Buying a home is one of the most important financial decisions you will make in your life. With property prices steadily rising in Kolkata, you must do thorough research before finalizing a property, especially if you are moving to the city from another part of India or abroad.
A virtual property tour is an excellent way to get a feel of the property without physically being there. In the current digital era, many real estate portals offer virtual tours of properties through photos, videos, and 3D walkthroughs. This gives you a glimpse into every nook and corner of the house.
In this comprehensive blog, we will guide you through the entire process of doing a virtual property tour for homes in Kolkata before you invest your hard-earned money.
Research Extensively Online
The first step is to browse through real estate websites like Silvervilla.in Magicbricks, 99acres, Housing.com, etc. and shortlist a few properties in your budget in your preferred location. Check for amenities, number of rooms, floor plan and age of the building.
You can filter further based on factors important to you – proximity to your office, schools, public transport, hospitals, availability of parking, open spaces, etc.
While most websites have detailed listings, you can’t rely completely on the information provided. Many times projects get delayed or certain promised amenities do not materialize, so read reviews by other buyers to get more clarity.
Check Developer Background
For under-construction properties, research extensively about the builder or developer online. Check their website thoroughly and go through news articles about their ongoing and completed projects.
Developers like Silvervilla have several acclaimed residential projects across Kolkata. Check online forums to see any negative reviews about delayed possessions or quality issues.
A reputed developer known for timely completion and good construction quality, along with all necessary approvals in place, would be ideal to buy your dream home from.
Virtual Tour – Photos, Videos and 3D Walkthroughs
Once you have shortlisted a few residential projects, explore if a virtual tour option is available on the listings.
Many developer websites and real estate portals have detailed project photos, 2D floor plans and even 3D walkthroughs and aerial drone videos. This gives you a simulated experience of the site layout and a feel of each room, views from balconies or windows, placement of electrical sockets, etc.
You can visually gauge room dimensions to plan furniture layout, see the modular kitchen design, bathroom tile-work, amenities like gym, swimming pool, recreation rooms, lobby area, security systems etc. This builds realistic expectations about the final product.
If such advanced previews are unavailable, go through as many pictures as possible of the external façade, amenities, sample flats, etc. to make the best decision.
Street View On Google Maps
After shortlisting the final few options, do an additional check on Google Maps street view (where available) to inspect the neighborhood. Check traffic condition on adjacent roads at different times of the day, proximity to the nearest station, market area, hospitals or schools.
See restaurants, banks and ATMs around the location using street view to ensure a well-developed social infrastructure in the locality, which typically indicates a safer neighborhood.
Video Calling Agents At Site
Many reputed real estate portals allow brokers/agents to offer live Video calling facility from the property site itself to buyers, enabling them to virtually inspect a house from cities or countries abroad.
You can request the agent to take you to each room, show amenities, common areas, give a 360-degree view of the neighborhood, while you ask questions just like an onsite visit.
See availability of public transport, condition of adjacent buildings, width of approach roads, signs of new construction activity – all giving clues about future infrastructure expansion.
This convenient option comes at no extra cost, saves enormous time and effort compared to physical site visits, especially for NRI buyers unfamiliar with the city.
Virtual Reality (VR) Tours
Leading developers are embracing cutting-edge Virtual Reality technology to allow immersive walkthroughs from the comfort of your home before purchase. By using VR headsets, you can literally experience the property in a simulated 3D environment.
As you inspect each room, balcony, amenities, different lighting conditions – the ultra-high resolution VR graphics, spatial audio, and seamless navigation give an unmatched realistic feel as compared to 2D photos or videos.
This advanced preview method builds confidence about the final product and helps assess fit and finish, space utilization, etc. more accurately than other virtual tour modes.
Chatbots And Video Calling With Sales Teams
Many developers today use intelligent Chatbots on their websites, mobile apps and popular messaging platforms. After answering a few screening questions, they can fix a video call with a sales executive at a time of your convenience.
You can then directly see the site layouts, choose between variants, seek clarification on payment plans – before finally selecting the ideal property. Telesales executives can also email brochures, floor plans and other documents for your reference.
If planning to visit Kolkata, you can book site visits through these channels easily by integrating them with your travel schedule, rather than having to explore properties yourself.
Call Center Support
If you are unable to find answers to specific questions on listings or virtual tours, call them and send them an email you detailed information or arrange a discussion.
You can seek clarification about property papers, loan assistance, stamp duty calculations, possession dates, preferences like vaastu-compliance, preferred floor, availing club membership etc.
They have your questions documented for each interaction, follow up until they are satisfactorily answered, with process maturity similar to multinational companies.
Check Detailed FAQs
For further detailed information about a project, go through the FAQ section on developer websites. It contains an exhaustive set of commonly asked buyer queries about the legalities, specifications, USPs, process workflow etc.
If you still have unresolved doubts, fill out a web form in the Contact Us or Request Callback section, and expect a response from an expert within 1-2 working days.
Buying a property without physically visiting the site does have its risks, despite technological advances offering conveniences like virtual tours. Careful research by employing a combination of online and offline modes as discussed above definitely helps the decision making process.
Conclusion
Virtual property tours have made life much simpler for prospective home buyers today. While photos, videos, 3D walkthroughs and online research help evaluate properties, prudent buyers should still plan site visits once shortlisting options, besides verifying developer credentials thoroughly before purchase.
Advancements like VR simulations, video calling agents, availability of dedicated call centers along with chatbots provide multiple avenues to find satisfactory answers to any queries prior to buying your dream home, especially in cities new to you.
