Below is the content of a Facebook post which has been posted this morning.
David and I have been able to carry out a couple of these in empty properties. Do not panic, we are not making unnecessary journeys or flouting the government advice. As you know most of the team live locally and we can fit these into our permitted exercise time.
Armed with anti bac wipes and wearing disposable gloves, we set off with our iPhone and ‘virtually’ show a viewer around the property. The viewer can stop us and ask us to return to a room or go out into the garden or the garage, anything that you would expect a viewer to ask or do when they visit.
We are now thinking that this is the ideal opportunity to roll this out to our sellers.
• We are suspecting that many of you will think ‘I can’t do that’.
In truth it’s not that different to doing the real thing and many of you can do that.
• ‘What about lighting and the correct settings’ we hear you exclaim.
For the novice (including us) a regular video call and the willingness to give it a go are all you need.
• You may worry about ‘What if we get it wrong?’
This is a time of firsts for everyone who undertakes this, so why not give it a try. Chances are that it will be the viewers first time as well.
• Do I have to go it alone?
If you don’t think that you can go it alone, David or I can help you to control the viewing by using the Zoom app on a shared screen (not even we have tried this one yet, but we will!)
Please let us know if you would like to be included in this or not. We have no idea how it will play out, but we are inspired by the feedback which we have to date. We have successes on both rental and sales property and think it’s the ideal time to take advantage of what think will be the way forward.
We are in LOCKDOWN NOT LOCKED OUT!
If you are looking to BUY or RENT a property you can STILL PEEK INSIDE!
Not in the conventional ‘take a chunk out of your day, book a viewing, turn up, sit outside, and wait for the agent to show you round’ kind of way.
In the ‘time efficient, easily accessible, at the tip of your finger’ kind of way.
Covid 19 has forced the hand of many a ‘not so techie’ agent into the age of VIRTUAL VIEWING.
This type of viewing was always the INEVITABLE NEXT BIG WAY to promote property to buyers and tenants alike.
At the weekend we had a reluctant virtual viewer look at a bungalow. At first, the client was not sure about the idea and thought it may be better to wait. Her main comments were “what will I see that I can’t see in the photos, I can’t tell anymore by looking at a screen!” Lots of reassurance and a bit of a cheeky ‘what else have you got planned for being locked down on a Saturday?’ resulted in gaining her agreement to give it a go.
As soon as the viewing was over, she was back on the phone to me. “That’s a brilliant idea”, she said, “so much easier to have a good look round, and you are right, I could see so much more than the pictures show. I took my time and asked lots of questions because I didn’t feel that I was intruding because I was in my own home”. We went on to discuss her opinion and she agreed that she wants to be the first on the list when we can get her through the door.
Her parting comment made my day “I’m not easily impressed, but this was so good that I think you should do this even when this dreadful lockdown stuff is all over”.
This is the ideal time to give it a go, to create your shortlist of what you want to ‘actually’ view or rent. Be one step ahead of the buyers or tenants who are waiting for this to be over. This is your opportunity to be one step ahead and you can fit in so many more viewings if you are sitting on the sofa instead of in the car. April 2020 is LOCKDOWN but it does not mean that you must be LOCKED OUT.
