Property CGI helps estate agents sell homes

Estate agents are increasingly turning to computer imaging (property CGI) techniques to help sell properties.

Property CGIs are used extensively by house builders and property developers to sell new build and refurbishment projects well ahead of project completion, but now estate agents are recognising the benefits that CGI can offer in demonstrating a property’s potential to prospective buyers. See this article in The Telegraph – Why CGI is now the estate agent’s best friend.

Property CGI is known by a number of different terms; architectural visualisation, architectural illustration, architectural visuals and artist’s impressions. what they all have in common is the ability to turn a vision into a near photo-realistic image of what the finished project will look like.

CGI can be used to create interiors and exteriors, and even show features that would normally be hidden, such as basements and loft conversions, without interfering with the overall view.

Architectural visuals offer limitless possibilities in all sorts of areas; properties can be viewed from any angle to give the prospective buyer an idea of how the property might look from the street, back garden, drive, etc. and from different positions; standing, sitting, driving, even flying!

Similarly, alternative finishes, building materials, landscaping, furnishings and decor can be applied to create the desired effects, whilst different lighting, weather conditions and time of day can be introduced to create the right mood.

A property CGI can even be combined with location photography to show how the project would relate to its environment. For example, a proposed extension could be created in CGI and added to a photograph of the existing property to show how it will look when completed, or a photograph showing the view from the street and/or including neighbouring properties will show how the development fits into the area.

Property CGI presentations can also be enhanced by the use of animation techniques to create videos. These can be taken from an infinite number of viewpoints; walk-throughs can give a viewer the impression of walking through or around a property, driving up to or past the home, etc. Fly-rounds can show the property from a number of different angles, including aerial views.

Whilst the skills and technologies involved in creating property CGIs are advanced, the process from the estate agent’s perspective could not be simpler.

Generally, architectural visuals are created from an architect’s drawings (plans, elevations and siteplans). However, skilled CGI studios, such as ours, can create interiors and exteriors from something as simple as a verbal brief and rough sketches, given the right information.

Give us a call to see how estate agents and their clients can benefit from property CGI.