Sotheby's International Realty Global Website Integrates New Technologies

Sothebysrealty.com Adds 3D Tours with Virtual Reality Capability for Property Detail Pages

Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC today announced that its global website, sothebysrealty.com, now supports 3D Tours on its property detail pages allowing real estate consumers the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in homes listed by the Sotheby’s International Realty® brand. The 3D Tours will also feature a Virtual Reality Tour (VR) experience that can be viewed through a compatible device such as an Android phone or VR headset.

The 3D and VR Tours are produced by strategically placing specialized cameras throughout a home to create a result that transforms the traditional way people view homes online. The 3D and VR Tours add an additional layer of content to the existing property detail pages on sothebysrealty.com which also provide a written description, high-resolution photographs and high-definition videos.  At launch, the Sotheby’s International Realty brand will have 3D Tours available on over 1,000 properties that are viewable on desktop, tablet or smartphone.

“Introducing 3D and VR Tours on sothebysrealty.com is just another example of how we are keeping theSotheby’s International Realty brand on the cutting edge while creating an immersive experience for consumers,” said John Passerini, global vice president, interactive marketing at Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC.  “Distance can present a challenge when looking to buy a home and virtual reality has provided a provocative solution. This technology is allowing buyers to purchase homes without having to physically travel to view them, which is especially relevant to the global clientele we serve.”

The sothebysrealty.com site experienced 16 million user sessions in Q1-Q3 of 2016, a 60% increase year-over-year. Property detail pages on the brand site support Matterport, a past winner of the 2014 Realogy FWD innovation summit, and additional compatible 3D Tours.

In coordination with this announcement, Sotheby’s International Realty is also a real estate launch partner forMatterport’s CoreVR release— the largest collection of virtual reality content across multiple disciplines.  With the adoption of CoreVR, Sotheby’s International Realty will be able to offer both a 3D and VR experience.  Additionally, Sotheby’s International Realty property listings on Mansion Global, the digital luxury real estate destination from Dow Jones, will also be equipped with the 3D Tour feature.

Click here for an example of a 3D Tour as shown on a current luxury property listing on theSotheby’s International Realty website.

The Sotheby’s International Realty network currently has more than 19,000 affiliated independent sales associates located in approximately 850 offices in 65 countries and territories worldwide.  In addition to the referral opportunities and widened exposure generated from this source, the firm’s brokers and clients will benefit from an association with the Sotheby’s auction house and worldwide Sotheby’s International Realtymarketing programs.  Each office is independently owned and operated.