Digital twins and virtual reality tours
The ongoing digitalisation has revolutionised the property sector — with virtual viewings and 3D visualisations that allow people to explore properties from the comfort of their own homes.
Digitalisation has transformed the property sector in just a few years. What used to involve an appointment, a journey and an afternoon now begins on screen — and the better the digital presentation, the better prepared the on-site visit is.
What a digital twin is
A digital twin is the exact virtual replica of a real building. It brings together geometry, materials and technical data in a single model — thereby forming the basis for planning, marketing and operation. In existing buildings, it is created from laser scans and photographs; in new builds, it is derived directly from the planning documents. The model knows how high a room is, where the pipes run and how the sun shines through the window in December.
How prospective customers benefit
For prospective buyers, this means they can explore properties from the comfort of their own homes, at their leisure and round the clock. Virtual reality tours provide a realistic sense of the space long before the first viewing takes place — ceiling height, natural light, the view from the window. Anyone who has taken a tour arrives at the viewing with specific questions, rather than just a first impression.
And it’s only those who live far away who can bid in the first place: a buyer from abroad can view a flat in a Viennese period building online before deciding whether the journey is worth it.
What owners and developers stand to gain
New opportunities are opening up for owners and developers: a reach that extends beyond national borders, fewer wasteful viewings and a shortlist of seriously interested buyers. Occupied flats are disturbed less often, as only those who are already familiar with the property will visit. For new-build projects, visualisation brings to life what has not yet been built — and sells flats whose foundations are only just being laid.
From the tour to the factory
The digital twin doesn’t end with the sale. Property management companies use the model for maintenance and renovation planning, whilst owners use it to work out where a new pipe can be laid without having to break open the wall. For apartment blocks with many flats, it becomes a tool that saves money — because you know the building inside out before the tradesman arrives.
The limits of technology
A virtual tour doesn’t reveal any smells, any street noise, or how the neighbours behave. It is no substitute for a viewing, nor is it meant to be. What it does is ensure that the viewing is the right one — with prospective buyers who know what they’re going to see, and with questions that can only be answered on site.
Our standard
AKKADIA We consistently rely on these technologies. High-resolution 360-degree virtual tours, drone footage and professional promotional videos are, for us, standard features of modern property marketing. They do not replace a visit — but they ensure that the visit is the right one.
