RealAR has been featured on the Top 100 Innovation List 2022 in The Australian

Innovation takes many forms but its proponents share a common goal — driving Australia forward and inspiring the rest of the nation to achieve continued success.

Amid an increasingly uncertain economic, environmental and geopolitical landscape these are the future-makers who are hiring the next generation of talent and building the foundations for what our country can — and should — become.

The second annual list of 100 innovators was selected by our (The Australian) expert panel:
Didier Elzinga, Dom Price, Edwina McCann, Jane MacMaster, Julie Bishop, Robyn Denholm, Roy Green, Sally-Ann Williams, Sarah Vega and Steve Vallas

Check out the full list by visiting https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/top-innovator

Or Download the PDF summary

How to do a real size property walkthrough using Zoom and video conferencing.

Using video conferencing mobile apps, instead of Desktop ones, can produce amazing results for viewing property in real size, but can be tricky at first to master.

Here’s our guide to help produce live property walkthroughs whether you’re buying, selling or leasing a property at distance.

During the current travel restrictions for property viewing, RealAR has already helped hundreds of people view and walkthrough property remotely. One of the great things with RealAR being an App, is that unlike Desktop experiences, our walkthroughs are not only real-size (at 1:1 scale) but completely mobile and so untethered. That means that our users are completely free to walkthrough layouts, as we say, as easy as physical spaces and all using only a smartphone.

However one of the most powerful features is when our users share these experiences as a customer with a broker or agent. Typically we love that people can do property walkthroughs together (we don’t use things like immersive headsets or gear) but of course these are atypical times. Fortunately with Video Conferencing fast becoming part of our normal day-to-day, platforms like Zoom and BlueJeans have become powerful tools for both maintaining and developing our professional relationships.

In many countries and cities, property inspections have become restricted examining a property’s layout regardless of whether an existing space fits, or deciding options for buying remotely off-plan. The good news is that, if you have a floor plan, a smartphone and people you want to walkthrough a property with we’re here to help.

Video conference call sharing is amazing, but can be tricky at first to master. One annoyance is that most software needs to use the Screen Record function (yes - not Screen Mirroring which would make sense!) of a smartphone which leads to confusion and frustration. We’ve helped lots of people to do this so we pulled together this useful guide.

Here’s our step by step guide to running a live property walkthrough remotely using Zoom (or other) Video conferencing.

1. First download and install both Zoom and RealAR apps to your smartphone device (protip: during any Video Conference on mobile, switch of Do Not Disturb)

2. Sign up for the appropriate accounts if video sharing with more than 1 person (yes you can share with multiple people!).

3. Sign up for a RealAR plan and convert your floor plan (click here to find out more How to Get Started).

4. BEFORE the conference call, login to RealAR and open your floor plan in Real Size (protip: do a walkthrough yourself as a reminder of the layout).

5. Leaving RealAR running, switch and START your conference call using the Zoom (or other) mobile app as normal [*].

6. When ready, inside Zoom, Share Content > select Screen.

7. Screen Recording will then appear (the confusing part) select Zoom (or other) and Start Broadcast to begin sharing. A countdown will begin with a notification that you are sharing your screen!

8. Switch back to RealAR and start your walkthrough as easy as a physical space (protips: for higher quality results or in low bandwidth Dial in using your Phone (not Internet) and Stop Video during walk-through)

9. Simply switch back to the Video Conference app to Stop Broadcast at any point.

[*] If at any point you accidentally close the RealAR app, or it crashes, DON’T WORRY another method is to reopen the app and share with the Control Center - see below.

This is also the same way that you can pre-record walkthrough videos if you don’t need to live-share.

For more information Live walkthrough sharing through video conference as well as how to Record and Share walkthrough videos and other Support tips and tricks, please visit the RealAR Help and Support Center.

Tech Comes to The Forefront with Social Distancing

Recognizing the new realities of COVID-19, real estate augmented reality visualization platform RealAR recently partnered with location-based AR experience company tagSpace to launch a strategic partnership.

SAN FRANCISCO—With COVID-19 now a global emergency, the heightening of travel restrictions, limitation of mass gatherings and social distancing, and people being required to work from home are all affecting multiple sectors including the real estate industry. Sellers targeting foreign buyers for instance, are recording drops in very high percentage rates.

Recognizing these realities, real estate augmented reality visualization platform RealAR recently partnered with location-based AR experience company, tagSpace, to launch a strategic partnership.

“This partnership solidifies RealAR as the go-to solution for property professionals to understand plans as easily as physical property,” said Dan Swan, CEO of RealAR. “We have been watching tagSpace’s progress into areas such as Smart Cities for a number of years and now together we’re bringing the best experiences to both residential and commercial real estate, especially now with property professionals using technology in new ways to reach customers.”

The two companies are specialists in the emerging technology of augmented reality. RealAR came to market in 2018 with an initial focus of helping home buyers view homes before construction was completed.

Upon completion of the Colliers Proptech Accelerator Program powered by Techstars, RealAR partnered with Colliers to expand into commercial real estate. tagSpace is also a Techstars portfolio company, having recently participated in Lisbon 2019.

As RealAR’s technology partner of choice, tagSpace will provide annotation tags within its property tours. Likewise, RealAR real-size 3D models created from a 2D floor plan can be placed at real-world locations via the tagSpace portal.

Paul Martin, tagSpace CEO will become RealAR’s co-chief technology officer to bolster delivery of property visualization capabilities.

“We have been connected with the RealAR team a while but our relationship forged after our companies each joined the Techstars family, the global platform for investment and innovation. RealAR’s commitment to solving real world problems using technology is impressive. Visualizing real estate in-situ using mobile AR technologies is important now more than ever due to travel and social recommendations being imposed in the wake of COVID-19,” said Martin. “Combined with tagSpace’s XR city-scale annotative tags and cloud solution, we are excited to have a combined offering that can help businesses sell and lease property, even in an economic downturn.”

During the coming months, RealAR will release its automated conversion technology which uses artificial intelligence to create real-size and real-time experiences. This will allow tenants, landlords and brokers to understand how to optimize the best fit-outs for a space.

“RealAR is 100% mobile, so runs on your smartphone without any additional gear like headsets, and unlike desktop experiences, RealAR walkthroughs are real size and untethered,” Swan tells GlobeSt.com. “Because RealAR is mobile, a property walkthrough can be done anywhere. The walkthroughs allow a buyer or tenant to experience a floorplan layout end-to-end just the same as physical spaces. RealAR viewers can understand layouts as they would in the real world. This is all great for distance viewing, shortlisting and of course deal closing because users can walk through that final floorplan based on negotiations.”

