The real estate world isn’t what it used to be—and that’s a good thing.

In 2025, buyers no longer need to drive across town for every listing or imagine what a space might feel like from flat photos. Thanks to modern virtual tour software and digital walkthrough tools, property showings have gone digital—and it’s transforming how buyers explore homes, and how agents and developers market them.

Whether you’re a homebuyer, real estate professional, or just curious about the future of real estate engagement, this guide will show you exactly how digital tours are changing the game—and how to get the most out of them.

What Does a “Digitized Showing” Actually Mean?

Let’s break it down.

A digitized property showing is any method of viewing a real estate listing remotely—using tech like:

• 3D virtual tours (interactive models you can walk through on your screen)
• Live video tours (guided by an agent via Zoom or FaceTime)
• 360-degree photo experiences
• Virtual staging and drone footage
  

The goal? Help buyers explore properties with confidence—without physically stepping inside until they’re ready.

This isn’t a replacement for in-person visits, but it’s the new first showing. And for busy buyers (or those shopping from another city or country), it’s a game-changer.

Why Digital Walkthrough Tools Are So Popular Now

Digital showings started as a convenience. Now, they’re an expectation.

Here’s why they’re dominating in 2025:

✅ Buyers are busier – Virtual options let them explore multiple homes in less time
✅ Many deals start remote – Especially in urban centers or competitive markets
✅ More transparency = less guesswork – A 3D tour shows true layout and scale
✅ Out-of-town buyers rely on them – Great for relocations or investor purchases
✅ They build trust faster – Listings that offer immersive experiences get more clicks, more views, and more qualified inquiries

These expectations align with modern real estate marketing strategies that work, helping agents stay ahead of the curve.

Virtual Tour Software: What You Can Expect as a Buyer

As a buyer, you’ve likely seen listings that include buttons like:

• “Take a Virtual Tour”
• “360° View”
• “3D Walkthrough”
• “View Floor Plan”
  

When you click those, you’re taken into a digitally rendered version of the property, where you can:

• Explore rooms from every angle
• Move from room to room like a video game
• Zoom in to details like cabinetry or fixtures
• See furniture layouts and staging
• View from a top-down or dollhouse perspective
• Sometimes even measure dimensions directly

   

✅ The benefit? You can “visit” 10 homes in 30 minutes and narrow down your shortlist before making a drive.

Types of Digital Showings (And When to Use Each)

1. 3D Virtual Tours

Created using specialized cameras and software like Matterport, Asteroom, or Ricoh Tours.

🟢 Best for:

• Buyers comparing multiple properties
• New builds or staged homes
• Long-distance clients

🛠 Examples of tools:

• Matterport (industry leader with 3D navigation + floor plans)
• Asteroom (more affordable and mobile-friendly)
• EyeSpy360 (adds live video chat inside virtual tours)

2. Live Video Tours

Your agent walks through the property in real-time on a video call (Zoom, WhatsApp, FaceTime), while you watch and ask questions.

🟢 Best for:

• Custom walkthroughs
• Buyer-agent Q&A
• Quick looks at hot listings

   

✅ Pro Tip: Ask your agent to walk slowly and show window views, closets, and any flaws you might miss in photos.

3. 360-Degree Photo Tours

Not full 3D, but still lets you pan around each room and click to jump to the next space.

🟢 Best for:

• Entry-level listings
• Mobile-friendly browsing
• Older homes where full 3D might not be available

🛠 Tools used: CloudPano, Kuula, Zillow 3D

4. Interactive Floor Plans

Static floor plans with clickable spots that show room photos or tour views.

🟢 Best for:

• Understanding layout quickly
• Comparing property flow
• Visualizing space dimensions

   

How Digital Showings Improve Real Estate Engagement

For agents and developers, these tools aren’t just shiny add-ons—they’re engagement drivers.

Listings with virtual tours receive:

📈 2x more time spent on the page
📈 49% more qualified inquiries
📈 Higher likelihood of a scheduled in-person showing

Buyers feel more confident because they’ve already experienced the home. By the time they visit in person, they’re not browsing—they’re close to buying.

This is where a strong CRM system can help agents follow up faster and smarter with leads from virtual showings.

For sellers, this means fewer looky-loos and more serious offers.
For developers, it means marketing pre-construction units globally—before anything is built.

What Buyers Should Look for in a Virtual Tour

If you’re touring digitally, here’s how to get the most out of it:

 Check lighting and window direction – Notice how much natural light rooms get
Use built-in measurement tools – Especially for furniture planning
Look at flow and layout – Walk from kitchen to dining, bedroom to bath
Peek outside – Is there a backyard? A busy road? A skyline view?
Zoom in – Look at details: flooring, countertops, door hardware

✅ Tip: If a tour skips a certain room… ask why.

How Agents and Developers Can Start Digitizing Showings

If you’re an agent or builder and not offering digital walkthroughs, you’re already behind.

Here’s how to get started:

Choose a platform
Start with a tool like Matterport, EyeSpy360, or Asteroom depending on your budget.

Capture your listing
Hire a photographer with a 3D camera—or invest in one yourself. Most shoot + upload services cost between $100–$300 per property.

Embed tours in your listings
Make sure they’re front-and-center on your website, MLS page, or landing page.

Promote via email and social
Use “Take a 3D Tour” in your subject lines and social posts to boost clicks.

✅ Bonus: Add tour links to your open house invites and automated lead follow-up emails.

The Future of Digital Real Estate Engagement

We’re only getting started.

As buyer expectations rise, here’s what we’re seeing on the horizon:

AI-guided virtual tours – Custom tours tailored to what the viewer clicks on
VR headset compatibility – Viewings in the metaverse or from your living room
AR staging – See your own furniture in a space using your phone
Lead capture inside tours – Buyers can “click to schedule” right from the walkthrough

In other words, property showings are getting smarter—and you should too.

Final Thoughts: Why Digital Walkthroughs Are the New Normal

In 2025, digital showings aren’t just convenient—they’re strategic.

They help buyers explore smarter, agents market faster, and developers sell sooner. Whether you’re touring your dream home from your phone, or offering a 3D tour of a condo launch to overseas investors,  virtual tour software and PropTech tools are leveling up the entire industry.