Curate by Sotheby’s International Realty, powered by roOomy, revolutionizes the home buying and selling experience for sales associates and consumers
Stamford, Conn. – June 25, 2018 – William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty have announced the launch of Curate by Sotheby’s International Realty(sm), a mobile augmented reality (AR) app that will bring a home’s virtual staging images from 2-D perception into augmented reality. The app was built with ARCore, Google’s AR Software platform, and is powered by roOomy, the leading virtual staging technology platform specializing in 3D, AR and virtual reality content creation and application development.
Curate by Sotheby’s International Realty allows consumers to visualize a house as their own before purchase, thereby curating the home buying experience. Working closely with Google in the run up to ARCore’s release, the Sotheby’s International Realty® brand is the first real estate brand to launch and implement a virtual staging AR app, transforming the home buying and selling experience for sales associates and consumers.
Curate by Sotheby’s International Realty takes virtually staged images from a flat, 2-D screen into the house itself through the power of AR. The app also features a curated selection of AR interior designs, ranging from modern living rooms to traditional dining rooms. This provides the consumer with the ability to immediately swap among these styles, something physical staging could never accomplish.
Curate by Sotheby’s International Realty app features:
- Visualization – Any property can be transformed through a curated selection of AR furnishings and décor Listing-specific staging options will be available in the near future.
- Recollection – The app has screenshot capabilities, allowing viewers to capture and store the images of AR furniture sets placed within the
- Shop – Virtual home furnishings can be clicked for more information about the product, including a link to exit the app and be directed to a retailer’s All furniture is shown to scale and provides accurate room dimensions, ensuring furniture viewed in the app will be a fit, making purchasing and moving into a new home easier on new home buyers.
Curate by Sotheby’s International Realty app benefits:
- Research has shown that an AR experience allows consumers to form more accurate expectations, increasing confidence in purchasing decisions and shortening the sales cycle (Harvard Business Review, A Manager’s Guide to Augmented Reality, November-December 2017 issue).
For prospective home buyers:
- Viewing a potential house in AR breaks down visualization barriers that often accompany the home buying process, allowing prospective home buyers the unique ability to envision the house in their personal taste and Curate by Sotheby’s International Realty offers the opportunity for buyers to ultimately see a house as their own home, increasing confidence in any purchasing decisions.
For home sellers / Sotheby’s International Realty clients:
- Selling a home with a Sotheby’s International Realty sales associate means tapping into the power of AR to sell the home by helping prospective buyers overcome the visualization barriers of touring an empty home or one decorated in a style that differs from their taste.
For the Sotheby’s International Realty sales associate:
- The benefits for the sales associate are similar to those of the home buyer and Curate by Sotheby’s International Realty empowers the sales associate to present a home in an objective and neutral manner. The app also alleviates the need for sales associates to physically stage homes, allowing them to save money on the costs of either renting or buying and storing furniture.
For video and images of the app, click here. To download Curate by Sotheby’s International Realty for Apple iOS-enabled devices, click here. To download it for an Android device from the Google Play store, click here.
About Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC
Founded in 1976 to provide independent brokerages with a powerful marketing and referral program for luxury listings, the Sotheby’s International Realty network was designed to connect the finest independent real estate companies to the most prestigious clientele in the world. Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in real estate franchising and provider of real estate brokerage, relocation and settlement services. In February 2004, Realogy entered into a long-term strategic alliance with Sotheby’s, the operator of the auction house. The agreement provided for the licensing of the Sotheby’s International Realty name and the development of a full franchise system. Affiliations in the system are granted only to brokerages and individuals meeting strict qualifications.
Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC supports its affiliates with a host of operational, marketing, recruiting, educational and business development resources. Franchise affiliates also benefit from an association with the venerable Sotheby’s auction house, established in 1744. For more information, visit www.sothebysrealty.com.
About William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty
Founded in 1949, William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty manages a $4.2-billion portfolio with more than 1,000 sales associates in 27 brokerages spanning Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Westchester County, New York. William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty is one of the largest Sotheby’s International Realty(R) affiliates globally and the 34th-largest real estate company by sales volume in the United States. For more information, visit the website at williampitt.com.
Sotheby’s International Realty’s worldwide network includes 950 offices throughout 69 countries and territories on six continents.
Contact:
Andrew Wood
Vice President of Public Relations and Communications
(203) 644-1938
