Putting South Africa’s VR Innovation Into The Property Sector

The technology of VR is taking off across Africa, with South Africa proudly leading the way.

Lifestyle magazine Quartz noted the broad expansion of South African use of VR, with advertising and sales being the next big thing to feel the VR overhaul.

Property viewings and sales have come along with them, and today, prospective buyers can view their chosen property without ever having to leave the comfort of the home.

For real estate agents, this presents a range of benefits:

1 – Setting the foundations

Real estate agents will need, for starters, a software package on which to base their service.

This can be done with bespoke real estate equipment, or through using open-source software in conjunction with one of the commercial devices; the Oculus Rift, for instance, now costs in a region of R11,000, according to The Guardian.

If you do go for open source or home-made solutions, be wary of data gathering practices.

Data privacy is increasingly important to South African consumers, and with GDPR in place around the world, there can be high costs when data security is breached.

2 – A quality service

The service you provide will influence the quality of buyer you obtain.

Using high-quality imaging software to collect a full image of the property will be important; make sure that a property can truly be seen through VR imaging.

South Africa is currently moving towards the tiny home trend, and you can take advantage here; a small space can be far more easily imaged and presented to potential buyers.

In short, ensure that any work you undertake adds value to the selling process.

3 – Future proof

The use of remote technology will help real estate agents in the future in two ways.

Firstly, consumers in South Africa are big on convenience. As outlined by Nielsen, over 40% of South African consumers want products that make their lives easier; remote real estate does just that.

Secondly, it will benefit your business in times of crisis, as Coronavirus has shown; social distancing can be achieved by businesses that can conduct their work without person-to-person contact.

For real estate agents, VR tech provides a real opportunity to upscale. A method through which interactive and immersive experiences can be generated for customers, it will help to secure new sales.

In the modern, convenience-led age, this advantage will only become more pronounced.