Virtual showings vs. In-person showings
As technological advancements are made in the world of virtual showings and they continue to provide value to potential home buyers. Are they going to replace the in-person home showing? Will the consumer be able to virtually view a home, then buy it much like they do with purchases on Amazon? Or better yet, will the virtual home showings break down the borders of home purchasing and open the door for international investors?
To answer these questions and the many more questions home buyers, sellers and real estate agents have. We’ve provided the following guide, which walks you through the benefits virtual showings bring to consumers, as well as, the benefits in-person showings also bring.
What is a virtual showing? How do virtual showings work?
Virtual showings are the act of viewing a home, absent of physically visiting the property. A few ways a virtual home showings could take place are:
- Video walk-through: A listing agent or home seller could simply record a video walk-through of the property. Alternatively, video walk-throughs could also be a live session where both parties join a video call and either the listing agent or home seller walks through the property with the potential buyer live.
- Photo gallery: Either a listing agent or home seller, has provided a gallery of images for home buyers to view.
- Immersive walk-through: Assuming a 360 camera has taken photos of the entire home. Immersive walk-throughs are when a home buyer is able to view the home in its entirety, via ocular computing coupled with spatial computing. These walk-throughs are an exact layout of the home, unedited and true to spacing and staging.
- VR Rendering walk-through: A rendering of a home that hasn’t been built or is being updated has edited photography and renderings. Potential home buyers are provided a VR headset, preloaded with a view of what their home could look like.
Virtual showing opportunities
Accessing the home virtually, allows potential home buyers to view the home in the comfort of their own home. These options may be ideal for anyone looking to buy across states, internationally, or for anyone with mobility issues. Viewing homes virtually opens the door for home buyers, who otherwise would need to stretch out of their comfort or financial zone to view a home in person.
When does a virtual showing make sense?
Virtual property showings are great for anyone who can’t physically be at the property during a specific time. There are times when only one of the decision makers is available to view the property in person but the other decision maker can be available via video call from work.
New construction
When it comes to viewing a new build, most of the time, the home is currently under construction. So, viewing any empty plot of land doesn’t help you capture the essence of your future home. This is why a VR virtual showing may be a great option for viewing what your future home will look like.
If you’d still like to see the new build in-person, usually there is a model home in the community.
When traveling to see a home doesn’t make sense
Whether you are just a few states over or are looking to purchase a home internationally. Viewing a home virtually can save you money on plane tickets, hotel stays, ect. You’ll want to make sure that the virtual showing is as accurate as possible, which is why it’s advised to do a live video walk-through if possible. This would allow you to see what updates the property may need and for you to get a feel for the potential your investment has. Additionally, you can ask the person to give you a glance at the neighborhood. This glance at the neighborhood could provide insights to you as the investor into whether or not the neighborhood is a good fit for your investment style.
When mobility is an issue
When it comes to mobility issues, the act of getting in and out of cars along with getting up to view the home can cause discomfort and a problem for some homebuyers.
“When I worked in senior living, the ability to record a video and send it to a potential resident was priceless. The video tour of their future property brought ease to the future resident and their loved ones”
– Josh Kuchar
What is an in-person home showing?
Showings are a part of the home buying process, where the representing agent or a member of their team, takes the potential client through seeing the home. During this process, it is usually just the agent and the client walking through discussing various features of the home, the home’s value and thoughts on the neighborhood. More about home showings…
When does an in-person showing make sense?
If you’re looking to purchase a resale property, then you’ll want to consider viewing the home in person. When it comes to purchasing a resale home, the home has been previously lived in and until you view the home in person, you won’t know the true condition of the home. Pictures and videos do help you get a glance at the property, but it doesn’t paint the full picture of what the property looks and feels like. Also, in-person showings also give you a view of the neighborhood that pictures can’t do justice to.
3 Biggest reasons to view a home in person
- Viewing the neighborhood is important: Whether you are purchasing this home as an investment or to live in, your neighbors matter. If the homes around yours are beaten down and poorly maintained, this could decrease the chances of your investment renting, and as the owner the other homes could bring your home values down.
- Get a whiff of your new home: At the time this article was written, virtual showings didn’t have the capability or providing viewers with the scent of the property. Does smell really matter? Well, would you move into a home that smelled of mold? How about if the home is stained with the smell of cigarette smoke? Maybe you’d still move in, however, these smells could pose an issue for you and you wouldn’t have been aware of the smell unless you viewed it in person.
- Make sure everything is working: Walking through a property allows you to place your hand over air vents and ensure airflow is taking place. Also, you have the opportunity to open up the drawers and appliances, viewing the internal condition of each item found in the home. You’ll also have the ability to try out the fans and lights in each room, taking note of what may need to be replaced or fixed.
Virtual vs. In-person showing summary
Both showing types have their advantages and disadvantages. Overall the initial questions a home purchaser needs to ask are: Is this a new build or resale property? Do I need to view the community or do I trust the community is fine? Would an in person showing reveal things that can impact your desire to purchase the property?
Truthfully, the property purchaser will need to ultimately decide if viewing the property in-person is worth their time and effort. If you decide to make an offer based on a virtual showing, we suggest that you follow up with an in-person showing as soon as possible to validate the feelings that you had during the virtual showing.