Credits - By Lisa Brown | March 30, 2020 at 04:00 AM

https://www.globest.com/2020/03/30/tech-comes-to-the-forefront-with-social-distancing/

With COVID-19 now a global emergency, the recent heightening of travel restrictions and limitation of mass gatherings is effecting all of our lives, including the property industry.

In particular sellers targeting foreign buyers are seeing drops in numbers in the very high percentages. As well as restrictions now in place for international travel, domestic travel is also decreasing as seen with people now being encouraged to work from home. On the flip side cut in mortgages rates in many countries are also now at record lows could help boost new home buyers coming to market.

What is AR?

Augmented Reality (AR) takes advantage of a Smartphone camera, then layers over features as a real time view. RealAR does this specifically for real estate so in seconds understanding a property plans true size is as easy as seeing a physical layout from anywhere.

If you have a property floor plan, here’s how RealAR can help:

1. Quickly we convert floor plans into real size AR (RealAR also works with 3D models)

2. RealAR runs on mobile or tablet so you don’t need any equipment other than your Smartphone (no googles, no headgear)

3. We’re mobile so can run anywhere, you don’t have to be onsite

4. RealAR creates a real-size 1:1 scale of a property which can be walked through in real time

5. Instantly understand any space, how the layout works, how they connect with room sizes

6. Shortlist from any location, attract more leads share and add viewers as they need (see key metrics below)

With mortgage lending rates now so low they are also attracting many first-time buyers to market, and whilst they are mobile savvy, they also need as much help as possible going through their first purchase decision.

AR is here to stay

AR for Real Estate isn’t just here at a time of crisis, it’s here to stay. A report by Colliers International that by 2022 over 3.5BN devices will be AR enabled by 2022: https://knowledge-leader.colliers.com/editor/can-augmented-virtual-reality-really-change-commercial-real-estate-landscape/

Key Metrics for a competitive edge:

• AR tours are almost double (1.9x) the level of engagement than TV and online. [1]

• Increase win rates by 50% when using AR for Sales so that customers can better visualize products [2]

• Dynamic visual content to generate 403% more enquiries and 49% more qualified leads [3]

For more information, either download the app for free on the Apple or Google App Stores, or sign-up to one of our pricing plans.

[1] Neuro-Insight study, Mar 2018; [2] IDC AR Use Cases Report, June 2018; [3] Matterport

How giving first - simply trying to help anyone without expecting anything back - lead to startup success.

Ending the year, especially on a high (more on this later) is always a great time for reflection. As we hit a new decade, looking back also gives a fresh perspective of the road ahead. 2010 started just as I had began a PhD, made my first startup investment as well as helping one scale. Also my wife and I decided to up our roots and move from the city of Sydney to the town of Byron Bay on the Northern NSW coast, giving up our muggle jobs to refocus on our own entrepreneurial projects - this was jumping off the waterfall in many directions to say the least. My background is tech, my wife’s hospitality, but we managed to combined our talents unwittingly with a cafe and coworking space - 100 Mile Table and StartInno respectively - the first if its kind in the area. Both were catalysts and evolved in to bigger ventures, so Bay Grocer and RealAR grew out of that first big step.

After seeing startup heuristics seed and grow in Sydney in the late 00’s and early 10’s we wanted to bring the same to regional areas and StartInno ran and operated as Byron Bay’s Coworking and Innovation Hub for five years (read here for more about StartInno’s Wins, Fails and What’s Next). Coming from the open and inclusive Sydney ecosystem (nods to @liubinskas @philmorle) I was thrilled straight away by how warm and welcoming the nearby Queensland ecosystem was. Steve Baxter, on the cusp of growing his profile with Shark Tank, came in to the Hub to say G’day and introduced me to the Brisbane ecosystem. We have staying in touch ever since (later invited to pitch on his recent RiverPitch TV series). Separately Gold Coast groups reached out - through the legendary Aaron Birkby - and asked if I would be a mentor on 2015 Gold Coast Startup Weekend. This was my first introduction to Techstars and it was an amazing experience and privilege to meet entrepreneurs, not only from the Gold Coast and Northern NSW, but teams who flew in from Asia specifically to take part in the event.

At the #startupbyron pitch session. L-R: Dan Swan (StartInno), Craig O'Kane MBE (Now Director, office of the Queensland Chief Entrepreneur), Andrew Corbett-Jones (GEP), Chau Duncan (UKTI), Saadi Allen (ex Honey Flow now Compost Central), Paul McKey (author and mentor) at SAE Byron Bay

We had already been running our own flavour of local events, called Startup Academy #StartupByron which also began connecting local investment which had grown way beyond our expectation. The final event pitching competition had UKTI sponsor prize money for the pitching event, with Craig O’Kane now Director at the office of the Queensland Chief Entrepreneur (notably NSW doesn’t have an equivalent). I was so amazing in what could be done in 54hrs of a Startup Weekend that the following year we decided to run the very first Startup Weekend Byron Bay & Northern Rivers.

Those that with a less progressive mindset may think that “wow, so this guys was invited into our ecosystem, now he’s running another event like our close by…” but no. As soon as we announced, Peta Ellis, then at River City Labs asked how they could support, likewise the Gold Coast groups did the same. No perception of competition at all, even through we were even across the boarder and in a seperate state. This mindset also began to reciprocate and likewise I was, and continue to be, accepted, as a community leader regardless of seperate state.

I started to unpack these heuristics and applying what I learnt to Regional Innovation Systems (here’s the blog post) as I was baffled as to why Queensland regionally was far more ahead of the curve than NSW in terms of regional support. I had been called into a few meetings in Sydney to consult on some task force initiatives which made sense since not only my experience both as an entrepreneur and a community leader of the (then) only Hub, but my PhD research had also included research into startups, research and evaluation reports of government interventions, including conference proceedings presentations in both Dublin and Porto. None of this was paid, and no travel expenses covered (in fact I remember a meeting in a Sydney coffee shop when a government person, who’s meeting it was, stormed in late stating “I’m not paying for anyone’s coffees” - nice). Needless to say dealing with government was in my view a #givefirst fail due to a lack of appreciation of entrepreneurs’s time - meetings cancelled last minute after jumping on flights - it was simply just “take”. Steve Baxter summed it up recently that Queensland is regionally focused since the (voting) majority lives outside Brisbane the state capital, unlike Sydney and New South Wales for example. Despite the “burn” to this day I remain a supported of government initiatives but only when they favour “founders first” and generally get out of the road of the startup entrepreneur.

