Can this immersive technology replace model homes?

Florida-based AR Franchising, the franchisor of the AR Homes brand that includes about 40 franchise custom homebuilders in nine states, rolled out an innovative virtual model home in one of its communities.

Earlier this year, the company launched its first in-market AR Theatre within the Tesoro Club community in Port St. Lucie, FL. The technology provides an immersive model home experience where prospective buyers can walk through multiple floor plans and customizations all in one place. 

How the AR Theatre works

The concept equips customers with a 360-degree experience, where buyers enter a virtual showroom with photorealistic renderings projected onto three walls. The screens display elevations, floor plans, finishes, room designs, and outdoor spaces in detail, and the touch-activated screen features arrows that let buyers and realtors navigate between rooms or shift perspectives. 

The first AR Theatre was a prototype in the AR Homes headquarters office in St. Petersburg. Before rolling out the concept to Tesoro Club, the team invited realtors and existing homeowners to test out the technology. 

What they found, representatives for AR Homes say, is that the AR Theatre is a more collaborative alternative to using a VR headset, as it allows families and their realtor to virtually walk through a home together. 

One customer who came into the prototype after his custom home had already begun construction noticed a custom feature he wished he had included in his home. 

On that particular model’s floor plan, one can see a small step-up area in the den, but without actually visualizing it, it’s hard to grasp what it really looks like in person. When the homebuyer saw how the step-up looked in the AR Theatre, he realized his desk could sit higher and overlook the room, a feature that he wished he had chosen for his home. 

“This experience meets the customer where they are—in the dreaming and decision phase. It brings the vision to life in a way that’s tangible, emotional, and memorable. That kind of connection delivers an experience that builds trust and excitement, said Mitzi Hatori, Chief Marketing Officer of AR Franchising, Inc., in a statement. 

Can the AR Theatre replace a model home?

The answer is yes — in certain cases. When AR Homes first unveiled this technology, realtors and sales representatives were excited about the experience, but some noted that nothing can replace an in-person visit to a home. 

The AR Theatre can’t fully replicate an in-person experience, but it can fill in gaps for sales teams when a model home isn’t available. Sometimes, the nearest relevant home model is a far drive away, or a sales team may need a temporary model while the brick-and-mortar is being built, which can take months. 

The AR Homes team selected Tesoro Club, an exclusive community with homes starting at $2.3 million, for its initial rollout because it doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar model home on-site. 

Don Whetro, CEO of AR Franchising, Inc., said in a statement that he hopes this kind of technology can bring about change in the housing industry. 

“We see this as more than a tool – we see it as a catalyst for meaningful change in our industry. We’re equipping our franchise builders with something powerful: the ability to bring the customer’s dream to life before the foundation is even poured,” he said.