Debra Higgins

Anyone who has been in or around real estate for any length of time knows that the three top factors in selling a home are location, location and location.

The number one location is, of course, the neighborhood where the house is sitting.

Today, the second-most-important location is the internet. Visibility online is prime real estate. The internet has surpassed signs to become the number two way buyers are finding the homes that they eventually purchase. All homes need to be widely visible on line, not just the ones priced over $250,000. First-time buyers and empty nesters are searching on line – and not for large homes.

On the internet the top three factors for buyers are pictures, pictures, and pictures. A virtual tour of your home is one of the best ways to claim that space – on the net and in the buyer’s head. Buyers want pictures; and they especially want a virtual tour. They want to tour the home without having to spend precious time and expensive gasoline driving from home to home. They want to be able to narrow down which homes they want to give their special attention before they walk out the door. If they have insomnia, they can tour the home at 2:00 am. A buyer can see a lot more homes on line during their lunch break if they use the internet than if they go out driving around.

Four Seasons Virtual Tours, in partnership with Real Tour Vision (RTV), has been providing affordable virtual tours and slide shows for real homes located in Valparaiso, Crown Point, Hammond, Munster, Schererville, Lowell, Chesterton and many other communities in Lake, Porter, La Porte, Jasper and Newton counties in Northwest Indiana since 2006. We produce HDR, full screen tours that can be uploaded to the MLS and personal websites. However, the MLS isn’t the only internet location where your tour should be visible. You need much wider coverage than that. We also offer our Internet Optimizer Package that will get your home on Craig’s List, Zillow, Trulia, Homes.com, and many more sites on line.

Can potential buyers find your listing on the internet? Call Four Seasons Virtual Tours and claim your virtual location on the web.

Who wants to look at (or buy) houses during the Holidays? Northwest Indiana is cold, snowy and downright miserable. People want to spend time with their famiies, not looking at houses.

Serious buyers, that’s who. People who must move for some reason. How do you give your listings the edge that closes the deal in your clients’ favor?

A little holiday staging can help. Appeal to the buyers’ hearts as well as their heads.

1) Holiday decorations. Keep it simple. Ask your sellers to leave the Christmas village and trains that circle the tree (and most of the family room), the miles of garland, and the lights that can be seen from outer space, in storage this year. Get them into the holiday mood, but don’t hide the home.

2) Fresh flowers. Most of the year, fresh flowers only last a few days. Poinsettias, however, last and last and are relatively inexpensive. Plus they look very festive in their red, green, gold or silver pot wraps.

3) Freshly baked cookies. The person who said they way to someone's heart is through their stomach must have meant cookies. And the home smells marvelous. If the sellers don’t bake, holiday-scented air fresheners and a plate of store-bought holiday cookies can fill in.

4) Pictures on the internet. 90% of home buyers are starting their search on the internet; especially this time of year. Show them a virtual tour; give your listing the edge.

This Northwest Indiana restaurant - Northwoods - isn't for sale, but it gives an idea of what a difference holiday decorations can make.

Northwoods Restaurant Tour

Four Seasons Virtual Tours is offering a holiday special slide show: Up to 12 still photos, with or without holiday borders and holiday music. It can be uploaded to the MLS and personal websites for the holiday season and removed in January.

Four Seasons Virtual Tours is the premier virtual tour provider in Northwest Indiana, producing tours in Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Jasper and Newton counties.

Call Debbie Higgins for more information at: (219) 921-3413

Or visit our website at Four Seasons Virtual Tours.

Better than new - and everything is done for you!

Click here for the virtual tour: 323 W 127 Avenue.

This HD tour should be seen full screen! Click on the "Full Screen" button at the right end of the gray menu bar.

Out and about? See the tour on your smart phone or tablet.

Four Seasons Virtual Tours, in partnership with Real Tour Vision (RTV), provides the best virtual tours and slide shows in Northwest Indiana. Location is the name of the game in real estate, and the important location in today's market is the internet. Large or small, all homes need a virtual tour. See our sample tours at Four Seasons Virtual Tour Sample Page.

We can also help you increase your search engine presence with our Internet Optimizer Package.

Yesterday I created my first virtual tour of a Daycare Center; it is located in Portage, Indiana. Click on the banner to check it out!

Here are a couple of photos:

Four Seasons Virtual Tours has been in business since 2006. We provide tours in Northwest Indiana and the Chicagoland area. You can see our latest real estate tours at Open House Northwest Indiana.