Technology is already having a major influence on the way in which people buy, sell and rent property. Online portals have thousands of properties which people can view on their desktop, laptop or mobile. They can find out all about the property; take a virtual reality tour of the rooms; and then check out the neighbourhood before they arrange a viewing.
If you want to find properties in your favourite locations or close to where you may be visiting at any given time, there is already an app for that. You can also search schools, colleges, and other local amenities.
Drones are also flying high above many areas to capture video footage and stills of properties for sale or rent.
Now a report by global trend analysts The Future Laboratory says there are even bigger moves on the way.
The report, which was commissioned by British company easyProperty suggests that virtual reality is set to have a major impact on the way in which we view houses within the next 10 years.
Aimed at Generation Z house hunters, who demand convenient and efficient ways of accessing information, the future will be virtual.
It could be that people download a virtual reality app so that they appear to be walking around a property or along the street in which it is located. They can then get a real feel for the building and its surroundings without the hassle of actually going there.
It could be that it is not just a virtual reality tour for the eyes. Other senses such as touch and smell could also get the virtual reality treatment. Put on a pair of haptic gloves to feel your way around, while olfactory technology means that you could smell the fresh bread from the neighbourhood bakers or the flowers from the street’s communal flowerbeds.
This could also speed up the process of selling a home or renting it out. At present, there can be some down time for landlords or property management companies between tenants moving out and finding a new client.
The use of virtual reality technology means that the property can be viewed by potential tenants from anywhere at any time. Once the present tenant has given notice, they can make an appointment to view – online of course.
Some people may even be so convinced by the property and its location that they will sign up without actually seeing it.