I attended my first virtual open house this past weekend, and decided that it was an excellent addition to the marketing mix when it comes to “viewing” a home during the shelter in place (SIP). We’re very limited these days when it comes to physical property showings, so it’s key for listing agents to think outside the box.
My Corcoran Global Living colleagues, Amy Clemens and Alec Mironov, pulled together a helpful virtual open house this weekend. They launched their Glen Park single-family home listing last week at 31 Fairmount, and sent out an e-flyer promoting the listing and their Saturday virtual open from 10:00-12:00. I clicked on the scheduling link, requested my 20-minute time slot and received a Google Hangouts invitation.
I joined the Hangout at my specified time and found both Amy and Alec there, ready to answer questions about the property. We did a screen share and they were able to use the Matterport 3D tour to zero in on specific parts of the house that warranted more in-depth discussion—stuff like the radiant heat and water heater systems, and double-paned windows.
They also included thumbnails of things you can’t see in photos, such as closet and cabinet interiors.
I’m finding that a combination of a virtual tour, floor plan diagrams and the opportunity to discuss the property with with your agent and the listing agents during an online “open house” is an excellent strategy for buyers and sellers in the SIP era.