David Cohen at Techstars Central, Boulder Colorado with the SC Leaders Mission 2017 #GiveFirst

One ecosystem (play) book brings us back to lens of Techstars. Back to the beginning of the decade Brad Feld started writing “Startup Communities” which became the playbook on how to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem where you live. Key is the idea of the Boulder Thesis which explains how a relatively small town in Colorado became one the hottest ecosystems outside of Silicon Valley. Brad of course is also one of the co-founders of Techstars, and Boulder is where they are still centrally located. In 2017, again through the Queensland community, we were invited to take part in the Startup Catalyst Community Leaders Mission to the USA. We met co-founder and (then Co) CEO Dave Cohen who had also just come back from opening the first Techstars Accelerator in Australia. As community leaders he pressed us as to what were some of the biggest issues we faced developing our ecosystems. I didn’t necessarily agree at the time but the general feedback from the overall group was a large sense of “Tall Poppy Syndrome”. His advice was simply, write a blog saying it was a thing of the past, so (another legend) Baden U’Ren from Bond University did! Dave Cohen immediately reciprocated by writing a blog post on our visit and generally thrilled at trying to shift mindsets. During this visit he also did a deeper dive into the idea and importance to #givefirst and something that has stuck with me to this day. Dave gave a tangible example when answering an email that had an “ask”… saw that the person had in fact given first, and immediately responded to their request. He then made sure that each and every one of us had his direct email and just get in touch. So I did.

Over then next couple of years I emailed general updates sharing our insights. So when I finally wanted advice I felt comfortable enough to share how excited we were about our Real Estate startup to come through StartInno Ventures called RealAR. I always made a point of giving-first before the ask, so he always replied and as we started to look at fundraising he wrote to back how we should look at the Colliers Proptech Accelerator powered by Techstars in Toronto. This was in 2018 and the timing was a little off for RealAR as a business, however I spent the next year hearing from most of the Proptech industry of how amazing and successful the Program was. In 2019 we decided to apply as it was the Accelerator Proptech program that had serious ‘pull’. It wasn’t appropriate to contact Dave Cohen during the initial application process, but of course was able to say that he had referred us onto the Program (I did after the process was over who immediately replied back with a “Too cool” email). I’m unsure what weighting this carried, if any, but what I do (now) know is that all the top Accelerators spend a lot of time ‘scouting’ for startups to apply. This is important to know since the acceptance rate of the top Accelerators is 1% particularly for the top 2 (Techstars and YCombinator). Almost all prefer to have some form of warm introduction, just like any VC or investor, so it must of helped since we were shortlisted and invited to pitch to the 2019 Program’s Investment Committee in Toronto for 20mins (5 min pitch, 15 min panel Q&A).

Hanging out with Techstars MD (the awesome) Ben Liao at a Toronto rooftop bar social event with Colliers

It’s important to note here that we had the choice of pitching in person or by video call. I had spoken with a team that made the effort to fly out to pitch the previous year but ended out missing out on the class of 2018. So I didn’t imagine that Techstars would weight a remote call over an in-person one. I do however always believe that meeting in person where possible is better, I also wanted to meet the Colliers team (I knew Techstars of course) plus also see Toronto as I’d never been and wanted to see the city where (potentially) I’d be spending 3 months of my life away from my family. I looked a flights and accommodation, the 23hr travel time and jetlag factors, decided it was ridiculous for one 20min meeting but booked it anyway and told Techstars I’d be there to present in person.

My co-founder Keith said I was mad but knows when I’ve my mind set, just to let me run with it, success or fail. Plus what I was confident about - and this is the most important point - is that I had been pitching to some pretty heavy weight Australian investors earlier in the year, including as a semi-finalist on the RiverPitch TV series. I wrote a blog on the 5 key learnings and was an amazing experience to begin developing my pitch skills. But mainly, those experiences with such high exposure, gave me the confidence that I could fly across the world and pitch to a panel of some of the world’s top VCs and Accelerator Program. Again, “weighting” the in-person pitch in the application process I can’t say, however shortly after the pitch, all teams attending that day were invited to hangout at a rooftop social event where we could spend more time meeting both Colliers, Techstars and some of the other teams which wouldn’t have happened had we not been there in person. It also made me realise that being part of the Program would be amazing and really something special. Suffice to say a few months later out of 750 applications around the world we were accepted in the final 10 selected to participate in the 2019 Program. RealAR (and StartInno Ventures as subsidiary) is now a Techstars backed portfolio company.

We completed the Program in December and were honoured to be the first team on Demo Day to pitch. That doesn’t mean anything tangible other than you’re the team that the others look toward to set the tone of the event. Most of all, due to my previous pitch experiences, I knew what I had to work on, not just in terms of business model, but also performance. The venue - the largest in Toronto was sold out to 1200 people within the first week of the mail-out and was also live streamed around the world. It was an amazing day. They say Techstars “is for life” and we are only now just at the beginning of the next chapter of our journey but we met and bonded with people from all around the world that we will truely know for a long time. I can’t thank the people at Techstars, Colliers and other teams enough for all their support. In the end it really was a special group of #hugsnothandshakes.

The purpose of this blog is to also call out some amazing #givefirst individuals. First is Steve Baxter, as well as being on of the first people to visit StartInno when we opened, he always responded to any “ask” and of course the (annoying but true) critical feedback during all the RiverPitch events. Peta Ellis, always shared our events and supported us where possible, as well as the first to strike up a reciprocal coworking agreement, then later invited us to pitch at RiverPitch. Aaron Birkby, again invited me to my first Startup Weekend, supported everything we ever did and most importantly that luminous Startup Catalyst Leader Mission to the USA. Sharon Hunneybell, Baden U’Ren and Peter Laurie, all bonded together on the Mission and have been friends, mentors, coaches and community leaders both at the Gold Coast Innovation Hub (our current home) and Brisbane’s Precinct. There are many more I would like to thank, and you know who you are. We couldn’t have done it without you. If there’s and way that we can help, just hit us up. We will be giving back as much as we can.

One final word. Techstars is a worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed because of #givefirst not in-spite of it. In any worldwide Techstars Accelerator or office #givefirst branded as heavily as the Program itself. Mentors who take part do so freely giving up their own time, without any expectation of anything in return. Mentoring is considered a privilege. Those who may chose to take advantage, mislead or misrepresent their intentions, whether a startup, investment fund or group, in the words of @pjlaurie your actions will be noted, and reputational damage most likely ensue. Always #givefirst

This article was originally published on StartInno.com

So many startups are infiltrating the market that it is difficult to get them from concept to reality. Understanding that obstacle, this startup RealAR, discussed in a Propmodo article, has made their technology extremely easy to access and therefore able to catch on quickly at a volume scale.

