Virtual Showings and Virtual Tours

As REALTORS® pivot to technology and virtual methods to show homes and properties, NAR compiled these handy links and resources to get you started.

Virtual Showings

Viewing Properties Virtually During COVID-19 [PDF]pdf (National Association of REALTORS®)

Here’s What Every Seller Needs to Know About Virtual Showings (DPIWow.com, Dec. 23, 2020)

Virtual Showings, The New Normal (Consolto, Dec. 12, 2020)

9 Ways for Sellers to Prepare a Virtual Showing (Florida REALTORS®)

Virtual Tours

What Is a Virtual Open House? (Redfin, Apr. 16, 2026)

"According to the National Association of REALTORS®, 43% of buyers begin their home search online, and listings with virtual tours receive 87% more views than those without. Expectations are also higher, with 88% percent of buyers expect to see virtual tours when browsing homes, and more than half admitting they skip over listings if it doesn’t include one."

Digitizing the American Dream (Seattle Magazine, Dec. 22, 2020)

A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Virtual Home Tour (REALTOR® Magazine, Nov.-Dec. 2020)

3D Home Tours Are All the Rage in Real Estate (The Street, Nov. 16, 2020)

How Technology Has Changed the Selling Process in the Times of COVID (RISMedia, Nov. 15, 2020)

Best Practices for Virtual Tours and Virtual Showings

How to Create a Virtual Tour for Real Estate (Quicken Loans, May 25, 2023)

Avoid Liability in 'Sight Unseen' Sales (REALTOR® Magazine, Jan.-Feb. 2021)

10 Questions to Ask During a Virtual Home Tour (AZ Big Media, Feb. 1, 2021)

Purchasing a Home Virtually? Here are 5 Tips! (HousingWire, Jan. 21, 2021)

Avoid These 5 Mistakes When Buying a Home Sight Unseen (Realtor.com®, Jan. 4, 2021)

Can Virtual Showings Help Keep Agents Safe? (HomeRover, Dec. 17, 2020)

When to Invest in 3D Virtual Tours vs Video Tours in Real Estate in 2021 (Cole Connor, Dec. 16, 2020)

How to Make a Virtual 360 Tour for Real Estate (RE Photo Journal, Dec. 8, 2020)

How to Tour a House Today: Tips to Make the Most of Virtual or In-Person Showings (Realtor.com®, Nov. 11, 2020)

Virtual Tours Are Here to Stay. This is How to Do Them Right (The New York Times, Sept. 1, 2020)

Useful Websites

Asteroom — Armed with just a phone and our affordable 3D tour kit, anyone can create a high-quality 3D virtual tour in minutes. No training or past experience required.  After you take the photos with our app, we will perform image enhancements as well as create a 3D dollhouse and 2D floorplan within 24 hours. We can even do 3D room staging if needed.

CloudPano — CloudPano is the best software platform for publishing virtual tours. No coding required, keep your website domain, and even chat live with clients.

Facebook Live — Live video on Facebook is immediate, authentic and interactive.

FaceTime — Learn how to use FaceTime to make video and audio calls from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Matterport — Create experiences like nothing you’ve ever seen before. With a single scan, you can automatically create 3D walk-throughs, 4K print quality photos, schematic floor plans, OBJ files, point clouds, videos, and other media.

Messenger — Hang out anywhere, anytime by getting on a call or a group video chat.

Microsoft Teams Meetings – Free 60-minute meetings on any device.

TruPlace — For buyers looking to be guided through a property visually, TruPlace has Walkthrough Videos that escort viewers to each room. These video products are available at varying lengths from 1-minute to 4-minutes long, regardless of property size.

Zoom — Simplified video conferencing and messaging across any device.

eBooks & Other Resources

eBooks

Facebook Marketing for Dummies (eBook)

How to Shoot Video That Doesn’t Suck (Kindle, eBook)

Master Facebook (Kindle, eBook)

Skype for Dummies (Kindle, eBook)

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Skype for PCs (eBook)

Tools for Live Streaming 8 (Kindle, eBook)

Video Marketing for Dummies (eBook)

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The inclusion of links on this page does not imply endorsement by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR makes no representations about whether the content of any external sites which may be linked in this page complies with state or federal laws or regulations or with applicable NAR policies. These links are provided for your convenience only and you rely on them at your own risk.