Open houses are an important part of the buying process as they give potential homeowners the opportunity to walk through and experience a house. Social distancing guidelines from Covid-19 have driven many real estate agents to host virtual open houses and video tours. If you are worried about finding the right fit in a home from a distance, here are a few ways you can get the most out of the virtual experience:
Seize the Opportunity to See More. Going to multiple in-person tours can be time consuming. Using virtual home tours lets you view more properties from the comfort of your home on various platforms. Your agent can be a valuable resource to help put together a list of virtual open houses.
Drive by. Before the open house, locate the property on your phone's GPS and take a drive around the neighborhood to check it out. You might not be able to walk through the house just yet, but you can still take notes about the neighborhood and see what the exterior of the home has to offer.
Learn the Platform. Some software and apps can be tricky to navigate at first. Try downloading the agent's preferred digital platform ahead of time so that you don't miss out on any important details while you're trying to connect.
Ask for more. Before the virtual tour, make a list of home features you couldn't see very well in the listing photos. If the agent hosting the virtual tour brushes over one of these details you are interested in, don't be afraid to ask for a closer inspection in the chat box or live over the video chat to help both you and the agent showcase the home digitally.
Quickly Follow Up. A virtual setting often means more people gain exposure to the home as they are scrolling through Facebook, YouTube, or other social platforms. This can also mean more competition for offers. Reach out to the listing agent quickly at the close of the virtual house to get the ball rolling on home ownership.
While virtual open houses are not a traditional option, many homebuyers have used the experience to track down the perfect home in less time. Agents at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers are trained to support you every step of the way, even if that means connecting over smartphone.
If you'd like to schedule an opportunity to start viewing virtual open houses, Visit our "Buy a Home" section to get a step-by-step guide to getting your home search started. Or simply call us at 404.843.2500 and we'll set you up with a real estate professional in your community.
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