FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND TIPS
What type services do you provide?
We are a Virtual Tour provider that produces virtual slideshows, elevated photographs, and High Resolution photos. We include the following in all our packages: Hosting your virtual tour FREE on the World Wide Web, and the links for you to post the Virtual Tour to your MLS Listing and to your personal/company website. We are also a REALTOR.COM affiliate, which means that we can post your virtual tour to REALTOR.COM. Click on the PRICING tab for the cost of our tour packages.
What are the prices for your tours?
To view our complete price list, please Click on the PRICING tab. Our Virtual Tour packages start at $80.00.
How do I schedule a tour with Best Virtual Tours?
You can Click on the ORDER TOURS tab, or you can email us at: Chris@YourPhotoTeam.com On the subject line, type in VIRTUAL TOUR REQUEST. You can also call us on our local Sarasota/Manatee number 941.920.1007. Our friendly staff will help you schedule a tour and pick the best package that meets your needs.
How do I pay for my tours?
We offer several options for payment. You can prepay with your VISA, MASTERCARD, DISCOVER or AMERICAN EXPRESS Credit/Debit Cards. You can also pay at the time of the shoot with a check payable to: Your Photo Team, LLC.
What should my client do to prepare the property for the virtual tour?
To prepare for the virtual tour, we ask that there be no vehicles in the driveway or in front of the property. Remove all trashcans, debris, hoses, toys, etc. from inside and outside. Remove any flags or banners that might be fluttering in the wind. It is preferable for you to have your grass mowed the day before we come out. Our photographers will remove any real estate signs when he/she arrives. They will also reinstall the real estate signs before they leave. For inside the home, please…remove or relocate your pets, pet bowls, children's toys, etc. Also, you can open all the shades and blinds or leave that to the photographer. Turn OFF all ceiling fans. It is not necessary to leave the lights on. The photographer will determine which lights are needed. We Do Not photograph inside Closets, Laundry Rooms* or inside the Garage*. We try to shoot every room, therefore if you want to hide anything, those are the 3 places to put them.
The following statement is extremely relevant:
IF YOU DO NOT WANT SOMETHING IN THE PICTURE, INSIDE OR OUT…
REMOVE IT!
We will not move or remove items, including but not limited to furniture or boxes, nor will we clean the rooms, hang pictures or other items, etc. Our insurance does not permit us to do anything except photograph the property; to lock or unlock doors as needed; and to open and close drapes/blinds. If there is a swimming pool and it has a child protective barricade, it would be better if the barricade/fence were removed prior to the shoot; otherwise, the barricade will be included in the tour. We do not remove any safety devices for liability purposes. If the pool has a fountain, try to have it ON if possible. It usually enhances the pool view.
What if my client or I can’t be at the shoot?
We actually prefer no one to be there at the time of the shoot, but if someone just has to be there, we don’t mind, but, most of the time, clients (and their children/pets) and agents tend to get in the way of the shoot.. If you or your client must be there, please let the photographer do what he/she needs to do, so they can get their job done, and leave without delay. Normally, they have more than one tour scheduled that day, and we don’t want them be late to anyone’s tour, including yours.
How does the photographer access the property without me being there?
We have Supra E-key access. If your listing is on electronic lockbox, we will have no problem accessing your home. If your listing has a manual lockbox, we would need someone to provide us with the combination or code to the lockbox, or if no lockbox, please leave a key and tell us where it is.
What should I do about my alarm system if I can’t be there?
We ask that your client disarm the alarm system before they leave the property that day, or you will need to provide us with the “code” so we don’t accidentally set off the alarm. If we disarm the system, we will rearm it when we leave, but we would prefer to have it off entirely.
What about inclement weather the day of my shoot?
If it is raining or the weather is too severe, we will call you and reschedule the tour for the next available opening.
How do I cancel a scheduled tour?