If a PropTech launches in the forest and no one hears it, does it make an impact? We’re constantly inundated with tech developments being touted as the best, the most advanced, the newest…the list of superlatives go on and on. To be sure, sometimes the tech really is that impressive. Blockchain, for instance, really will probably reshape a lot of industries. Self-driving cars, and automation in general, is going to put a lot of people out of a job. The Hyperloop, if it ever materializes, would revolutionize transportation.

But beyond the tech itself, there’s another factor that determines whether a launch is a success. That thing is accessibility. The best technology in the world is irrelevant if it can’t find a market or be deployed successfully. Sometimes, the most high-tech solution isn’t the best one, if it stops people from getting their hands on it. This is as critical for big companies as it is for startups.

This is part of the philosophy behind the growth of RealAR, an Australian startup that creates 3D, augmented reality models of homes and other buildings based off of 2D floorplans. In order to view the models, RealAR uses a phone or tablet app. “We wanted our spatial visualization tech to be mass market (AR works on about 1BN+ phones/tablets), life-sized experiences and portable, so it works in almost any space without additional gear,” said RealAR’s CEO and cofounder Dan Swan in an email interview with Propmodo.

Read more >

CHoseN from over 750 applicants from 50+ Countries, RealAR has been selected as one of the Top Ten StartUP forming this years cohort.

TORONTO, 9 Sept 2019— Colliers International (NASDAQ and TSX: CIGI) today announced RealAR as one of the ten startups selected for its Colliers Proptech Accelerator Powered by Techstars Class of 2019. Based in the Gold Coast, RealAR becomes the very first Australian company to take part in the Program. RealAR CEO and Co-founder Dr Dan Swan said, “This Accelerator is one of the few in the world that has serious pull in terms of focus on innovation, property technology disruption and truely global reach. One of our goals is to develop our Product Visualization software to scale globally, integrating with workflows and demonstrate true value closing the gap between buyer understanding and customer sales. Applying for the Program was a no-brainer, so then when we made the final cut, we started to get really excited about the journey and opportunities ahead”.

RealAR will focus on growing its existing residential user base as well as leveraging Colliers International world wide for enterprise customers. RealAR was recently listed as one of the Top 7 Apps for Homeowners and Realtors. The Accelerator Program runs for an intensive 3 months, including a trip to CRETech in New York and culminates in Demo Day 3rd December.

About RealAR

RealAR is an Australian based augmented reality startup that allows users to visualize property plans and do walkthroughs before properties are built. The startup doesn’t require expensive gear and can easily convert floor plans into virtual experiences within minutes. Users can take a 2D floor plan or 3D model created in Matterport or Autodesk formats and then create a augmented reality experience, allowing users to see the walk-through in life-size, spot issues that they may not have thought about with just a floor plan view of the project, and give potential home buyers the additional comfort they might need to make a purchase.

About Colliers International

Colliers International (NASDAQ, TSX: CIGI) is a leading global real estate services and investment management company. With operations in 68 countries, our 14,000 enterprising people work collaboratively to provide expert advice and services to maximize the value of property for real estate occupiers, owners and investors. For more than 20 years, our experienced leadership team, owning more than 40% of our equity, have delivered industry-leading investment returns for shareholders. In 2018, corporate revenues were $2.8 billion ($3.3 billion including affiliates), with more than $26 billion of assets under management. Learn more about how we accelerate success at corporate.colliers.com, Twitter @Colliers or LinkedIn.

About Techstars

Techstars is the worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed. Techstars founders connect with other entrepreneurs, experts, mentors, alumni, investors, community leaders, and corporations to grow their companies. Techstars operates three divisions: Techstars Startup Programs, Techstars Mentorship-Driven Accelerator Programs, and Techstars Corporate Innovation Partnerships. Techstars accelerator portfolio includes more than 1,900 companies with a market cap of $23 Billion. www.techstars.com

For further information, please contact:

Dan Swan, CEO & Co-founder, RealAR
+1 628 400 7355 | +61 2 8003 4003
media@realar.com

Carolyn Merchant, Global Director, PR + Communications Colliers International
+1 416 324 6405 | +1 647 218 1579
carolyn.merchant@colliers.com

Ben Liao, Managing Director, Techstars
+1 416 399 9453
ben.liao@techstars.com

Media links:

• https://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/colliers-proptech-accelerator-powered-by-techstars-welcomes-class-of-2019-startups

• http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/09/09/1912666/0/en/Colliers-Proptech-Accelerator-Powered-by-Techstars-Welcomes-Class-of-2019-Startups.html

• https://www.techstars.com/content/accelerators/announcing-2019-class-colliers-proptech-accelerator-powered-techstars/

• https://corporate.colliers.com/en/Newsroom/Colliers-Proptech-Accelerator-Powered-by-Techstars-welcomes-Class-of-2019-startups

• https://renx.ca/colliers-proptech-accelerator-second-year-participants/

• https://placetech.net/news/colliers-techstars-announces-class-of-2019/

• https://www.cretech.com/directory/company/realar/press-release/walkthrough-app-realar-helps-owners-visualize-real-estate-interiors-before-theyre-built

Apple’s ground-breaking augmented reality (AR) software, ARKit, has quietly been gaining traction among savvy marketing and sales professionals since it launched in late 2017.

But industry insiders are predicting that one area the tech could prove revolutionary, is in real estate - but why, and more importantly, how?

The benefits of AR for large home-builders who rely on non-personalised, highly-specced display homes, brochures, or clunky virtual reality, to sell off-the-plan properties is obvious. But what’s set to prove really interesting, is how the tech could benefit architects.

Recently launched Realar Places is the only AR platform designed exclusively for real estate - and as the app’s co-founder, and serial tech entrepreneur Dan Swan explains, it was crafted with architects in mind.

“It’s surprising to me that in the age of technology, architects are still taking clients on-site, and using A3 pieces of paper and over-exaggerated arm gestures to communicate ideas. We wanted put cutting-edge augmented reality tech to practical use, and make architects’ sign-off process a hell of  a lot easier”.

Dan and his co-founder, Keith Ahern, set about creating an easy-to-use platform that allows plans to be dragged and dropped (from SketchUp and other popular authoring tools), then viewed on-site, life size, in real-time, using only a smartphone or tablet. In doing so, they have potentially solved one of architects’ most ancient gripes.

