Why agents are using virtual tours in the UK’s current climate
MONDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2020 Source - Arla.co.uk 

Is full transparency the new normal?
The rule of agency marketing has always been to show off the best features of a property and to highlight the most salient aspects of a clients' homes. This has been normal practice for decades. An agent might not expect a client to instruct them if the poorer aspects of their home were exposed. Agency professionals have a fear, rightly or wrongly, that a fully interactive 360-degree tour will adversely affect how many viewings that property receives by exposing every single point of a property, good and not so good.

The quality of property photography has undoubtedly improved in recent years with better equipment and image improving software. However, property photographs will be the most flattering of the property, from the best angles and of the best rooms and views. That is what you call marketing. Have you ever had the experience of a disappointed buyer with a property that they viewed? They can potentially be negative about the agent they dealt with who wasted their time as the property was not as nice as they were expecting.

Many buyers make decisions to view houses based on the information they see on the property portals and often end up viewing properties that are just not right for them. They have looked at the photos, checked the floor plan, checked the measurements, read the write-ups (maybe) and they have a good idea of the location.

Why use virtual tours
For the sake of agencies and potential buyers, it is more important than ever to ensure that all marketing properties have a virtual tour.
Virtual tours also help to remove the need for purchaser reviews with extended family and visits from tradespeople.

It is envisaged that if every property on the market had a 360-degree virtual tour that it would be one of the buyer's first port of call.
Certainly, you would expect and make its policy that a buyer would look at the virtual tour prior to an in-person viewing took place.
This undoubtedly will save time and expense for buyers, sellers, and agents.

As we saw in the lockdown of the spring 2020 agents were reporting that sales were being agreed remotely using just virtual viewings. If we were to see a second lockdown, having a 360° virtual tour in place at the outset of marketing would avoid having to re-visit the property, either with a virtual viewing or video. This prepares the seller and agent to act safely and within the law and guidelines.

For more information on adding virtual tours to your offering, call us on: 01253 206530