Augmented reality is the lesser known, more pragmatic sibling of virtual reality. While Virtual reality (VR) is totally immersive, augmented reality (AR) is a blending of tangible visuals and virtual ones, a mix of virtual reality and real life. Pokémon Go is a great example of AR, as you walk around you’re still aware of your environment as it actually exists, but when you look down at your phone you are seeing virtual images generated on a screen.

So, what does any of this have to do with real estate?

The current application of AR is best for developers who can show interested parties a 2-D blue print and then view it through a phone or tablet to make the same image 3-D. No matter how spectacular a future construction might be, a blueprint can be pretty underwhelming. But when seen through an AR simulation, a property comes to life, and viewers get a much better feel for how the finished product will look.

If you are an agent that deals in prefab homes, developments, and new constructions, AR is something that you need to be thinking about yesterday. AR technology is perfectly suited to this niche market, and to remain at the forefront, you want to provide the most cutting-edge, immersive experience for all of your clients.

Currently, agents and others are talking about how AR will change the showing of properties, but the application that will matter most in the near future is how AR will affect a potential buyers home search.

AR is going to affect the purchasing experience for buyers very soon. Realtor.com’s Street Peek is an app that allows homebuyers to frame up properties on their smart phone camera and the app will layer information over top of the image. So if a buyer sees a home for sale, they simply square it up and view it through their screen. Asking price, bed and bathroom count, and the seller’s agent info will all pop up.

Takeaway

• Every agent needs to make sure that when AR disrupts the home buying experience, their information is readily available to the person or family that is using AR to find a home.
• Agents don’t need to worry about using AR for showing homes, unless they deal largely in new builds or prefab.
• Consider integrating AR into your signage. A potential homebuyer downloads an app that uses computer vision technology to read an invisible layer on your signage. When the app reads the layer you can choose what supplemental information you want to pop up, such as introductory videos, listing photos, and/or pricing.
• If you deal with a high percentage of millennials, you should make moves sooner than an agent that deals with older clientele.

As promising as AR is, the jury is still out—it’s hard to say just how significant the impact will be, because the application is still a bit flawed. It can be a bit inconvenient for buyers to use the technology, the experience is not seamless (yet). That said, there is a ton of potential, and agents who are adept at integrating creative solutions can make a big splash with AR. The ground floor awaits. As far as agents in general though, it’s wise to stay informed about how this technology is being applied.