Today, most homebuyers expect to have the opportunity to explore a property online before physically visiting it. For buyers relocating from different parts of the country, a virtual tour is not just a luxury but a necessity. It often serves as the deciding factor between making an offer and moving on to the next listing.
Whether you are selling a condo in Chicago, IL, or a family home in Charlotte, NC, out-of-town buyers are actively engaging with your listing from miles away. Providing them with a way to truly experience your home virtually before making any travel arrangements is not only convenient but also gives you a competitive edge that can lead to quicker sales and more attractive offers.
The Importance of Catering to Out-of-Town Buyers
Changes in work trends, lifestyle preferences, and escalating home prices in major cities have led more buyers to explore properties in unfamiliar locations. A survey conducted by Redfin and Matterport revealed that 63% of buyers have made offers on homes they have not physically visited. Sellers who offer well-produced virtual tours are in the best position to attract this audience.
This represents a significant group of motivated buyers who are serious about their search. Most of them create their shortlist online long before they plan any in-person viewings or travel arrangements.
Brooklyn Jenkins Cooper, the founder of RE-MEDIA, frequently observes this trend in her market. She notes, “Military families often purchase homes from afar, without ever setting foot inside. For them, a virtual tour can make all the difference in whether they make an offer or move on. Sellers also benefit greatly as it exposes your home to buyers well beyond the local market, attracting more attention and more substantial offers.”
>> Read: How Does Buying a House Out of State Work?
Enhancing the Home Viewing Experience with Virtual Tours
While high-quality listing photos are essential, they may not answer the crucial question on every buyer’s mind: How does it feel to move through this home? Grant Smith from Sold Visual emphasizes, “Photos showcase rooms adequately, but they do not provide the layout information that buyers are truly seeking, especially when browsing late at night. A virtual tour can place a home on the shortlist of out-of-town buyers in a way that photos alone cannot achieve.”
Alan Duggins of Advantage Austin Properties and owner of V Tour Studios Austin agrees, stating, “Great photos are a good start, but a walkthrough truly gives buyers a sense of the home’s layout. For out-of-town or busy buyers who prefer not to visit multiple properties physically, virtual tours are essential.”
The key difference lies in spatial comprehension. While browsing a photo gallery, a buyer may admire the kitchen and backyard but still feel unsure about the overall flow of the home. A 3D walkthrough allows them to navigate from the entryway to the living room to the primary suite and back, helping them understand the layout better.
The Business Advantages of Virtual Tours for Sellers
Virtual tours not only expand your pool of potential buyers but also ensure that every physical showing is more meaningful. When buyers have already explored the home digitally, they come to viewings with a deeper understanding and fewer basic questions.
Kyle Breeden, a market leader at V6D, a real estate media provider in various regions, notes, “Listings with immersive 3D tours capture buyer attention significantly longer than those with only photos. This extended engagement leads to more inquiries and stronger showing requests. Virtual tours remove a major obstacle for remote and busy buyers by offering 24/7 remote walkthroughs, expanding the seller’s market without additional physical showings.”
Breeden also emphasizes how sellers should view their tour strategy, stating, “The most successful sellers treat the tour as the front door of their marketing, not just an add-on. It provides buyers with their initial complete experience of the home.”
Smith echoes this sentiment, noting a noticeable improvement in showing quality once a tour is available. “Buyers arrive having already toured the house virtually, so they inquire about specific details rather than searching for basic information.”
Ideal Candidates for Virtual Tours
While not every listing may benefit equally from a virtual tour, certain scenarios make them particularly impactful:
- Relocating or military buyers purchasing sight-unseen from another state or country
- Busy professionals unable to attend multiple showings in person
- Luxury or higher-priced listings where buyers seek thorough confidence before visiting
- Unique or unconventional layouts challenging to convey through photos alone
- Vacant homes where transparency is key
Dennis Wyrick, owner of Real Estate Photography Now, summarizes the broader value of virtual tours. “Virtual tours empower buyers to explore a home at their convenience, especially valuable for out-of-town buyers or those with busy schedules. They generate stronger interest before an in-person showing, enabling sellers to reach a broader audience of serious buyers and often resulting in quicker, more confident offers.”
Maximizing the Impact of Your Virtual Tour
Creating a tour is only part of the equation; how you utilize it is equally crucial. Here are some tips to enhance its effectiveness:
- Highlight it. Showcase the tour prominently at the beginning of your listing, rather than burying it among numerous photos.
- Combine it with a floor plan. Buyers find floor plans useful during their property search.
- Keep it updated. Ensure that the tour reflects any staging or updates made to the property.
- Share it extensively. Don’t limit the tour to your listing page; distribute the link on social media, in emails, and through paid promotions.
- Utilize it to gauge interest. Buyers who request showings after viewing the tour are typically more serious than those making initial inquiries.
Ready to Expand Your Buyer Reach?
In a market where out-of-town buyers are actively vying for properties, a compelling virtual home tour is a seller’s most valuable tool. It broadens your reach, intensifies buyer interest, and enhances the productivity of every physical showing.
If you are considering listing your home, connect with a Redfin agent in your area to discover how to market your property to a wide range of buyers, including those who have not yet visited your city.