Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) could soon transform the property business by giving prospective buyers the chance to view houses on the other side of the globe, says James Dearsley.

Dearsley, who spoke at the launch of the Dublin Institute of Technology’s (DIT) master’s course in digital marketing, has for the last few years invested some considerable time into analysing the trends and developments in the worlds of AR and VR technologies.

For example, if you want to buy a house, you need to book an appointment with the realtor, discuss plans and finance in person or on the phone and, depending where you live, arrange to travel to view the house.

But what if all this could change with the ability to plug in your Oculus Rift headset or take out your Google Cardboard and view the entire house from anywhere on the planet via the internet, 24 hours a day?

What if your first visit to the house could be viewed an entirely different way, whereby your tablet or smartphone could use AR technology to digitally create furniture to judge what your ideal room could look like?

While the technology is certainly in its infancy – and the Oculus Rift has yet to be commercially released – Dearsley, who as the founder of the Digital Marketing Bureau and technology consultant within the property market will tell you, there’s a market for not just realtors, but all commercial enterprises, to develop.

Using augmented/virtual reality in the property industry

Augmented reality image via Shutterstock