Buyers often commit after they emotionally connect to a home, and that’s a bit tougher via a virtual tour. As a result, good virtual tours require a bit of preparation.
With stay-at-home orders in place across the country, real estate professionals are conducting more video home tours so clients can view properties from their couch. Agents find these video chats make buyers feel more confident, but the process does take some preparation to maximize success.
Redfin provided a list of tips to help guide a video chat tour based on common questions asked from buyers:
- Offer a floor plan prior to the call. The floor plan can help buyers get a better sense of the size and layout of the home as you walk them through it over video.
- Comment on the home’s condition. Buyers likely will ask you if any features or surfaces appear worn or damaged. It’s not easy to tell from video. Zoom in and let them know the condition of areas that they can’t readily see from a screen. Also, make them aware whether there is a floor creak or other sound as you walk around from the home.
- Location. Comment on the area surrounding the home. For example, what is the noise level inside or outside the home? Is it near a busy street or other noisy areas? Also, how close is the home to neighboring houses?
- Check out the views. Besides just offering an interior view, show them the outside too, including what they will see when looking out the curtains or blinds. Show off the landscaping to help them determine whether it’s been well-maintained.
- Light flow. Be ready to respond to questions about the direction of the natural light. That can help a buyer get a better sense of how much light they’d get in certain rooms during the day.
- Smell. Buyers won’t get a sense of this from video, so comment on whether you notice any lingering odors inside or outside of the home.
- Differences from the listing photos. Is there anything that looks different in person versus the listing photos? This is important as buyers try to judge a home from afar. They could make a decision based on the reliability of the listing’s online photos.
Source: “Questions to Ask When Touring a House on Video-Chat,” Redfin (April 17, 2020)
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