Virtual reality technology becomes a sales tool

Imagine being able to walk through the rooms of a new apartment without physically setting foot in it.

That's what Neoscape, a creative marketing agency from Boston, does for real estate companies and shopping center developers, like Westfield malls, using the screen of an iPhone or iPad.

It's three-dimensional technology that a variety of industries are utilizing to help woo customers. Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, Pinellas County's tourism agency, created a 3-D ride through top local destinations via the same kind of virtual reality images and film.

The tech takes the renderings of new projects to a whole new level.

"It creates a depth that's lost in images," said Patrick Redmond, business development manager for Neoscape. "It's that wow factor, that exclamation point at the end of a presentation that takes it to a new level."

For a mall developer, it could help give executives a better idea of what the inside of a new proposed mall would look and feel like, from the atrium glass roof to the width of the center aisle.

That's why Bryan Holmes, associate principal with Neoscape, was in New York City for the International Council of Shopping Centers annual New York dealmaking convention this week.

"It's all about immersive, interactive experiences," Holmes said, who believes this kind of 3-D virtual reality technology is becoming more mainstream in business communities.

"Imagine being able to look at an apartment and change the fixtures or furniture to see what it could look like before going in," he said. Real estate agents and condominium leasing executives already use it for these purposes.