5 Secrets Buyers and Sellers Must Know About Virtual Home Tours
5 Secrets Buyers and Sellers Must Know About Virtual Home Tours
SECRET #1: Virtual Tours Have Evolved
The phrase “virtual tours” has evolved this year as real estate agents have been forced to quickly create innovative ways to show homes while keeping our clients safe and socially-distanced. Here are some terms you should know:
Virtual Tours: Traditionally, virtual tours are comprised of 360 degree photos that allow viewers to see all angles of the interior and exterior of a home these can also be stitched together to create a 3D Tour, which is a digital model that looks like a dollhouse.
Virtual Staging: Sometimes agents will also decorate rooms in virtual tours with digital furniture.
Online Walkthroughs: These are videos of the listing created by the agent or seller holding their camera or smartphone and moving through the home.
Virtual Showing: A type of live online walkthrough that mimics an in-person tour of the home. These are often on-on-one events using apps like FaceTime or Skype.
Online Open House: A more freeform style of live online walkthrough, allowing more viewers to pop in and out of a group video call on platforms such as Facebook or Zoom.
SECRET #2: Virtual Doesn’t Mean Impersonal
For a purchase as intimate as your next home, details easily seen on virtual tours like a new refrigerator or the size of the master closet aren’t the only deciding factors. Luckily, virtual tours are also exceptional tools for personal connection.
SECRET #3: Virtual Is Just The First Step To Safe Home Sales
Virtual tours are still the recommended way to safely buy and sell real estate. Buyers don’t’ have to worry about exposure to anyone who previously visited the property, and sellers cut down on the foot traffic in their home.
SECRET #4: The Speed of Closing Depends on Your Goals
In 2019, buyers viewed an average of 10 homes over a period of 10 weeks before submitting an offer. But thanks to virtual tours, they’re able to peek inside that number of homes in a much shorter period. This increased buyer activity is leading to more offers per listing that features a virtual tour.
SECRET #5: Virtual may Not Always Be The Right Choice
Some buyers will still need to visit a home themselves in order to fell confident enough to submit an offer. In this situation, listing agents and sellers will work together to come up with a procedure that ensures everyone feels safe and comfortable. They might require interested buyers to present a pre-qualification letter before scheduling an appointment for a tour, for example. And the day of the tour, agents may take safety precautions such as asking buyers to wear protective gear and refrain from touching any surfaces in the home.