“This technology has the potential to be revolutionary”, explains Ben Shoot, co-founder of design firm, Urban Design Studio. “Out of the box compatibility with our 3d design tools like SketchUp and having the ability to turn 2D plans into 3D so easily from SketchUp is a game-changer”.   With deeper integrations currently  in development between Realar and common 3d design tools used for design and sales will change the way professionals design and sell in the sector.

The Realar Places platform is fully compatible with many of the popular authoring tools including Sketchup, Filmbox (.fbx), and 3DStudioMax, Unity3D and Revit.  

Realar Places is available to download now for free in the app store.

Through to the Semi’s of #RiverPitch - here’s what we learned.

The team at Realar is totally thrilled to have made it to the semi-finals of YourMoney’s new TV Series #RiverPitch.

Steve Baxter's (previously of Shark Tank) new TV series RiverPitch, features 24 game-changing ideas from 8 teams of entrepreneurs from each state of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

In the Queensland round we were up against an impressive line-up of teams:

• Audeara (semi-finalist)

• BenchOn

• Canaria (semi-finalist)

• Orbmaps

• PowerWells

• Site See

• World’s Biggest Garage Sale (semi-finalist)

And of course Realar! To be involved in any pitch event is amazing, but to be featured in the very first show of a new and exciting TV series, amongst some of Queenland’s leading entrepreneurs was a huge honour and privilege.

Our goal was to continuously refine our pitch and glean as much feedback as possible, especially from some of Australia’s top mentors and coaches. Being on TV was of course an additional benefit as we always strive for more awareness and expose of Realar as a product. The opportunity for a wider audience to ‘see’ and hear about our product was really exciting, so to make it through to the semi-finals was a huge surprise and wonderful bonus. Competing against the other teams not only made us very proud, but we also got to meet some amazing entrepreneurs and make new friends.

What we learned

A pitch is never perfect and you always have to adapt. The end challenge was to pitch, absorb feedback then adapt into a 90sec format. Our mission is to continuously improve, so having access to mentors like Steve Baxter is a real privilege especially in terms of seeing our pitch through an investor’s eyes. Steve’s analysis is razor-sharp so anything adding clarity to our pitch is immensely valuable. In Episode 1 of the Show you’ll see Steve’s feedback and how “Seeing a building before it’s built” really resonated with him… and Steve was right. That’s a simple, easy to remember tag-line that we have talked about but taken for granted. So now, rather than being buried in our communications, that’s something that is front and centre of Realar’s proposition.

Similarly we had a big assumption that people would “get” that Realar is an App, therefore doesn’t require any new or expensive hardware. You don’t see it in the feedback session but that wasn’t clear enough, so in the final pitch we explicitly drew attention to the fact there is no hardware, that Realar simply works on the Smartphones that everyone has in their pocket. That was a key factor (we think) in us getting through.

Another tricky issue was to do with communicating our business model, and that’s because we have two: first, we have consumers (our Starter Plan) which helps anyone going through a new home build visualise the piece of land they’re planning to buy and build on. Steve picked up on and questioned why people would keep subscribing to a SaaS model for just $49. The answer is that we realised early on that lots of customers also want their builders (who all have smartphones too!) to also easily see a ‘single version of the truth’. Seeing a floorplan as a life-size walkthrough can quickly answer on-site questions. We haven’t yet gone through a full year of our SaaS model but our customers are seeing the value (MRR and LTV) over a length of time. However we acknowledged that we were still learning about our product-market fit which again was a key factor for the pitch.

Whilst our GTM (Go To Market) strategy is very customer-centric, in the final pitch we changed focus to enterprise customers. Although the second part of our model has less traction, we do know that enterprise customers see the value of their customers being able to visualise product. Our favourite case study is how Houzz’s AR App increase Sales 11x so we know it can be done, and done well in the real estate sector. Enterprise sales are, however, tricky - sale lead times can be long and it’s hard to scale reliably through teams - which is why in our short term we’ve been partnering on pilot projects. We recently micro-pivoted away from an over-engineered sales process, so - like how we’ve automated the Realar App using artificial intelligence - scaling this process is something the team is currently working hard on (watch this space). This includes, in our last product release, a branded showrooms feature in-App with click-to-call and embedded web links, so that enterprises can really show their full range of products.

Combining enterprise with a consumer-first approach has in fact brought a real point of difference in that we understand what the end customer wants and the demand for more choice so they can Buy and Build Better. This is why we’re excited by our BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) of partnering with a marketplace as part of our Ask that was touched on in the final pitch.

Whether a 10min pitch to a room of Angels, a 5min format pitching event, or 90secs on TV, making a pitch crisp and simple to understand is always the challenge and why shows like #RiverPitch are hugely important and not just entertainment TV. We’re loving being part of it.

#RiverPitch is on Your Money every Tuesday at 7.30pm (AEDT) or follow #RiverPitch on Twitter.

Watch Episode 1 again.

Watch Your Money, 7:30pm Tuesdays as 24 Australian entrepreneurs from around the country compete to win a prize valued at $20,000 and to be named the overall winner of #RiverPitch! Each of our fantastic contestants is an Australian owned business who is looking to scale-up and take their company to the next level.

Android Release: Realar now supported on 900 Million Devices

Realar are very proud to announce support and beta release of it’s Android App for @realarplaces.

Following the successful launch and success in Australia to the Real Estate and property market, “Realar Places” is now supports nearly 900 Million devices across the world.

Co-founder and CTO Keith Ahern said “It was very important to us to validate the product in a market iOS and Apple devices are very strong, which is the case for Real Estate in Australia, especially New South Wales and Queensland”. Ahern added “So it’s now very exciting for our growth so be able to help new home buyers and builders by offering the same set of features, not only across Australia but also in North America'“.

On iOS alone Realar over the past three months has achieved 3.1K downloads, 30K users and strong base of customers.

To download the Android App, visit the Google Play Store:

For more details on the full list of Supported Devices, visit Realar’s Help and Support.

At Realar, we can’t contain our excitement helping people Buy And Build Better and unleashing the magic of Augmented Real Estate.

Our mission is to revolutionise the way real estate professionals can create a better buyer experience, and promote a better conversation and decision-making process with “RealAR” experiences.

Recently, we got chatting to some of the best real estate agents around the world to gauge where they see the future of AR, and how they see it fitting in with the real estate industry. Results are in - and they’re looking good.

“Augmented Reality is extremely useful and advantageous in the real estate industry because it promotes a future forward outlook and allows you to bring / pitch projects to life before taking on any risk.”