If you must cancel a tour, we ask that you give us at least 24 hours notice. If not, and our photographer goes to the shoot only to find it has been canceled, you will be charged a cancellation fee of 50% of the tour. We charge this because we block off 4 Hours just for your tour, and your tour alone. If you don’t cancel, that means someone else could have his or her tour scheduled for that time period, but could not because it was allocated for you. This becomes very costly. If you think the property is NOT COMPLETELY READY, we ask that you please, DO NOT SCHEDULE THE TOUR until it is 100% ready. Also, our photographers cannot “wait around till the property is being cleaned or prepared” when he/she arrives at the property. We will make every effort to be there at the time we have scheduled. If we are going to be late, WE WILL CALL YOU or your client. We just ask that you extend the same courtesy to avoid bad feelings, miscommunications and unnecessary costs.
How long do you host my virtual tour?
We host your virtual tour FREE for 12 months, or until it sells, or until the listing expires, whichever comes first. If it is re-listed by you and goes past the 12-month period, there will be an additional annual listing fee of $25.00. If your listing has expired and you have not extended it, or it is withdrawn for whatever reason, REALTOR.COM automatically deletes the link. To re-post the Virtual Tour to REALTOR.COM, there will be an additional posting fee of $25.00. Realtor.com charges that fee. This is not something we have control of.
How long does it take to produce the Virtual Tour?
It takes approximately 1 1/2 hours to shoot the tour at your listing. Once it is shot, we will usually have the tour processed that day. However, it could take up to 24 hours to complete the post processing. We like to pride ourselves on producing your tours that day. If your listing shows up on REALTOR.COM, we will also post the tour to REALTOR.COM the same day. However, you have to realize that Realtor.com usually takes a few days to cull the information from the MLS, so if it was just listed, it might be 2-5 days before it actually shows up on their site. That is something we have no control of, but we will post it to Realtor.com as fast as possible.
How do you deliver my virtual tour to me?
When we process the tour, we EMAIL you the links for your website, and the links for your MLS listing. If you order the Elevated Package, we email you the Elevated photograph in both Low (72dpi) and High Resolution (300dpi) at the same time along with the links and the low-resolution MLS photographs.
What do you mean by High Resolution Photos?
High-resolution photos are produced at 300 dpi (dots per inch) for printing purposes. Low-resolution photos are produced at 72 ppi (pixels per inch) for web-based viewing. We do not advise you to try to enlarge the Low Resolution photos. If you don’t enlarge them, they will work fine, but enlarging will cause “pixelating”, which simply means grainy: an undesirable effect.
If I don’t order High Resolution photos at the time of the shoot, can they be done at a later time?
If you feel you will need photographs for printing (such as post cards, flyers, etc.) we recommend that you order them at the time we do the original shoot.Once we are done processing your tour, we generally delete all raw pictures. What that means is that if you request high-resolution pictures at a later date, we will have to come out for a re-shoot and you will be charged full price again. The low additional cost of having it done at the same time as the original shoot ($20.00 additional) seems more practical.
What if I want to emphasize a specific room or area to shoot?
We definitely encourage you to specify anything you feel we should concentrate on. Although our photographers are professionals and usually choose their own views, you are more than welcome to suggest that we shoot “this or that” to enhance your tour”. Just tell us this information when you schedule the tour.
Remember the following:
“SPECIFIC RESULTS REQUIRE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS!”
...........................................................................................
I paid for the virtual tour. However, my listing has expired and the new listing agent called me and she wants me to give her or sell her my tour? Can I do that?
When you buy a tour, what you are really paying for is a license to use the material. Best Virtual Tours owns the copyrights to the virtual tour and sells a license for your use only. It is illegal for you or anyone else to use, copy, sell, or distribute in any manner, this material without the express written permission of Best Virtual Tours. You cannot sell or give another agent this tour for them to use. They must contact us directly. By distributing, copying, selling, or otherwise disseminating this material without permission, you and they can be in violation of The U.S. Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101 - 810, and in effect, be liable for any and all damages that may result.
Can your tours be viewed on any computer?
Yes. Our tours require Javascript and Adobe Flash Player. If you can't view the tour, follow the link to www.abobe.com and downland the latest version of Adobe Flash Player. Also, make sure you allow pop-ups in your Internet Security tab.
Do you have a contract?
Copyright - Best Virtual Tours.com, all rights reserved.
* Unless requested specifically by agent/client
