For some people, a house tour done right is the best way to sell your home fast. These days, however, home sellers and real estate agents have turned to the digital space to sell their homes. With the pandemic and the resulting “new normal,” virtual home tours are a safe means to show off your home to potential buyers.
The beauty of it is that there are several ways to conduct a virtual tour. For instance, you can do it on your own using apps like Zillow’s 3D Home Tours. If you want a hands-off approach, you can call in the professionals to do it for you.
Whichever method you choose, the following tips will help you conduct a successful virtual home tour.
- Don’t forget to stage your home
Make your home look good even if you’re not receiving interested and highly motivated buyers to your property. If anything, buyers might be more discerning during a virtual home tour as they’re not on site. Moreover, your current set-up might not translate well on camera.
In addition to the usual to-dos of home staging, take care to plan camera angles and adjust the lighting in each room. Check how each space will appear on camera and make the right adjustments.
- Have a “dress rehearsal”
Days before the scheduled virtual home tour, perform a run-through with your team. This can help you with a lot of things.
First, issues with the equipment can be identified and addressed before the virtual home tour. Second, further adjustments can be made in regards to lighting, staging, and camera angles. Third, if you and your real estate agent have prepared a script, you can make amendments to better present the property.
Have a family member or close friend watch the rehearsal virtual home tour and ask them for feedback. Incorporate the most helpful and important comments to your virtual home tour.
- Proper pacing is key
In virtual home tours, it is absolutely important not to rush through the whole thing. Give home buyers enough time to assess each room and ask questions about the space. If they request for more time, entertain them. Provide close-ups of certain features. If a certain room is advertised to boast views, show it to the prospective buyers.
Pacing isn’t just for the speed of the actual home tour. It also applies to the rate of how the information is presented. Talk at a normal speed and enunciate things properly. When there is miscommunication, expectations might be set unfairly and cause problems further along the home selling process.
- Provide an information sheet
Instead of expecting potential home buyers to constantly check your online listing for details, prepare a sheet they can look at while they’re doing the virtual home tour. It can come in the form of a PDF file, an image, or even a pamphlet you can send over before the day of the virtual home tour.
What should you include in that information sheet? The specifics. Include the square footage of each room and other measurements, such as the height of the ceiling, as well as the length and width of doors and built-in storage spaces. These details are important as videos and pictures can distort the size of the room and its features. As a result, potential home buyers might be unable to understand each space well.
- Follow through
Take care of your potential home buyers after the virtual home tour. Send them a thank-you note, and ask them to rate and review the virtual home tour experience.
Most importantly, keep the conversation going. Have your real estate agent ask them what they liked most about the home, as well as areas they think can still be improved. You and your real estate agent can also provide more elaborate answers to questions that were asked during the tour. Even if a buyer doesn’t make an offer on your home, they might like the experience well enough to recommend your property to another home buyer.
Set up your virtual home tour for success!
Owen & Co. Real Estate’s team is made up of real estate agents in Gulfport MS who can help you ensure your virtual home tour will win the hearts of potential buyers. Contact the team today at info(at)owenandco(dotted)com or get in touch through this page to meet the selling agent that’s right for you and your unique real estate needs.
