3D scanners are shaking up the real estate field and revolutionizing the entire construction and renovation industry. At the same time, the virtual tour is attracting an increasingly wide audience.
The encounter between the virtual real estate tour and the 3D scanner therefore inevitably brings an innovation to this entire sector, for the benefit of real estate professionals. What are these innovations? Time saved, more accurate... Discover the advantages of this technology in this article.
Innovative real estate visits thanks to scanners
Real estate agencies, real estate developers or simple homeowners wishing to resell, 3D scanners push your virtual tours to new heights.
The 3D scanner is gaining popularity thanks to its remote measurement device that works by laser emission and reception called LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging).
These laser acquisitions reproduce the data of the scanned object by forming point clouds. These point clouds are a three-dimensional set of the different points measured by the LiDAR sensors and placed on the x, y, and z axes.
These will be used to design a 3D model of the surface to be reproduced. This process is all the more innovative as it reduces the time it takes to create virtual tours.
A quick process for creating virtual tours with 3D scanners
The time it takes to create a virtual tour for a building is shortened, as it only takes a few steps :
- Capture of the environment with 3D scanners : technicians and engineers are dispatched to the site to digitize point clouds;
- Point cloud processing : this involves cleaning, merging or aligning the points to have a harmonious representation of the property;
- Creation of the 3D virtual tour using software.
Increased lasergrammetry accuracy in 3D scanners
The point clouds recorded by 3D scanners are unmodified or simplified representations of reality. You can get digital data down to the millimeter. The creation of virtual tours from 3D scans accurately reports:
- Distances and heights, angles;
- The texture of the materials: bricks, mouldings, wood flooring;
- Architectural details.
The capture of photos is done in record time. Data is digitized by the minute. Moreover, the range of 3D scanners dedicated to buildings is very wide, allowing for increased accuracy. Static scanners can typically reach a range of 30 to 300 meters.
Mobile scanners are capable of collecting digital information over an area of about 12,000 m — per day. This precision offers an optimal customer experience to potential buyers.
Improving the customer experience with 3D scanners
As a real estate professional, the use of 3D scanners allows you to significantly improve the customer experience. The site visit is a decisive step in the purchase decision of your potential buyers. Thus, thanks to a virtual tour carried out by 3D scanning, they will be able to:
- Visit the site at their own pace;
- Linger on a room;
- Create an emotional connection with the place;
- Have an overview in order to project future changes;
- Freely review a particular piece.
Your visitors can navigate through the rooms as if they were actually present in the premises thanks to the many features (zoom in/out, 360° navigation, full-screen display, aerial view).
Better accessibility to real estate visits
The two big factors that can hold back prospects or customers from buying a property are setbacks and the remoteness of the sites to be visited. Avoid all these constraints thanks to virtual tours since they allow you to:
- Access the site from any location and at any time;
- Save time compared to travel;
- Save money by eliminating the expense of site visits.
With virtual tours, your clients can now access a 100% online real estate tour without time or place constraints. The exact and highly realistic representation from the 3D scan is at your fingertips: from a phone, tablet or computer.
To take advantage of all these advantages of 3D scanners for real estate visits, opt for the right tools.
How to make virtual tours from 3D scanners?
If you want to use 3D scanners to carry out your real estate visits, there are several choices available to you.
Static scanners
Ideal for scanning buildings and small and large infrastructures, static scanners are composed of:
- A head including scanner LiDAR sensors to measure distances and a camera to take panoramic photos;
- A stable and adjustable tripod, ideal for taking measurements of congested, narrow, high or hard-to-reach areas.
The 3D scanning readings of the static scanners are done by station and are capable of capturing a high density of point cloud for modeling.
They are produced by major manufacturers such as Trimble, Leica, Faro and Geosystems
Mobile scanners
Mobile scanners are newer scanners. They allow the acquisition of point clouds and panoramic photos continuously. Dynamic scanners are equipped with devices that can be carried like a backpack or pushed like a cart. The acquisition of moving point clouds is possible thanks to:
- A Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) or Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM);
- An inertial measurement unit: Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU).
Drone photogrammetry
For aerial scanning, traditional drone cameras are replaced by LiDAR sensors. They are mainly used to create an overview of the exterior of buildings or an overall view with details of the infrastructure.
They offer a very good simulation of the environment to be modelled. They are equipped with a GPS positioning system and an inertial measurement unit.
In short, the use of 3D scanners for real estate visits allows any real estate player to:
- Save time;
- Reduce lead times;
- Strengthen buyer engagement;
- Expand their market to international prospects.
3D scanners have revolutionized and continue to revolutionize the work of real estate professionals.
Entrust us with the realization of your real estate visits.
