3D walkthroughs in Uruguay: selling off-plan in Montevideo

3D walkthroughs in Uruguay help a developer or real estate agency sell off-plan apartments in Montevideo by showing the building on its real block and every unit furnished, ready to walk through on a phone. In a market where some buyers live abroad or in another country in the region, a link that opens on any phone does the job a site visit used to do.

How off-plan buying works in Montevideo

Uruguayans talk about buying "en pozo" just like Argentines do: reserving an apartment while the building doesn't exist yet (the "pozo" is the hole in the ground), expecting to pay less than for a finished unit. And as with any off-plan purchase, the big barrier is always the same: the buyer has to trust something they can't see.

In Montevideo that barrier has its own twist, because the buyer isn't always in the city:

• The Montevideo resident buying to live in, in Pocitos, Punta Carretas, Parque Rodó, Cordón, Malvín or Buceo, who knows the neighborhood and wants to understand the unit.
• The local or regional investor, buying to rent and comparing several projects at once.
• The Uruguayan living abroad, in Spain, the United States or elsewhere, who wants an apartment in Montevideo to come back to, for family or as an investment.
• The Argentine buyer, who looks at Montevideo as an option for investing on the other side of the River Plate.

The last two won't visit the site. And the first, even if they can, would rather show up to a visit with the decision well underway.

The Uruguayan buying from abroad

Picture a Uruguayan couple who've lived in Madrid for years. They want to buy an apartment in Montevideo, near the rambla (the long waterfront avenue the city is known for) and close to one set of parents. They spot a project in Pocitos in a social media post, send a message and get back a PDF with floor plans and an image of the facade.

They have questions nobody can answer from that distance. Does the main bedroom get good light? Does the balcony face the street or the back? Can you see any of the rambla from the floor they're interested in? On top of that, they're several hours ahead, so the conversation with the salesperson happens in messages at mismatched times.

A walkthrough link solves that. They walk through the apartment whenever they want and send it to their parents, who can stop by the block and check the surroundings. Then they decide. The salesperson doesn't have to be awake when the doubts come up. There's more on this in how to sell to foreign buyers and in how to sell to investors and buyers who don't live nearby.

The building on its block: the basis of trust

For someone far away, seeing the building on a white background isn't enough. They need to see it in its place: the corner, the sidewalk, the neighbors, the distance to the rambla or the avenue. That's what turns an off-plan project into something real.

The Maconda XXIV building demo, an unofficial working demo based on a 12-story building in Quilmes, Argentina, marketed by Otamendi Propiedades, shows that experience: the building on its real block, floors you can tap, each floor plate with its units and their availability, and a walkthrough of every apartment as you scroll.

Rental housing: show investors what the tenant will see

Part of Montevideo's supply is designed for investors buying to rent. This buyer looks at very specific things: which unit type rents best, how well a studio uses its space, whether the building has what tenants ask for now, like a spot to work from home or a laundry room.

If the apartment can be seen furnished and walked through before it's finished, the investor understands how it'll show when they list it for rent. And the same material serves them later. If the project falls under a housing or investment incentive program, each buyer should check it with a local professional; the visual material covers understanding what's being bought, not the tax side.

The units that are harder to sell

As in any building, some apartments sell themselves and others need explaining: the back-facing unit, the low floor, the unit type with an odd shape. Showing them furnished and in their real light helps sell them without dropping the price. The back unit with its quiet; the low floor with its patio or closeness to the entrance. The logic is laid out in selling the units that are hardest to move.

Carrasco and houses

To the east, in Carrasco and Ciudad de la Costa, the market includes houses and neighborhoods. For that product, the Americana 35.64 house demo, an unofficial working demo based on a model by Viviendas Roca, shows the floor plan rising into the house, which you walk through with morning, afternoon and night light.

What's it like to work from Buenos Aires with a developer in Uruguay?

I work remotely from Buenos Aires, in the same time zone as Montevideo (UTC−3) and in the same language. Nobody ever has to cross the river. If your company is based in Europe or North America with a project in Uruguay, it works the same way, and we can do it all in English:

1. You send the plans, the specs or finish list and the lot address.
2. You tell me who you want to sell to. An apartment for an investor isn't furnished like one for a family.
3. You review and approve in stages, over video call or with comments on WhatsApp or email.
4. You get the images and the walkthrough link, ready for your website, your social media and every reply to an inquiry.

You don't need a walkthrough for every apartment. A building with three unit types repeated on every floor needs three.

If you have an off-plan building in Montevideo and want to sell it to people who live abroad too, message me on WhatsApp at +54 9 11 6193-3176 or email facundocampo100@gmail.com. I answer in English and Spanish.

Frequently asked questions

Can a developer in Montevideo work with someone based in Argentina?

Yes. Everything happens remotely, in the same time zone and the same language: plans come by email or WhatsApp, reviews happen over video call and the result is delivered as a link.

Does it help sell to Uruguayans living abroad?

Yes, it's one of the cases where it helps most. The buyer walks through the apartment whenever they want, without depending on the salesperson's hours, and shares it with their family in Montevideo.

Does the walkthrough work on any phone?

Yes. It opens from a link in the browser, with nothing to install, and can be sent by WhatsApp, email or social media.

How much does it cost?

It's quoted per project, based on the number of unit types and the material you need. The factors that set the price are in how much does an architectural rendering cost.