Is a virtual viewing or video tour a substitute for an in-person viewing?
Property marketing has changed exponentially over the last decade. With the introduction of various technologies and trends, we have come a long way since the days of sticking a photograph to a window card by hand. But can technology replace a real life viewing?
The implementation of technology has moved the industry on and made searching for a new home more convenient and efficient. You no longer need to spend a day walking around the estate agent's offices, gathering up hard copy printouts of brochures, only to flick through them and unceremoniously deposit them into a recycling bin.
And if you don't make it into the agent's offices quickly and frequently, you might miss out on a property that could have been perfect for you simply because someone else saw it first.
Now, you can scroll happily through the newest property listings from the comfort of your sofa at any time of the day. You can even set up alerts to email you when a suitable property is listed, so you don't have to search the website yourself if you're super busy.
Some technologies allow virtual tours or video walk-throughs of the properties. Either a presented video guiding you through the rooms one at a time or a virtual tour where you can look at each room in whatever order you like.
You can tour the property as if you were living there. From the bedroom to the bathroom, down to the kitchen, out of the front door or into the garden. Every square inch of the property is online for you to look at and re-look at until your heart's content. So, why do we bother with in-person viewings?
Because a video walk-through or virtual tour can show you the property room by room, but it can't show you the 'essence' of the home. You can't get the feel of the house, the welcoming atmosphere or the way the sun catches through the kitchen window just right to light up the whole property.
Fundamentally, there is no substitute for an in-person viewing of a property. So, then, why do we bother with the online tours?
Because they reduce the number of viewings from people that are simply not suited to the property. If the layout doesn't work, then there is no need to view it. If the kitchen isn't big enough or the garden is not quite right, you can see that from the tour, and you needn't waste anyone's time viewing when you know it is simply not going to work for you.
It makes sense to harness the technology available to you so that your potential buyers can view your property from the convenience of their own home, doesn't it? Rather than making things difficult for them. We live in a world where you can order literally anything you want to be delivered directly to you, so it stands to reason that modern property searchers would also want convenience in their home searching process.
Put yourself in your potential buyer's shoes - searching for a property is a lengthy process and takes lots of time out of your day-to-day life. Wouldn't it be better if they could check out the property's layout without making an appointment? And then, the viewing appointments you have are more likely to be serious, interested buyers than you making time for multiple appointments that don't go anywhere.
To find out more about how to market your property properly to ensure that you attract serious viewers and offers, contact our team of property experts.