INSTA360 X2

In real estate, one of the most tedious tasks is property viewings—scheduling clients, coordinating keys, waiting around in empty condos. During the pandemic, when condos shut down viewings altogether, the idea of replacing them with tech sounded perfect.

Our first attempt was with a cheap phone spinner that rotated slowly while taking photos. It was clunky and slow, so we upgraded to the Insta360 X2. Excited, we revisited listings to shoot 360 tours.

But reality set in:

360 Photos Need a Platform. You can’t just send raw files. Facebook and Google Photos allow “spin-around” viewing, but the interfaces were messy. We eventually subscribed to Kuula, which worked well but added costs.

Clients Rarely Clicked. Despite advertising “360 tours,” hardly anyone opened them. Maybe buyers prefer simple photos. Maybe the market skews older. Either way, engagement was low.

3D Videos Fell Flat. I thought YouTube walk-throughs with pan-around capability were neat. Clients didn’t. They stuck to 2D photos and clips.

At first, it seemed like the Insta360 would end up in a drawer.

Then we found its true value: inventory and documentation.

Move-in and move-out checks used to mean walking around with pen and paper, noting every detail. Now, we stand in the middle of a room, snap a 360, and every corner is captured.

A tenant once denied a figurine existed. The photo proved otherwise.

Landlords love “before and after” sets showing exactly how their unit was returned.

What used to take an hour now takes minutes, with no missed details.

Verdict: The Insta360 X2 isn’t (yet) the future of property tours—buyers still prefer quick photos and videos. But as a documentation tool, it’s a lifesaver. It saves time, prevents disputes, and provides bulletproof records.

So no, I’m not selling it. What started as a “maybe-useless” gadget has become one of our most reliable tools.

Rating: 5/5 — a quiet must-have.