PreviewFirst.com - Virtual Tours that Move You

How much do your virtual tours cost?

When you provide the pictures, your virtual tour is only $39. You can add professional photography services starting at $99 for homes under 4500 square feet.

Do you use a video camera?

No video camera is used in the development of our tours. Whether the photos are taken by you or PreviewFirst, all of our tours are created using standard digital photos.

When PreviewFirst takes the pictures do I get the high resolution images?

Yes. When you hire us to photograph the property, we provide the most representative images in high resolution and low resolution. You can use the high res images for your magazine advertisements, postcards, and flyers. We also provide you with the low resolution images which are perfect for the MLS, Realtor.com, and other internet marketing websites. Both high and low resolution images are provided to you by the next business day.

How do you deliver the photos to me?

When the virtual tour is complete, you photos will be available for download by logging into your PreviewFirst.com account. Simply click "Manage Tours," and "Save Photos". The web (low res) images are compressed into a single zip file – making the download quick and easy. Download instructions are provided.

How long are my photos available for download?

Web photos (low res) are available for 12 months, or as long as the virtual tour exists. Print photos (high res) are available for 3 months. So, it's a good idea to save the photos you want as quickly as possible.

How much is it to come back out and take just a few pictures?

We call it a go back out. If the kitchen (for example) has been remodeled since the first shoot, or the weather is better for that view shot, no worries, for only $50, one of our photographers will come back out to the property and photograph certain key shots. Available for daytime shoots only.

Can we take our own pictures?

Yes. We want you to take your own photos. Any digital camera will do the job. You can even take your photos with your own film camera and have your local print lab give the images to you on a CD Rom. Once you have your images on your computer, you're ready to send them to PreviewFirst.com.

Should I take vertical or horizontal photos – does it matter?

Horizontal pictures will fill the entire screen when viewing in full screen mode, while vertical images leave wide margins on each side of the screen. We don't think it looks bad when a vertical image is used; however, horizontal images are always preferred.

How many photos do you suggest I take?

We suggest a minimum of 22-32 photos and a maximum of 40. For small homes, be sure to include as many pictures as possible, of every room, and from every angle. For smaller homes, consider adding pictures of the neighborhood and local community.

What pixel width or size dimensions do you recommend/prefer?

The minimum size should be a pixel width of 1024 and pixel height of 768. Put your digital camera on the highest quality setting. We want your large, high resolution images. Our website will resize your images to the required dimensions and upload all of them. When using Internet Explorer, the whole resize and upload process takes about two minutes.

How do I get my pictures to you?

Our website makes soooo easy to upload your pictures to us. When you login to your PreviewFirst.com account and click the "Order New Tour" link, you will provide a little bit of information about the property and then you will be directed to the upload page. Simply click the "Add Photos" link, and choose all the photos you want to upload. You don't have to choose one photo at a time. You can upload all of your photos at once…. It only takes about 2 minute to upload 30-40 images. Internet Explorer Version 6+ required.

Can I add a voice over to my virtual tour?

Yes, however you should know that research reveals that people don't like it. They often turn their speakers down or off when voiceovers are used. Voiceovers tend to make people feel like they're being sold with hyperbole, or they feel irritated as they listen to descriptions of the obvious. You can provide voiceovers to us in mp3 format, via email. When recording your voiceover, consider the order of your pictures and that each image will be displayed for 5 seconds.

Can you enhance/touch-up my photos?

Yes. An extra fee applies. We are experts with Photoshop and can do miraculous things with photos, but with the following caution. Once the photos are uploaded to us, the quality of the image may not contain enough pixels for adequate enhancement and touch-up. So we can't guarantee anything.

Can I choose my own music?

We do not offer a musical menu, however, if you've heard a song in another virtual tour and would prefer it for yours, just let us know when you place your order.

Can I arrange the order in which the photos will be seen in the tour?

Yes. Once you have uploaded your photos, you are able to rearrange the order as you would like.

What is your turn around time?

Once your photos are uploaded and your order is submitted, your virtual tour will be done in less than 24 hours, or the next business day. Business hours are Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm PST. When photography services are included with your order, the 24 hour period begins at 8:00pm on the day the photos were taken.

Once completed, can I add, rearrange or delete photos from the Virtual Tour?

Yes. There are two parts to a PreviewFirst.com virtual tour – the video tour and the still photo tour. You can add/rearrange or delete the photos in your photos tour, anytime. If you want edits to the photo tour to be reflected in the video, there is a $25 fee to recreate the tour.

Can I preview my virtual tour before it's finished and assist with the production?

No. PreviewFirst is a great company for people that don't like to micro-manage. :)

How do I edit the property details, price and sale status?