Lawrence, New York

Ever considered buying or selling a home that isn’t what you or your client actually want? Sounds like a bit of a nightmare to me. As Lawrence highlights, using AR such as Realar can alleviate the risk involved in the process of buying or selling a home that hasn’t yet been constructed - as we say “pixels are cheaper than bricks”.

“It’s important to help potential buyers to really visualize themselves in the future home. Whether it’s a 3D render, or even Virtual or Augmented Reality that can be used, the stimulation of their imagination is key”

Austin, Washington

Think 3D render is cool? So do we. So much so, that we created Realar to take these renderings to the next level. Designed to give users the ability to “walk through” a house utilising AR and, if possible, at the exact location, provides a unique and, as Austin mentions, stimulating experience where the user’s imagination is expanded like not yet seen. Unlike regular 3D and even VR, Realar understand natural light and its aspect to adds to the realism so that buyers really connect with a building. To us, this is what it’s about - creating a genuine experience and connection with the process of buying and designing homes.

“It’s great - especially for people who can’t physically be at a property because of distance, they can be there this way.”

Megan, Sydney

It’s nerve-racking buying a home, let alone one not yet constructed. Whether you’re too far away to visit a potential future plot, or struggle to imagine the final construction. Changes of mind often prove to be costly so understand plans as its being designed, quoted on and even during build saves buyer lots of money. Users can ignite their imagination, “walk through” and experience their homes at any given time, taking the anxiety out of buying a home off the plan.

“It will be used, just us watch social media.”

Sandro, California

Technology has made a huge impact on the way we connect with the world - as Sandro mentions, just think about social media today. Apple and Google are driving innovation in AR at an enormous fast rate. Our team at Realar, are excited about the positive advancements that AR technology offers and we strive to be at the forefront to offer buyers and sellers of homes a real experience throughout the process.

“Augmented reality will play a big part in immersing potential buyers into the possibility of their future purchases”

Mark, Brisbane

The future is in technology that is easy to use and has practical purpose. As Mark touches on during our conversation about the role of AR and the real estate industry, Realar provides the possibility for users to envision the future. It’s a game changer for both home buyers and sellers alike.

“It’s a game changer to reduce costs and create greater transparency and honesty in the industry.”

Julie, Melbourne

We all know real estate agents are no longer the gate-keepers of information about a property or development. How can we help them when their job getting harder? Realar revolutionises the way real estate agents and home buyers interact, creating a new kind of dialogue - one where trust in the process and industry is a natural outcome of using AR.

“A great marketing tool that is fun and engaging.”

David, Seattle

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Infographic: Top 7 Tips for Augmented Reality in Real Estate [DOWNLOAD AND SHARE]

For the agents out there, there’s one extra point that David mentions that simply can’t be denied. Giving agents, sales and customer support teams access to leading edge tool, without expensive gear and equipment, as a point of difference is one the best marketing messages out there. Realar provides a refreshing and exciting opportunity engage with your clients and to sell homes.

Whether you are looking to buy off the plan or are in real estate sales yourself, no matter whether you’re at the forefront of Tech or have been hiding under a rock for the past few years, one thing's for sure come to light - AR offers exciting advancements for the real estate industry and it’s here to stay.

Watch the Realar demo video.

Find out more follow-like @realarplaces #maderealar

Join us for the inspiring and educational Pathfinders Byron Bay breakfast event.

Realar® is a very proud sponsor of this exciting breakfast event.

Friday October 12th, 7-8:30am, $65 includes Hot Breakfast, Tea & Coffee.

Held at the luxurious Elements Resort Byron Bay guest speaker Tim Foote, of Belle Property Mosman will be discussing business strategy, sales, marketing, and more.

Enter the Promo Code: “REALAR” for a $10 Discount.

Seats are limited.

TIM FOOTE - BELLE PROPERTY 

There are reasons beyond top sales results that make Tim Foote Mosman’s No. 1 Agent by a significant margin today. Tim’s love for helping people through their selling or purchasing experience is the driving force behind his successful 17-year career and a passion that motivates him every day. Differing from the traditional mindset of agents to simply ‘get it sold’, Tim loves to share his expertise and guide clients through the process so they can relax and enjoy the experience.

Tim is an outstanding negotiator with $2.1 billion in sales to his name. In CY16-17, his market-leading $401 million sales included the highest ever apartment prices in Mosman ($10.22 million) and Balmoral ($6.5 million). His other current records include the highest house price in Mosman, $17.5 million (2011-2015) and Kirribilli, $12.3 million.

Tim is Mosman’s real estate innovator. He brought private auctions to the marketplace as well as the highly effective pre-campaign strategy, Belle Property Private. 

In 2014, Tim was awarded the industry’s highest honour – the Australian Sales Agent of the Year Award at the Real Estate Business Awards.

Tim has a first class honours degree in architecture and is married to his beautiful wife, Rebecca with four young children. He is an avid supporter of the Wallabies and Waratahs, and loves skiing. Tim is a major sponsor of Mosman Public School, Northern Nursery School, the Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Mini-Mos since 2010.

About Pathfinders Breakfasts

Pathfinders Byron Bay Breakfasts are designed to inspire you for a successful and significant life, connecting locals with industry and marketplace leaders. 

From creatives, entrepreneurs, employees and employers, Pathfinders is for people from all walks of life. Our speakers don’t just share their strategies for success but also their back story; what has made them who they are today and how they approach challenges, leadership, motivation, health, wellness, longevity, spirituality and family. 

Pathfinders Breakfasts began in Sydney, held at The Ivy Ballroom, and have featured speakers such as Mark Bouris, Mia Freedman, Peter Overton, Lisa Messenger, Daniel Flynn and David Koch. 

Go to pathfindersbyronbay.com for more information.

Is there a way to test your home design before you build it?

Before you make all those lines on a page, the permanent walls you’ll be living in? A way you can walk around a life-size version without the big investment upfront?

Realar will be game-changing in helping you get confidence you’re designing the right renovation or new build – before you start construction.

Excerpt from Undercover Architect permalink: https://undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-realar-walk-through-of-home-design/

I’ve been sharing the Realar app with my course and VIP members for a little while now, and I’m really excited to be bringing it to you. This augmented reality app will be game-changing in helping you get confidence you’re designing the right renovation or new build – before you start construction.

So often, homeowners I speak with are nervous about whether the design they’re creating for their renovation or new home will actually be the home they want to live in once it’s all finished.

