A New Era of Homebuying

It’s nearly impossible to remember what the process of finding a new home was like a couple decades ago. That’s because technology has taken the homebuying process to previously unimagined levels.

Gone are the days of searching newspaper classified ads for property listings, driving around in search of for sale signs, or sitting down with a real estate agent to spell out the amenities you dreamed of. Certainly, you can still visit with a real estate agent to discuss your ideal home, but today’s technology grants access to an impressive amount of research you can also do on your own.

At one time, only real estate agents had access to home listings. Eager homebuyers poured over printouts of listings provided by their real estate agent, deciding by a single image which homes to go see. But in our modern era, searching for real estate means infinite possibilities thanks to digital connectivity, real-time data, and sophisticated online tools and resources.

Perhaps one of the best concepts to emerge in the world of real estate has been the virtual tour. What began in the ‘90s as simply a string of static photos showing a home’s interior has evolved into an immersive experience that can virtually transport homebuyers into countless homes with just a few scrolls. There are few things as fun as exploring a home up close and personal through your screen of choice – no matter the distance between you and the home.

Key Benefits of Touring Homes Online

Save Time and Money: One of the top benefits of using virtual home tours comes in the form of time and money savings. No need to take an afternoon off work or rearrange your entire schedule to connect with the home of your dreams. Checking out a home virtually also saves gas, which in turn saves money, and is a plus for the environment. Win-win!

Convenient Home Shopping Online: It doesn’t get much easier than searching for a new home from your own home. Or your car. Or a doctor’s office. Or while you’re waiting to get your oil changed. Or the school pick-up line. You get the picture. Thanks to 360-degree and 3D technology in our digital world, you can literally “visit” a home on the market anytime, anywhere. No matter where you are.

Take Your Time: Not only does a virtual tour allow you to see a home whenever you want, but it also allows you to take as much time as you want. Inspect every room from corner to corner without pressure. Visit the home as many times as you want to evaluate if it is the right fit for your family. It’s like having a private open house available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Global Connectivity: Whether you are searching for property in your city, within your state, across the nation, or elsewhere in the world, having access to the internet means you have countless listings at your fingertips. Narrow your home search using criteria spanning location, square footage, and school proximity to the number of bathrooms, bedrooms, amenities, and more.

Visualize Your Home: Having access to a virtual home tour grants you the time and flexibility to really absorb all that a home has to offer. It also affords the chance to visualize what you would do with the space; how you would arrange furniture, how you might decorate it, and, ultimately, to carefully consider how the home would fit your unique needs.

Virtual Tours are Fun: Quite simply, a 360-degree or 3D virtual house tour can help take the stress and guesswork out of your home search. No need to drive from location to location only to be disappointed when you see a home in person. Instead, enjoy the versatile palette of possibilities from the comfort of your couch to determine what homes would be the best candidates for an in-person visit.

A Personalized Experience: When purchasing a new home, it’s best to be as informed as possible. A virtual tour offers the opportunity to search key home features you’re interested in, sift through prospective homes, and enjoy a realistic sense of what a home offers by exploring floor plans from a birds-eye view, touring a home floor by floor for a simulated walkthrough.

Discover John Houston's Virtual Home Tours

Interactive, engaging, affordable, uncomplicated, and convenient. These are just some of the reasons that 97% of all buyers searched for new homes online in 2021, according to industry data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). And as one might expect, that number climbed to 98% and 99% respectively with Gen Xers and Millennials.

At John Houston Homes, we are proud to offer an array of virtual home tours for your home-browsing convenience. Visit our website to get instant access to more than 30 of our 3D floor plans as well as our luxurious 3D model home tours. Take a virtual walk through our homes, zoom in on the details, and measure space in any room. We also offer an exterior visualizer tool to bring your home vision to life. See what a new home’s exterior would look like with varying brick, stone, trim, and color options.

While today’s technological advancements are truly extraordinary, nothing takes the place of a personal touch. That’s why we are on standby and happy to assist any way we can during your homebuying journey.

To learn more about purchasing a new home, contact a John Houston Homes New Home Advisor today at 866-217-9069!