You can edit the property information anytime, by logging into your account and clicking the link "Manage Tours".

How can I edit my agent profile information?

You can edit your profile information anytime, by logging into your account and clicking the link "Edit Account". This is where you can change your user id and password, email address, company, address, etc.

Do you add the virtual tour to the MLS for me?

Some multiple listing services are very accommodating to virtual tour providers and some are not. Regardless, almost all Multiple Listing Services provide a way for you to add your virtual tour link to your listings. To find out if your MLS is compliant, just give us a call or send us an email, and include the name and contact info of your MLS.

Do you add the virtual tour to Realtor.com?

Yes. This option is available when ordering your virtual tour for an additional fee by Realtor.com of $19.95.

Do you add the virtual tour to any other websites?

When you choose to add your virtual tour to Realtor.com, your tour will be available on over 60 national and local websites, including but not limited to, Yahoo, Google, AOL, MSN, Netscape, Excite and the Wall Street Journal. These sites are subject to change without notice.

Can I get my virtual tour on a CD ROM?

Yes. There is a $25 fee. We will provide you with your virtual tour (video) and pictures on two CD ROMs – One for you, and one for your client. Each CD is labeled with a picture of the home and the agents contact information.

Can I download the tour and burn it to a CD Rom myself?

Yes. Just login to your account, and click on the link "Manage Tours". From there, Right Click on the "Save Video" link, and choose "Save Target As".

Are your virtual tours hosted on your website or ours?

The virtual tour is hosted on our website. You are provided with a link that can be added to your website or other online marketing channels.

Can I link to the virtual tour from my website(s)?

Yes.

What is the Virtual Tour Gallery Page?

The virtual tour gallery lists all of your virtual tours, both active and inactive. Simply add a link from your personal website to your Virtual Tour Gallery Page and you'll never have to worry about keeping your featured listings up to date with photos and content.

What is your cancellation policy?

Cancellations only apply to the cancellation of photography appointments. Cancellations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. Photography appointments made less than 24 hours in advance are subject to an automatic cancellation fee, according to our terms and conditions. Please see terms and conditions for more information about cancellations and rescheduling photography appointments.

What is the difference between Professional Photography and Twilight Photography?

Professional photography ensures that you and your clients acquire the best possible photographs for your virtual tours, the MLS, Realtor.com, and all of your print advertising needs.

Twilight photography takes place during the last 90 minutes of sunlight providing optimum lighting conditions for interior and exterior photographs. View Properties and Luxury homes with dark interior accents, oversized rooms and large windows should consider Twilight Photography.

What if you don't have a photographer in my area?

You can take the pictures yourself, seek out a professional or let us do the leg work for you. We would be happy to try and find a qualified professional in your area.

When I register a domain name for my listing, how long does it last?

When we register a domain for your listing, it expires after one year. If you should desire to keep the domain name longer than that, it is imperative that you contact us before it expires. PreviewFirst is not a domain registrar and we only register domains for listings, with the understanding that they expire after one year. We do not encourage, promote or manage continued registration, and send no notification of expirations.

Can I arrange the order in which the photos will be seen in the tour?

Yes. Once you have uploaded your photos, you are able to rearrange the order as you would like.

The listing was off the market is now back on. How do I add the tour the MLS?

To add the tour to the MLS, simply log into your PreviewFirst account, and click "Send to MLS". If necessary, you may need to update the virtual tour info to include a new MLS number.

How do I transfer a virtual tour to another agent?

Upon receiving permission from you, we can add the virtual tour to another agents account. There is a $39 fee required by the receiving account.

Is there a fee to keep my virtual tours active?

Virtual tours remain active for one year and may remain active for $10/year thereafter.

How do I transfer a virtual tour to another agent?

Upon receiving permission from you, we can add the virtual tour to another agents account.

I keep trying to upload my logo to the "Branded Content" it's not taking. What's the deal?

First of all, only .JPG files are acceptable. An error usually occurs for one of two reasons. Either you are trying to upload a TIFF, GIF, or BMP file, or your logo appears to be a JPG file, but it's formatted as a TIFF – which means that it is formatted as CMYK, vs. RGB. Convert your image to RGB and save it as a JPG. If you don't' know how… we can help. Email your logo to service@previewfist.com and ask us to do it for you. We'll email it back. No charge.

Why are my pictures savings as BMP files? I need JPG.

Internet Explorer version 6 has a problem where this may occur. While they offer a solution for it, it's more time consuming than it's worth. Here's what we recommend. Instead of clicking on the thumbnail image to open and save the image, it's much easier and faster to simply "Right Mouse" click on either "web" or "print" and choosing "Save Target As".

Can I add descriptions to my photos and on the video tour?

No.