It even shows the ceiling fans, but not the closets?

The distortion is similar to how Google Maps shows trees, especially in 3-d mode.

It's like if you can get above it, it will show. You can't get above the closet or wall or upper cabinets that go to the ceiling, but it shows what's on the counter underneath them, sort of what's got air above them. Here's the kitchen. You can see what's on the counters but you can't see the upper cabinets and anything that runs floor to ceiling. Google Maps I get because drones fly above, but how do they get the fans?

Kitchen:

I have been exploring towns and real estate up the Fl east coast and have recently come across these interior overheads. So far I hate it but maybe I’ll get used to it enough for it to be useful.

There was one listing that showed no real interior shots, just the computerized overheads along with real exterior photo’s. That tiny house was in a transitional little beach town and was close to being a teardown.

JTL, I think they have value. So many of the interior shots are distorted, some intentionally and some due to poor camera/photography skills. The overhead lays everything out in relation to everything else. Most homes for sale don't include floor plans in the listing and this type of shot can be useful.

Yesterday I looked at a rental on behalf of my daughter who lives too far away to do a site visit. Even though I took a lot of photos, I still had to describe things to her over the phone, as they relate to one another. This is better than a hastily done sketch and seems pretty much to scale. Photographs remind you where the walls and closets are.

Yes , I have seen these. It was for a bigger house that was difficult to get the layout. This let you see what rooms went next to each other.

How is it done?

I'm more interested in how it's done than its intrinsic value.

Yes I agree they can be useful! It’s just an adjustment for me to get used to. For me it’s harder to see the space with an aerial view of clutter on top of surfaces. I think if I decide to sell and had a computerized overhead done I would have most things edited out. I’d leave beds, sofas , dining table, shower/tub, vanity, closets and toilets. Nothing else. Being able to see the floor plan is a plus.

This home is in a large, well established 55+ community. Lots of baby blue and peach and fussy decor. Everything is severely dated but in pristine condition. Clearly with this newer technology not a lot of thought was given to editing out the clutter.

Heck, we all could do that. Edit stuff out I mean. Can’t be that hard after the first accomplishment.

So, here’s the thing. Maybe I watch too much tv. But while I love looking online at homes for sale, and appreciate the floor plans, my mind goes to creepy people doing the same. And overhead view is more for them to creep out with.

In the early days of online realty ads, one of our local independent realtor firms required signing in to view their listings. I found it annoying and never did.

Well, I never thought this was a creepy thing. This was an old listing, i.e., the home sold and is off the market. It’s a marketing tool. I suppose you could say, no overhead, but you can still see in bedrooms and bathrooms, so I don’t see a big difference. Google Maps is already displaying what’s in my private backyard and it doesn’t keep me awake at night.

I really just want to know how it’s done.

well, that’s certainly true. i guess I’m s worrywart. But then, too, i went to an open house around the corner and apart from the fact that there was no guest closet (and that the realtor had never noticed that), what really bothered me was the the adorable kids’ names were on their bedroom walls, in the photos. I need to watch the news less.

When we were interviewing real estate agents to sell our house, fairly recently, one of them said her agency would do a virtual tour and room mapping and floor plan. She explained that they come in with these special cameras and shoot from all angles and then piece it all together on a computer.

I found my notes, it is called Matterport.

Here is alink to the company.

Here are some tours

Localeater, by george, you’ve got it! That’s it, and very cool indeed.

I’d rather see a floor plan than an overhead view.

It could be some sort of infrared imagery too. That would almost account for blacking out the closet spaces which would be fairly dense and wouldn’t make sense to image with all the small clutter.

bpath, that is rather "creepy" to me too. Now I wonder if there are cameras in my ceiling. LOL!!!