While the brunt of Covid-19’s lockdowns might be behind us, the world that we’re living in now is a very different one, and that also applies to real estate. Selling a home means you’ll need to apply some new strategies—namely, virtual ones. You’ll want to become an expert in virtual tours and showings. While this might seem like a complicated path to follow, it’s definitely possible to become a virtual expert.
Know Your Virtual Options
Agents should work with their sellers to create a successful virtual tour, following any of these options:
- Live walkthrough or virtual open house: Schedule showings like you would a regular open house and guide potential buyers through the home. This can be a one-on-one showing, or an open house with multiple viewers.
- Pre-recorded walkthrough: A video that you record ahead of time and share with prospective buyers.
- 3D or 360-degree self-navigable tour: A tour using photos of the home to create a virtual model that potential buyers can navigate from a website.
Set the Stage
Staging is something that all homes need, but when you are talking about the virtual stage, there are some particular tactics to keep in mind. The main goal is to create an environment that will appeal to a wide audience that is free of personal items or clutter. There are some surprising areas that you need to address for the virtual showing — closets and cabinets. Because people won’t be entering the home, they’ll want to see every inch of it on camera. Staging cabinets and closets can mean asking sellers to purge items, or simply organize what’s already there. Of course, how the rooms look is even more important. If a room is feeling cramped, try moving furniture, artwork, lamps, or other decorative items from one space to another. To create more natural light, remove drapes or rugs, and clean windows inside and out. You can also add life to a room with fresh flowers, or a bowl of fruit.
Create a Roadmap
Any home tour requires a plan, and the virtual home tour does too, with a few extra considerations for video. Doing a practice run before showtime will help you come up with a script that will work for a successful virtual home tour. Be sure to keep social distancing rules in mind and wear a mask for extra safety. Additionally, for optimal imagery, consider these guidelines: Keep 14-18 inches between sofas and coffee tables, while seating should be 30-36 inches apart.There should be 12-24 inches of space between area rugs and the wall—this will all make the room’s dimensions look its best, and mean that you’re likely to trip while filming.
A virtual showing might be a bit more complicated than the typical live showing, but by knowing what you’ll be up against, you can navigate a home tour in the pre-Covid world without dismay.
Liz Shemaria is a globally-focused journalist and content strategist.
