iPIX, PhotoVista, Egg Solutions, Hometour360, 0-360, VisualTour, TourFactory, TourNow - who do I choose? These days it seems like every corner I turn there's a new Virtual Tour service available. We reviewed a few of the top virtual tour service providers and give you the scoop on ease of use, integration and most importantly quality and cost.

Before we delve to far into the many options available, I will first explain the product itself. Virtual tours are simply a series of panoramic photographs seamlessly (or sometimes not so seamlessly) stitched together to create a illusion of being virtually there. REALTOR® reports that the average online listing with a virtual tour receives 40% more views than listings without tours. While the applications that display these images vary in functionality (i.e., hyperlinks, 2D, 3D, etc.), the end result, if done correctly, is the same - increased sales.

We'll start with one of the first virtual tour operations to offer such a service, iPIX out of Oakridge, Tennessee. I remember iPIX from a couple years back when I first began researching virtual tours. Since then they have grown drastically offering a wider array of solutions and now provide access to their large network of virtual tour providers. While iPIX has some of the best equipment and technology available for virtual tours, unless you are a professional photographer with vast experience in technology, you will personally have a hard time integrating an iPIX solution into your web site.

iPIX is ideal for a photographer looking to break into the virtual tour service business. It may also be cost effective for larger offices with 100+ agents and a production department such as an art department or even an IT department. With an investment of roughly $1400 in camera equipment, licenses and software, the iPIX solution could probably save your firm money in the long run.

If your budget for virtual tours falls below the $1400 mark, you might consider another avenue. For the DIY crowd (Do-It-Yourself), there's an excellent low cost solution provided by VisualTour. At $199.95 for the starter kit and $29.95 per month, you can upload an unlimited amount of virtual tours.

Using your own digital camera, you can simply take panoramas, load the digital images into their software and carefully stitch the panoramic digital photos together to create a virtual tour. Then just add a link from your web site to the virtual tour and you are done. The entire procedure doesn't take more than a half hour or so, from taking the photos, to creating and uploading the virtual tour.

Now, if you prefer to hire a professional to take of this aspect of your business for you, that's a little more difficult to review as service providers typically service their respective local markets. There are many local companies such as ChescoWeb who service Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey while PhotoWalk services the South Florida areas.

iPIX offers an excellent search engine for their iPIX Developer Network (iDN) member base. You can visit http://www.ipix.com/idn/find_an_idn/find_an_index.htm to search for an iDN member in your area that can provide you with full virtual tour services. Call as many as you can in your area to get the best rates and service. Keep in mind that some are photographers while others are web site developers and firms offer both. Depending on your needs, whether it's hosting the virtual tours to shooting the virtual tour photos, each firm can provide you with the specific service you need, if not the whole gamut.

Also don't forget Hometour360.com, a REALTOR® and Homestore solution. While their database isn't as vast as iPIX, they do have plenty of Hometour360 Authorized Service Providers readily available to take care of your virtual tour needs.

In our next issue, look out for Part 2 of this column. We will analyze the functionalities provided by some of these virtual applications to see which best suits your virtual tour needs. Some properties may require 3D tours while others require hyperlinks into rooms or both.