A render, or rendering, is a visual tool used to demonstrate the spatial qualities of a product. Renderings are better than sketches, drawings, and blueprints because they provide a geometrically accurate and photorealistic representation of an object, but because they are produced in 3D rendering software, they allow unlimited variation in how the object can be presented, without the difficulty and limitations of photography or the unintuitive presentation of blueprints.
Property renders are produced in specialized 3D modeling software, like SketchUp, Revit, Blender, Archicad, or V-Ray.
All kinds of products are marketed, pitched, and sold with the help of a rendering. From cell phones to concept cars to pencil sharpeners, a rendering is often the very beginning of legitimate interest in a product – an audience’s first exposure to something they are expected to invest in. A rental apartment is no different from those products, and a quality rendering can be what sets your listing apart from the competition in a bustling rental market, especially when renters have so many options right in front of them on rental sites.
Where Renders Fit Into Rental Marketing
Renderings are typically most useful in marketing apartments and other structures long before construction has finished. If you’re trying to pre-lease an in-progress rental, especially more than one rental, then it’s always worth it to provide renders. In fact, it’s this scenario that originated the need for versatile, three-dimensional property renders.
But renderings are still an invaluable resource when it comes to marketing vacant rental units, and they are best used in conjunction with other visual tools and assets. Together with flattering photography and two-dimensional floorplans, 3D renderings can provide prospective tenants with a highly accurate look at your rental.
Implementing 3D Renders
Still Images
In a scenario where photographs are not available, or of insufficient quality to showcase your rental, still images taken from 3D renderings are a great alternative. These still images can be taken from any angle imaginable, and can surpass the capabilities of a real camera in this regard, providing a crisp representation of your unit.
Virtual Tours
The true strength of a 3D render is the ability to embed a virtual tour of your rental unit in the unit’s listing. Virtual tours can take many forms, from relatively simple 360 degree views of the apartment rendering to highly detailed, fully navigable views of the entire interior and exterior of the property.
While most renters will opt to take an in-person tour of a unit, especially a previously occupied vacant unit, sometimes that’s not possible. Consider your market: is your rental located in a town or city with a large university, or with a booming industry in need of workers? Is it a high population density area that attracts people from out of state because of its lucrative employment opportunities, educational institutions, or general quality of life? If a renter is moving in from another state or country, and they can’t see the unit in person, a virtual tour is the one feature of an apartment listing that can still capture their attention.