I met Dan earlier this year – he’s actually based in Byron Bay and mutual friends connected us. Dan has founded several successful technology start-ups in the USA, UK and Australia that have seen huge success and growth internationally. He’s also an active startup mentor and investor AND he holds a PhD in Innovation.

This is not sponsored content … I’m always super excited to share something new that I know will really help you as you’re building and renovating … and I know this definitely will.

Here’s some of the questions I asked Dan about Realar …

• What is Realar (app, 3D visualisation tool, confidence builder)

• Most virtual reality and augmented stuff these needs expensive gear, goggles, visiting a specific premises – how is this different? (comfort of own home, ipad / android / iphone)

• How does it work (file formats, interaction, do you download it or does your designer, who has the paid account ideally, what if you don’t have a designer but you’ve done it in Sketchup yourself – do you have paid account then?)

• How realistic is it and what will you see (the window feature is my favourite … being able to see real views on site etc, level of resolution, walk around on your own site)

• How resolved does your design need to be to use it (this one is REALLY exciting!)

So, let’s dive into the episode and learn more about Realar …

Listen to the Podcast

Bill Gates said, we tend to overestimate technology change in the next 2 years and underestimate the next 10. Last year Apple dropped ARKit onto over half a billion devices as part of the 10 year celebration of the iPhone and launch of the iPhoneX. Google immediately responded by announcing ARCore, version 1.0 launching last month straight away supporting 100 million devices. Both platforms, backed by two of the worlds largest companies, mark a profound update to Augmented Reality (AR), a technology that’s been evolving for more than a decade.

Apple Campus Visitor’s Centre as seen through AR

Seamless Technology

In the tech industry we’re more than used to meme’s being dubbed “2.0” as a way of saying when a technology hits the next level. Web 2.0 signalled “the next level” of the way we designed and used the web, unleashing what we now know as Social Media. At the time of course the buzz was more literal around User Generated Content, crowdsourced content and mashups. The change of course has been more profound.

Web 2.0 didn’t just unshackle the web browser, it powered innovation making the Internet truely seamless in our daily lives. Ten years ago smartphones were just the beginning, today the smartphone App we use on the way to work, also are embedded in our cars, on our TV’s, in our homes and even on our bodies (think Apple Watch, Fitbit). The World Economic Forum recognised in 2016 that The Internet of Things (IoT) was already at a technological tipping point and massive economic impact by 2025. The 2025 targets for Mobile Internet were passed in 2018.

AR 2.0 is “Baked In”

AR, like its cousin VR, is not new. I remember my first Netscape 1.0 web browsing experience in 1994 being underwhelmed by how 2D it was. I craved immersive 3D experiences like gaming back then offered (Doom, Quake). 10 years later, platforms like Flash and Second Life started offering deeper experiences beyond text and images but still were not immersive and, more importantly, useful. Before Apple and Google announcements last year the biggest AR phemomenan was Pokémon Go, yet another gimmick albeit one exclusively on mobile.

The difference now is that “AR 2.0” its own mobile-first platforms. Sure, we had great apps like Starwalk geo-mapping camera constellations with augmented imagery, but now we have true platforms for delivering location-based data and delivery of contextually relevant content. Apple iOS 11 is not currently the world’s largest AR platform by chance. ARKit is a product of a two-and-half year project of Apple buying the best AR technology. Whilst media hyperbole focussed on Beats By Dr Dre, other software and hardware companies were being acquired such as including German software company Metaio and the hardware behind Microsoft’s Xbox Kinect. The innovation is unlikely to stop. Tim Cook again dubbed AR as a “profound” technology. Google may appear to be playing catch-up, but they also have a wealth of AR knowledge to leverage from Google Glass.

AR Comes of Age

Web 2.0 came about with the interplay of cloud computing, user experience and connectivity. AR 2.0 already has similar benefits, no more expensive equipment, real user applications and embedded in the physical world. The pace of change no longer driven by curiosity on it’s own, but the demand for connecting better with the real world. In our pockets and in our hands we have the most powerful camera lenses, graphics processors and the software algorithms, driven increasingly by artificial intelligence. AR unlocks not only the benefits of being on a smartphone, but a frictionless part of our daily lives. At first AR2.0 will appear magical, unreal and simply “wow” us, but then something deeper will follow.

This why we created an AR 2.0 company — we want to make the customer experience Realar. Realar is an augmented reality platform for Real Estate. Our mission is to define a new way to create, engage and interact with Real Estate. Real Estate is typically the most important purchase decision anyone makes in our lives. There’s no actual try-before-you-buy, no test-drive, no money-back guarantee. Using the Realar Places App, using only a smartphone, designers, buyers and builders can walkthrough understanding the full size of a new build or renovation, see the actual view through a window, even see changing daylight during at different times. As real estate becomes increasingly inaccessible for young, affordable and first time home buyers, Realar is aiming to solve a real world problem by unleashing the magic of AR 2.0. Don’t underestimate the next few years.

Check out some of the latest and coolest examples of AR 2.0

Watch the Realar demo video.

Apple showcase of AR Apps.

Find out more at realar.com of follow-like @realarplaces #maderealar

Apple’s ground-breaking augmented reality (AR) software, ARKit, has quietly been gaining traction among savvy marketing and sales professionals since it launched in late 2017.

Industry insiders are predicting that one area the tech could prove revolutionary, is in real estate - but why, and more importantly, how?

Large home-builders are, rather surprisingly, still relying on highly-specced, under-personalised display homes - or even brochures - to sell off-the-plan properties. Of course, some tech-friendly home-builders also jumped on the virtual reality bandwagon, but the reaction to it was tepid, at best.

So what value is augmented reality really adding? Why are some suggesting it is just another ‘gimmick’, and why are others hailing it as a potentially game-changing new sales tool? Well, the answers are both simple and complicated.

It’s no secret that home-buyers do enjoy a good ol’ day out where they can visit an display home, and temporarily buy into the fantasy of themselves owning the pimped-out, oh-so-pretty display home they spent the day mooching around.

But what happens when the customer’s sales rep brings said home-buyer back down to earth with an unsettling ‘thump’? The day the customer learns that the display home they viewed is $100k out of budget, and they need to select a different floor plan to fit their plot, and the colour scheme they like cannot be seen in a display home anywhere near them, is the day a big problem arises.

So, in steps Realar Places, the world’s first augmented reality app created exclusively for real estate. Founded by serial tech entrepreneurs, Dan Swan and Keith Ahern, the app allows customers to view bespoke plans, on-site, in real-time, using only a smartphone or a tablet.

“This technology has the potential to be truly revolutionary for the real estate market”, explains Swan. “The days of telling a customer they can have ‘any colour they want, as long as it is black’ are long-gone.”

