legend.html "Prime property finance online marketplace, CapitalRise, secures seed funding from financial services legend"). Being able to show a property so quickly and with such ease is a real [game changer](https://www.financedigest.com/game-changer-ultra-announces-platform-to-revolutionize-gaming-industry.html "Game Changer: Ultra Announces Platform to Revolutionize Gaming Industry") for agency staff. And providing [viewings without leaving the office](https://www.financedigest.com/verasitys-proof-of-view-passes-examination-by-chinese-patent-office.html "Verasity’s Proof of View Passes Examination by Chinese Patent Office") saves a huge about of staff time. Ashley Rigg, Co-founder of Bristol Property Partnership, which [manages over 600 units](https://www.financedigest.com/sacyr-shortlists-four-bidders-for-its-service-waste-management-unit-expansion.html "Sacyr shortlists four bidders for its service, waste management unit – Expansion"), mostly in Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), comments: _“The Bristol lettings market is crazy. We have four negotiators working across the city and the rule is you [don’t leave the office unless the applicant has viewed the virtual](https://www.financedigest.com/dont-let-the-promises-of-virtual-desktop-security-cloud-your-judgement.html "Don’t let the promises of virtual desktop security cloud your judgement") tour. It just [saves so much time](https://www.financedigest.com/why-now-is-the-time-to-implement-a-time-saving-business-model-encouraging-team-members-to-discuss-their-challenges.html "Why now is the time to implement a time saving business model, encouraging team members to discuss their challenges") in terms of reducing wasted viewings. It’s also perfect for our [student properties; we can often show parents a tour when before they would have come in person to a secon](https://www.financedigest.com/leicester-top-of-the-class-for-student-property.html "Leicester top of the class for student property") d viewing.”_ **The ultimate time-saver** The elimination of wasted viewings is, I would argue, the ultimate benefit of virtual tours. The amount of time that [agents such as Ashley can save as a result of prospective renters or buyers taking a virtual](https://www.financedigest.com/the-rise-of-virtual-agents-the-future-banking-experience.html "The rise of virtual agents: the future banking experience") tour is huge. In my own experience, using 360 tours cut out 40% of my viewings, all of which would have been a complete waste of my [time – and of the time of those viewing the properties](https://www.financedigest.com/uncertain-times-for-uk-landlords-how-to-avoid-insolvency-for-your-property-management-business-in-2020.html "Uncertain Times for UK Landlords: How to Avoid Insolvency for Your Property Management Business in 2020"). This significant [time saving means](https://www.financedigest.com/the-pandemic-means-that-its-time-to-double-down-on-our-commitment-wellbeing-and-employee-engagement.html "The pandemic means that it’s time to double down on our commitment wellbeing and employee engagement") that agencies can keep their costs lean, as staff are using their time more efficiently and effectively. [Everyone wins](https://www.financedigest.com/convenience-vs-security-in-ecommerce-payments-how-everyone-can-win.html "Convenience vs Security in Ecommerce Payments: How everyone can win") – the agency, the landlord/vendor (who benefit from fewer invasive viewings that they have to tidy up in advance of!) and the prospective buyer/tenant. This is why [virtual tours have continued](https://www.financedigest.com/despite-return-to-work-virtual-meetings-will-continue-to-disrupt-business-as-usual-in-finance.html "Despite Return to Work, Virtual Meetings Will Continue to Disrupt Business as Usual in Finance") to grow, despite lockdown restrictions lifting. Screening out any potential tenants who don’t like a [property’s interior](https://www.financedigest.com/mark-wrights-chigwell-property-gets-interior-design-makeover.html "Mark Wright’s Chigwell property gets interior design makeover") is harder to do with still images than it is with a 360 tour. More and more [agencies are appreciating just how much more efficient the lettings or sales](https://www.financedigest.com/adnami-appoints-sophie-spencer-as-uk-agency-sales-director.html "Adnami appoints Sophie Spencer as UK Agency Sales Director") process can be. Kevin Hall, for example, is Director of Martin & Co in Ashford, Kent. He began using [virtual tours during the pandemic](https://www.financedigest.com/virtual-cards-will-help-lead-the-travel-industry-into-a-post-pandemic-boom.html "Virtual cards will help lead the travel industry into a post-pandemic boom") and now wouldn’t be without them. He explains: _“We are getting 50, sometimes up to 200, leads on every rental. As well as asking applicants to fill in a short questionnaire, we ask those who qualify to view a virtual tour. It speeds up the [process massively as there is so much demand](https://www.financedigest.com/rising-demand-for-packaged-processed-food-in-the-apac-region-drives-the-growth-of-batch-rotary-dryers.html "Rising Demand for Packaged & Processed Food In The APAC Region Drives The Growth of Batch Rotary Dryers") at the moment.  If we didn’t have the virtual tours, I genuinely do not know how we would cope.”_ With 360 tours in place, Hall is able to manage his [lettings agency with just one negotiator to cover 600 properties](https://www.financedigest.com/property-letting-could-become-a-legal-minefield.html "PROPERTY LETTING COULD BECOME A LEGAL MINEFIELD"). After a virtual tour, he finds that an in-person viewing [becomes more like a second](https://www.financedigest.com/belaruss-high-tech-park-announces-second-phase-legal-framework-cryptocurrency-industry-bid-become-leading-crypto-nation.html "Belarus’s High Tech Park Announces Second Phase Of Legal Framework For Cryptocurrency Industry In Bid To Become Leading Crypto Nation") viewing. In fact, the tours are so [detailed that Hall reports](https://www.financedigest.com/chromoendoscopy-agents-market-2031-report-details-the-future-development-manufacturers-trends-share-size-and-forecast.html "Chromoendoscopy Agents Market 2031 Report Details the Future Development, Manufacturers, Trends, Share, Size and Forecast") it would be possible to let 50% of the agency’s properties without in-person viewings. The situation of having over 100 prospective tenants per [rental property](https://www.financedigest.com/4-tips-for-landlords-to-increase-rental-property-profits.html "4 Tips for Landlords to Increase Rental Property Profits") is not unique to Kent, or even particularly unusual. Up and down the country, we’re [witnessing an incredibly hectic rental market](https://www.financedigest.com/the-cellulose-gel-market-to-witness-calculated-innovation.html "The Cellulose Gel Market To Witness Calculated Innovation"). Property sales have also been [booming during the pandemic](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-house-prices-end-2022-on-a-weaker-note-after-pandemic-boom.html "UK house prices end 2022 on a weaker note after pandemic boom"), meaning that estate agents have been under considerable pressure to maximise the use of their time. Virtual tours enable agents to [cut out wasted time](https://www.financedigest.com/britains-purplebricks-to-cut-more-than-10-of-jobs-the-times.html "Britain’s Purplebricks to cut more than 10% of jobs – The Times") and boost conversions, freeing them up to deal with more properties, which ultimately means more income. What we’ve seen, therefore, is the pandemic drive interest in 360 tours, leading to that 600% increase in their use. However, it is the efficiencies delivered by the tours themselves that have convinced agents to stick with them for the long haul. Virtual tours are here to stay. --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---