Online Floorplans -- share your experiences (agents, square foot, Realtors, listings) - Real Estate Professionals - City-Data Forum

IntownHomes247 · 02-12-2008, 04:18 PM

Has anyone used those online floorplan makers? I think they're a great idea and I'd love to include them in my marketing but I'm pathetic at measuring and just don't know whether I'd be able to do a good enough job on my side to have a decent finished product.

How hard is it to do? How precise do you need to be?

I'd love to get some feedback from agents who have actually used these services. Which one do you use? What do you think of the interface and/or process for creating the floorplan? How much time does it usually take? Is it worth the effort?

CrissCT · 02-12-2008, 08:42 PM

I am not a realtor and have no experience with them but as a Buyer I think they are great. I love when realtors include a floorplan. It has helped me eliminate certain homes and add certain homes to my list of houses to see that I may not have chosen. I think it is even better than photos. Especially as we are doing our househunt from opposite coasts.

Jamesww · 02-13-2008, 01:48 AM

CrissCT thank you so much for giving us your feedback. Just because of your post I will start adding it to my marketing. All of us good agents on here really care what you guys think. Please add anything else that makes your home shopping eaiser. Send me a personal message if you dont want to interupt the post and thank you again.

Captain Bill · 02-13-2008, 08:05 AM

The cost of the floor plan is about fourteen cents per square foot, which is about $420 for a 3000 sf home. Who's going to pay for it?

IntownHomes247 · 02-13-2008, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

The cost of the floor plan is about fourteen cents per square foot, which is about $420 for a 3000 sf home. Who's going to pay for it?

Different sites have different pricing structures. I've seen some that appeared quite affordably priced. My biggest concern has always been the amount of time (and skill) required to properly measure the house to get the correct info to the people creating the floorplan.

I know that I have seen at least one agent on this board who mentioned ALWAYS doing a floorplan for each listing. I'm hoping s/he will provide some insight as well as anyone else who has actually used them.

Captain Bill · 02-13-2008, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IntownHomes247

Different sites have different pricing structures. I've seen some that appeared quite affordably priced. My biggest concern has always been the amount of time (and skill) required to properly measure the house to get the correct info to the people creating the floorplan.

I know that I have seen at least one agent on this board who mentioned ALWAYS doing a floorplan for each listing. I'm hoping s/he will provide some insight as well as anyone else who has actually used them.

The company that charges .14/sf comes out and does a professional measuring job, on the outside and inside. They provide copies of the floor plan to you, and they have them on their web site, interactive, where clients can go and place furniture in the spaces to see how it works.

IntownHomes247 · 02-13-2008, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

The company that charges .14/sf comes out and does a professional measuring job, on the outside and inside. They provide copies of the floor plan to you, and they have them on their web site, interactive, where clients can go and place furniture in the spaces to see how it works.

Ahh, well having someone come out and do it would be a great relief, although I think I could get over my measurement paranoia to save a good bit of that money.

I've often wondered about http://www.floorplanonline.com , which has prices starting from $59 for a measure-it-yourself interative floorplan for homes under 2500 sq. ft. (just $49 for static floorplans, and I think they add $2/500 sq. ft. over 2500). That's one I've seriously considered trying. Hopefully someone on the board has experience with them

jdhall1 · 02-13-2008, 04:56 PM

A couple of people in my office have used floorplanonline.com for some of their new construction or high end listings. It was ready easy to use, but didn't really give them any direct calls from potential buyers but it is just an additional tool to offer to the seller.

Buckhead_Broker · 02-13-2008, 05:52 PM

I use floorplans in all of my virtual tours, but I get them from the architects - not some outside service. I've also sold homes as a result of the on-line tours (not the terrible "fish eye" kind) where the buyer can see the floor plan layout and take a tour through the house seeing each room with the details spelled out below each picture. As the mouse moves from romm-to-room, the picture changes, showing what that room looks like from that vantage point.

middle-aged mom · 02-13-2008, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckhead_Broker

I've also sold homes as a result of the on-line tours (not the terrible "fish eye" kind) where the buyer can see the floor plan layout and take a tour through the house seeing each room with the details spelled out below each picture. As the mouse moves from romm-to-room, the picture changes, showing what that room looks like from that vantage point.

I hire a professional company to create online floor plan tours. Costs depends upon size $125-175. They make the link to the MLS and realtor.com as well as my own web site.