“Modern customers expect a personalised service, tailored to their needs and that’s what Realar Places is essentially offering. It is an additional, but relatively inexpensive and easy-to-adopt sales tool, designed to compliment display homes.”

So this all sounds lovely, but haven’t we been here before with virtual reality? Wasn’t that a bit of a flop in the end? Explains Swan: “the problem with VR, is that it relies on expensive hardware, which is both clunky and unsexy. AR on the other hand, can be easily accessed, using only a smartphone, which if you think about it, is incredibly exciting and cutting-edge!”

“We like to think of augmented reality as virtual reality’s nimble younger cousin. Yes they are related, yes there are similarities, but AR has learnt from its big cousin’s mistakes. It is dynamic, nimble and ready to take on the world in a commercially viable manner”.

With Apple having dropped ARKit on to half a billion smartphones, and Google following up with it’s own version called , ARCore, it’s hard to deny that augmented reality is here to stay.

Realar Places is available to download now for free from the Apple app store.

Take an augmented reality tour inside new real estate

We’ve got off to a flying start this year working on making Realar an even more powerful tool for experiencing and selling new homes in augmented reality! Between introducing some super-slick new app features (more on this later!), expanding our team, and getting some encouraging feedback from you guys, we found the time to send our co-founder, Dan, out to create a video demo to show you the app in action!

Showcasing just how simple the app is to use, and how groundbreaking this tech really is, the video gives a step-by-step walkthrough of what you can expect from Realar Places.  Realar is a powerful tool for builders, architects and sales staff allowing customers to try out virtual homes in augmented reality in place on their dream block of land.  With Realar you and your customers can experience new home designs at full scale, preview the views from windows and experience different trim packages and features.

And if that wasn’t enough cool news for one day, our other co-founder and techwhiz, Keith, has just introduced some stunning new features to the app:

• A brand new ‘model selector’ function, that lets you switch effortlessly between home models when on-site.

• A brand new animated user guide, which makes the app super-simple to understand and navigate.

• Seamless integration between online subscriptions and the platform.

• Apple has also improved ARKit’s performance stability and has fixed some pesky bugs, so the tech is now firing on all cylinders!

We’d love to know what you think of our new functions! Download and try the app for free today, and hit us up on insta, twitter or Facebook using the #MadeRealar hashtag. We’ll be selecting one of you at random and handing out $250-worth of Ikea vouchers!

Realar Places is an augmented reality platform that is transforming the off-plan real estate market for both buyers and sellers. Innovative and immersive, our platform allows prospective properties to be viewed on-site, in real-time, using only a smartphone or tablet. 

Want to know more? Check out www.realar.com or get in touch with us here.

Talk to the team

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For immediate release: December 20, 2017 Technology startup, Realar, has launched a ground-breaking augmented reality app that allows users to digitally view off-plan properties on-site, in real time. Using only a smartphone, Realar literally ‘places’ a house in a real space for buyers to experience.

Powered by Apple’s exciting new augmented reality framework, ARKit, which seamlessly blends digital objects with real environments, Realar enables property development plans to be rendered in life-sized in 3D, in situ and in real time.

Taking the stress out of buying off-plan or affordable homes, Realar offers buyers an unparalleled opportunity to view, and engage with, their prospective property. Users visit the property’s physical location and use the app through their smartphone or tablet, to enjoy an immersive digital walk-through.

Fusing the real-world environment around the prospective property, with the digital rendering of development plans, users can view layout, rooms, gardens and location. They can even look through the digital ‘windows’ and see the real-world outside.

Realar was founded by serial tech entrepreneurs, Dr. Dan Swan and Keith Ahern. Swan explains that the app is attractive to home builders and sales professionals because it offers a unique platform to showcase properties: “By capitalising on the rapidly emerging augmented reality medium, Realar enables new ways of interacting and communicating buyers at a multi-sensory level.” Swan goes on: “It also solves the age-old challenge of expecting buyers to visualise their dream home on an empty patch of land - or at best, in a catalogue.”

Realar™ Places is free to download from the Apple App Store.

About Realar:
Realar™ has grown through StartInno Ventures Pty Ltd, an NSW Australia based start-up incubator and accelerator. Realar fully focuses on Augmented Reality for Real Estate partnering with the world’s leading tier one Home Builders. The Realar Places App launched in 2017 on iOS after working with Apple Australia to support it’s ARKit technology. As part of its 2018 product offering Realar will be extending to other platforms, including offering SaaS for customers across the world to dynamically load their 3D content and connect with buyers. For more information, media or sales enquiries go to realar.com.

BYRON BAY based technology startup “Realar™” has created an Augmented Reality App designed to help first time home buyers better visualise and experience off-the-plan homes. 

Two months ago Apple released its Augmented Reality technology ARKit onto half a billion iPhones around the world. With the iPhoneX launching a week ago, Realar is currently working with Apple Australia to update and build the app to take advantage of the new flagship's advanced capabilities. “Australia is a perfect market to build and launch the Realar App”, says Realar’s CEO and Co-founder Dr Dan Swan, “not only do we have a really high adoption of [Apple] iOS users nationally, but we also know that the Real Estate sector here loves using Apple products for business”. 

Realar is partnered with Gold Coast based 3D modelling and illustration company Reality3D who currently works with the likes of Metricon, Coral Homes and AV Jennings. Together the team has created mobile-made Augmented Reality experiences for home buyers to reimagine where they live. “Buyers often baulk when they try to visualise their dream home on the empty block of dirt which may not match a physical Display Home”, explains Reality3D CEO James Vidgen, “for affordable homes it’s worse, buying off the plan often involves only catalogue-style 2D imagery”.

Realar has been working with local home builders in a region where sales tools designed for first time buyers are high in demand. Along with proximity to South East Queensland, NSW’s fastest-growing regional market is Ballina with house prices jumping 7.1 per cent in the last quarter. Realar however plans to go global fast. “Being able to go to home builders directly and demonstrate [their] 3D models being used as an augmented reality display home has been a huge advantage”, says Dr Swan, “US and UK are certain markets, but then we look at the US$7bn Knowledge Economic City being built in Saudi Arabia and see exciting opportunities for growth and scale around the world”.

Co-founded by serial tech-entrepreneurs Dan Swan and Keith Ahern, Realar is a product “incubated” through Byron Bay’s Coworking and Innovation Hub, StartInno Ventures Pty Ltd. 

Realar™ is free to download from the Apple App Store. 

For more information go to Realar.com