Advertising real estate to prospective buyers isn’t without challenges. Even when professionally done, real photographs and videos can rarely do the property justice. Factors like the weather, poor interior and exterior decor, old furniture, and superficial imperfections like chipped paint or burned-out light bulbs can make even the most luxurious property look forlorn in photos.

If you want to truly make an impression on potential buyers and impress them with the potential of a property, you need to use real estate rendering.

Rendering allows you to highlight the best aspects of a building while customizing every last detail to suit the buyer’s preferences. Learn what it is and why it’s in such high demand in the real estate industry.

Real estate rendering explained

Real estate rendering is a 3D computer-generated image or video of a piece of property. It can represent the interior with a comprehensive floor plan, the exterior with the entire street or neighborhood, or both.

It’s most commonly used during the design stage for properties that haven’t been built yet. It can help architects, construction teams, potential clients, and others understand precisely how the finished product will look. In this instance, it’s commonly known as architectural rendering or architectural visualization.

However, renderings can also be used for older properties, especially when it’s difficult to stage real estate photos because there are still people living on the property, the home is in the middle of renovations, or there is another building that’s blocking the view.

Using 3D rendering services, you can receive:

• Residential renderings
• Commercial renderings
• Exterior visualizations
• Interior visualizations
• 3D floor plans
• Furniture and decor renderings
• Virtual staging
• 3D walkthroughs and tours
• Aerial renderings.

With 3D renderings, you can receive a photorealistic 360° view of the entire property, showcasing every minute nook and cranny and emphasizing the most intricate details of the design.

The process of real estate rendering

Creating photorealistic real estate renderings isn’t an easy task. It requires unique technical skills and mastery of advanced rendering software solutions. Therefore, it’s not always possible for realtors or even architects to create them on their own.

You’ll need to hire a 3D artist.

Depending on the property in question, the artist will either use the original blueprints, 2D sketches, and reference images (for unfinished projects) to start working on the render, or they’ll use any existing photos and floorplans (for finished projects).

Then, they’ll start creating 3D models. Models represent the basic shape of the building in question – providing an outline of the structure without any unnecessary design details. It’s critical that the 3D models use precise measurements and dimensions; otherwise, the finished rendering won’t be an accurate depiction of the actual building.

3D models are required for the home and any piece of furniture or decor you’d like to include.

With the 3D models complete, the artist can start adding materials and textures. That’s what will start adding a touch of photorealism to the renders. The better the choice of materials and textures, the more realistic the design looks.

Lighting and shadows come next. Most commonly, the artists will create renders in daylight to ensure that there’s nothing that distracts a potential buyer from the building. Nighttime renders, on the other hand, are common for showcasing the artificial lighting of the exterior, but they will distract from the design elements such as foundation texture and color.

Lighting helps set the mood for the render and evokes an emotional response in potential buyers. Therefore, it’s essential for the artists to get the lighting right.

Finally, it’s time for the rendering and refining. The computer will capture 2D images from the scene that can be used for real estate marketing purposes. This process can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few hours, depending on the complexity of the project.

Realtors want to visualize properties

The main reason why real estate renderings are in such high demand is that realtors need to visualize the properties they’re selling. While that can be achieved through photographs in some instances, it’s not always possible.

As mentioned, an array of factors can prevent photographers from capturing appealing photos of the building’s exterior and interior, so 3D renderings are frequently the only way you can see the actual design of the property.

Customization and personalization are important

Another reason for using 3D renderings is that they allow for seamless customization of the building. You wouldn’t have to schedule renovations, repaint the entire home, or get all the right furniture to impress potential buyers.

With the help of a 3D artist, you can personalize the property to suit the style and preferences of a specific buyer and get them to envision using and living in the space you’re trying to sell.

Easy access

3D renderings give you easy access to powerful marketing materials you wouldn’t otherwise have. Not only will you have access to inspiring images and videos of the property, but you could also receive interactive visualizations that enable you to take your clients on virtual tours.

With the help of VR (virtual reality) technology, you can schedule interactive walkthroughs, taking your clients through every room and allowing them to explore the entirety of the property from the comfort of your office.

Realtors can reach all audiences

Potential buyers often struggle to visualize how a property would look once they move in. After all, virtually everyone will want to do some remodels when they buy their new home, especially if the original design doesn’t suit their style or preferences.

With 3D renderings and a few clicks, you can show them precisely what the property would look like with a fresh coat of paint or some new furnishings. You can use this flexibility and versatility to reach all audiences and impress clients without much effort.

There are no surprises for potential customers

Finally, you can use real estate renderings to keep your buyers informed. As mentioned, photorealistic 3D renders have accurate measurements and precise dimensions.

A 3D artist can easily include your buyers’ existing furniture in the render using realistic dimensions and ratios. Your buyers wouldn’t have to worry about whether their sofa is too big for the living room or their patio furniture not fitting in with the property's exterior. They wouldn’t have to wonder about the view from the balcony or the amount of sunlight they’ll get in the early morning. The render will show them just what the property will look like when they’ve moved in, leaving no surprises for the buyers.

Conclusion

Real estate renderings hold immense potential for realtors. They can help you improve your marketing, reach new audiences, and easily impress all potential buyers. They’re the next big thing in the real estate industry, and they are a necessity for all realtors who want to improve their sales.