3D virtual tours in real estate are not just a fad. They represent the future of selling real estate, especially to a tech-savvy Gen Z marketplace.
Of course, if a buyer or renter is local and can actually visit a property, there’s no disputing that’s a desirable option. But for prospective tenants who live far away—as is often the case with college students—a 3D real estate tour could be your path to lease-up success.
If a property has not yet been built, a virtual real estate tour is the best, most cost-effective option to garner the attention of prospective tenants and fill apartments fast.
Sure, you can create demo units. But not every prospective renter can visit a demo unit. Demo units also have disadvantages for the landlord or leasing company. They can be costly to build and require upkeep, along with requiring staff at the location to encourage sales.
Using a 3D virtual real estate tour and photorealistic renderings during student housing lease-ups can help deliver 100% occupancy—no vacancies—before the building project is complete.
Why 3D Virtual Tours in Real Estate?
Tech savvy Gen Z is totally okay without leaving their homes if they don’t have to. They prefer you text them instead of calling. And they don’t need a “hard sell” to decide on their student housing.
Virtual tours and photorealistic renderings are the perfect way to reach out to this demographic. Capture their attention on social media, and then secure the lease by marketing to Gen Z in a way that reflects their values.
What does Gen Z care about when shopping for student housing? And how can you market your lease-ups in a way to appeal to this powerful demographic?
1. Create Engaging Content to Reach Gen Z on Social Media
Video killed the radio star back in 1980. Today, video is doing the same to text and static images in online marketing.
66% of US teens watch online videos every day, according to statistics from Smart Insights. That’s just one reason marketers love it.
A recent report from Veedyou Media says that 81% of video marketers found that videos help generate leads, while 84% say they boost web traffic.
Rendered fly-through videos of your property posted on YouTube allow Gen Z students to visualize life in their new home—before it’s even built.
Students will envision walking through the door, tossing their shoes in the corner, and curling up to relax on the sofa and watch TV. Our renderings bring it all to life down to every detail.
Facebook carousel ads and interactive Instagram posts can also deliver your message in compelling ways. Use photorealistic renderings to take students on a virtual tour of your student housing unit without leaving Instagram. They can share with their friends, compare notes about their favorite features, and lease your space ready to be roomies.
2. Interact with Gen Z in Ways They Can Relate To
Gen Z is used to navigating the digital world in their own way. They browse tens of thousands of hours of entertainment on Netflix and choose what they want to watch on demand. They use customer service kiosks to order merchandise they can’t find in the store and have it shipped straight to their home.
As much as they enjoy watching videos, they aren’t passive observers. They comment in real-time. They participate in eSports, customizing their video game characters. They build their own Minecraft worlds.
When they are in front of a screen, Gen Z wants to be in control. A 3D virtual real estate tour gives members of Gen Z the perspective they need to take control of their experience. They will view their future homes from the angles they want to see it and become fully immersed in the space.
Best of all, they can access virtual reality tours from the comfort of their home, from a lease-up office, or from anywhere they have access to WiFi and a virtual reality headset.
3. Make It Easy for Gen Z to Choose Your Property
Thanks to all of the above, including streaming video on demand and customized gaming experiences, Gen Z expects immediate answers and information when they are researching a buying decision.
A report published on Forbes stated that 60% of Gen Z consumers said they wouldn’t use an app or website that was slow to load or hard to navigate. They seek interactive engagement and the ability to get the answers they need with a click.
Photorealistic renderings and 3D virtual tours of real estate provide the information Gen Z needs in an easy to digest format. From furniture upholstery to countertop materials, renderings showcase exactly what students will get within your new apartments. A 3D real estate tour through a VR headset even makes it easy to gauge room size and scale.
Realistically rendered window placements show natural light streaming into apartments. Every detail, down to a mirror on a wall or a shelf in the bathroom, can be depicted so there are no surprises—or unhappy tenants—on moving day.
4. Be Authentic
According to an article on BazaarVoice, 60% of Gen Z are more likely to respond to a real person in an advertisement than a celebrity. This generation craves authenticity.
What better way to capture their hearts—and wallets—than by showing real-life details in the photorealistic renderings of your lease-up properties? From imperfectly made beds to shoes on the floor, textbooks on the coffee table or cool artwork on the walls, uForis makes your student housing look “lived in,” so students can envision themselves living there.
In addition, the details of the homes themselves are true to life. Each room is rendered realistically to match floor plans, and also to depict the upholstery, materials, and décor within the apartment.
5. Show Gen Z How Your Student Housing Aligns with their Values
Like their millennial counterparts, Gen Z also has a social conscious. They want to know they are moving into a community that aligns with their values.
In addition to providing realistic virtual tours of student housing, provide information about the surrounding community. Does the community support the arts through theater programs? Are recycling services available in the town? What events does your student housing host?
If you include green building materials or have built units to maximize daylight harvesting and natural sunlight, advertise that alongside photorealistic renderings to show students they are leasing a property that is built sustainably. These details matter to Gen Z and can lead to faster lease-ups and, ultimately, 100% occupancy before move-in day.
Gen Z: Ready to Buy Homes through 3D Virtual Real Estate Tours
3D virtual tours have already changed the way we market student housing lease-ups for properties under construction or before ground has been broken.
Gen Z dominates student housing leases today. Within the next five to 10 years, Gen Z will start to represent a growing percentage of the rental and homebuying market.
uForis has the technology tools in place, along with extensive knowledge of this demographic, to make any real estate project a success with our 3D virtual tours and photorealistic renderings. It’s the way future generations will rent their first apartment after graduation and, someday soon, buy their first home.
If you’re not using a virtual tour to lease or sell your real estate, you could get left behind by competitors. Don’t start the school year with uncertainty and half-empty properties. Fill your lease-up properties before they are built with a virtual real estate tour.