By: PR Team Cloud Realty
In today’s fast-paced real estate market, the way buyers and sellers navigate transactions has dramatically shifted. Gone are the days when clients relied solely on traditional in-person tours or printed brochures to make decisions. Instead, digital tools have stepped into the spotlight, offering more efficient, immersive, and informative experiences. From 3D tours and drone footage to high-quality videos, these technologies are transforming the landscape of house hunting and making real estate professionals reconsider how they present properties. Nick Doherty, a seasoned real estate expert, has witnessed this transformation firsthand and believes that while these tools are powerful, they’re best used as complementary assets, not replacements for the human element of real estate.
Doherty, who incorporates everything from professional photography to drone videos in his listings, finds drone footage particularly invaluable. “What I’ve been doing is utilizing drone footage because it shows features of the house that typical photography can’t capture,” he explains. This kind of perspective is crucial, especially when potential buyers want to see not only the home itself but also its surrounding environment—the roof, the neighborhood, and nearby amenities. In a world where first impressions matter, these aerial views offer buyers a more complete picture, helping them visualize the property within its broader context.
However, while 3D tours were once touted as game-changers, Doherty has found that they often take a back seat to more concise, easily consumable videos. “People don’t tend to really view the 3D tours as much,” Doherty notes. “They want something quick and easy, and videos are more digestible.” It’s not hard to understand why; today’s consumers are constantly bombarded with content, and their attention spans are shorter than ever. A two-to-four-minute video walkthrough, complete with background music and flowing visuals, allows potential buyers to get a comprehensive feel for a property without having to click through every corner of a virtual tour.
This shift toward video consumption isn’t just a matter of convenience—it’s reshaping buyer behavior. More and more, buyers are using these digital tools to conduct research before even reaching out to a realtor. With platforms like Realtor.ca and real estate apps offering property histories, sold prices, and high-quality images, buyers can educate themselves long before stepping foot inside a home. “The majority of buyers are coming from online now,” Doherty observes. “They’re able to utilize these tools and do research themselves ahead of time.” This means that by the time a buyer schedules a showing, they’re often already deeply interested in the property, having gathered much of the information they need through digital platforms.
But even as digital tools become more prominent, Doherty firmly believes that they won’t fully replace in-person viewings. “There’s nothing like actually being in the house to look at the details firsthand, to see what’s really going on,” he says. From experiencing the layout of the space to sensing the atmosphere and even noticing the smells, being physically present in a home adds dimensions that no virtual tool can replicate. The tactile experience of walking through a property remains irreplaceable, especially when making one of the biggest financial decisions of a person’s life.
Yet, the digital transformation in real estate isn’t slowing down. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of virtual tours, digital contracts, and remote closings, and while the world is slowly returning to in-person interactions, these digital tools are here to stay. “It’ll be complementary,” Doherty predicts. “I don’t foresee it taking over, but it’s an added bonus.” He emphasizes that as buyers continue to lean into technology for convenience, real estate professionals must keep pace, adopting tools that enhance the experience without eliminating the personal touch.
The implications of this digital shift are profound, not just for buyers but for real estate agents themselves. Doherty highlights the importance of adaptability in an industry that is always evolving. Larger brokerages, with their more significant resources, have been quicker to adopt new technologies, while smaller or more traditional agents may lag behind. Doherty acknowledges that some agents, particularly those from older generations, may be slower to embrace these innovations. However, he asserts, “If you’re not adapting to the new changes, you’re pretty much dying, or you’re going to be out of business.”
As more buyers become tech-savvy and demand faster, more accessible experiences, the future of real estate will undoubtedly involve even more digital integration. Virtual reality, augmented reality, and AI-powered tools may offer new ways for buyers to explore properties remotely, but Doherty remains steadfast in his belief that nothing will fully replace the value of human connection in such a personal and significant transaction.
The digital transformation of house hunting is undeniably exciting. It empowers buyers with more information, streamlines the process, and gives sellers powerful new tools to showcase their properties. But in Doherty’s view, the future of real estate will continue to be a blend of the digital and the personal—where tech-driven convenience complements, rather than replaces, the irreplaceable experience of walking through a home with a trusted realtor by your side.
Published by: Martin De Juan
