Why Virtual Home Searches And Tours During COVID-19 Might Be Advantageous To Sellers
In the span of a few weeks, every aspect of our lives became virtual: yoga classes, work meetings, happy hours, and even, home tours. Yes, that’s right, real estate has also entered the realm of the virtual in this COVID-19 world. As a seller, you might be wondering how you can still find that perfect buyer, faced with the limitations of showing your home on a screen? But, you might be surprised to learn that living in this new reality, is to your advantage when it comes to selling your home — especially in the Florida-area.
Location, location, location
It’s no secret that many people across the United States dream of a Florida life by the beach. As people across the country shelter in place, you may find that going virtual opens you up to buyers from other cities and even states, who may not have had access to your home during the normal times of live open houses and tours. By being forced to show your home virtually, your pool of potential buyers opens up and this can be an advantage when you are searching for the perfect new homeowners.
Time is of the essence
The process of selling a home is not known for its speed, but in the COVID-19 world, the rules may no longer apply. The people who are buying homes right now are most likely doing so out of necessity, and that means they want a resolution as quickly as possible. Your likelihood of finding serious buyers is increased now, and by doing as much as you can virtually — like showings — you are saving everyone’s time. While virtual tours can be scheduled one-on-one, or as an open house, crafting a video tour in advance can also help you work with your realtor to show your home more efficiently.
Set the stage
Getting a home ready for multiple viewings a day or even weekly can be stressful and time-consuming. While your home still needs to look its best for a virtual tour, not having dozens of people walking through your home means it will be easier to keep it clean and looking “staged.” Staging a home during COVID-19 is unique, as you may be limited to moving around the furniture that you already have in your home, or taking advantage of natural light from open windows, or flowers from your garden to brighten it up. But with a “virtual stage,” the time dedicated to upkeep is reduced.
Let’s get serious
In the past, it was not uncommon for open houses to be filled with serious buyers as well as people who were just curious about homes in the area, for a fun weekend activity. In the post-COVID-19 world, when viewing a home is not as simple as driving up to an open house and taking a tour, what’s left are people who are serious about moving. While it’s unlikely that you will be able to sell your home without at least one live showing to your final buyer, the number of live showings will be significantly reduced because of shelter in place and social distancing restrictions.
Our default right now might be to think that living in the COVID-19 world makes life more difficult, especially when it comes to connecting with people, but when it comes to selling your home during coronavirus and connecting with potential buyers, there are some major advantages that going virtual can give you suss out that perfect match.
