If a property has not yet been added

If a property has not yet been added to the 3D grid, then another process will have to be completed:

1) A basic 3D model will be obtained using any combination of the following: an existent model from a house made from the same general blueprint, core files obtained from the architect’s CAD exports, free services like Google SketchUp, advanced CAD software like Corel Designer Technical Suite X4, an automated rendering using a compilation of photo stills and advanced triangulation, hiring a 3D graphics specialist, and/or automated shape dynamics using publicly available LIDAR scans. *As this process becomes common, and technology advances, a more simplified solution will likely emerge, and perhaps even an automated one.

2) The model will be textured with photographic data using prospective programs like PhotoSketch. The photographic data will either need to be shot yourself, or downloaded from Internet databases where images exist with matching geo-locations. The process will be surprisingly easy as more cameras record geo-ocations using internal devices or external additions like the Nikon GP-1.

3) The interior will be textured in the same way if you have a 3D model of it. If not, interior views will be incorporated into the grid using panoramic tours, or by loading a number of interior photos into a program like Photosynth and embedding the finished product into the interior layout. Programs like EasyPano are quite feature-rich and allow a lot of customization when building panoramic tours. Again, Google Street View technology will likely play an important role. Eventually, a global property wiki will begin where 3D homes are viewable, information can be stored, gathered, and shared, and ownership of the data will be passed on from owner to owner. Owners will be free to share whatever information they wish, but also have control over private data. Additional objects like trees, fences, swing sets and so forth will be accessible via online warehouses like this, and will become as easy as dragging and dropping them onto the grid in their suitable location. In addition to small objects, you’ll find that warehouses like these already include a large number of popular buildings already modeled that are free for download. Google is also asking for people to assist with specific models listed

The virtual city models will have a much grander purpose than real estate marketing alone, but real estate poses to benefit from these technological movements more than almost any other commercial enterprise. What other product could possibly be marketed in such a limitless way?

And yes, processes like these are still somewhat theoretical, but all of the technological advancements I mentioned are happening right now. Furthermore, with companies like Google and Microsoft leading the charge, I assure you that the mass implementation of these technologies are impending, and they will have an effect on how your business is conducted.

From what I can tell, the effort so far has been to create a number of models and encourage the free sharing of them. The next stage will be integrating platforms like Google Earth into a larger number of online niches including real estate. 3D photo texturing, and communal photo integration will allow for a more realistic, and growing database of files to emerge but the technology is still being produced - PhotoSketch, for instance, is currently being built which will simplify the photorealistic texturing process. Inevitably, real estate photography will cease to exist as we know it and become consumed by this massive, world-mapping initiative.