Virtual listings take advantage of Google technology

Many people peruse Google Maps and Google Earth when they're looking for directions or getting an idea for how a particular street looks.

New technology is taking that concept a step further, helping people who are moving to a new area look inside virtual models of homes for sale in that city, reported CNet.

Today, several technology companies will build a virtual version of a seller's home and hand the design over to Google, which will plug the home into Google Earth or Maps. That will allow people who are shopping for a new home to scout the surrounding area and then walk into a virtual model of their potential new house. Google is also offering a 3D model building service for free.

"As more businesses become aware of the value of having a 3D presence in Google Earth, businesses are appearing to support that need," Google Earth product manager Bruce Polderman told CNet.

The technology could make moving into a new home an armchair exercise, although there are risks to viewing virtual versions of real estate listings. According to the Washington Post, some real estate agents are concerned that virtual staging - the practice of digitally altering real photos of a home to make it more appealing - can lead to misleading real estate listings.


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