While countries slowly reopen post-pandemic, safety restrictions are still in place. This causes a huge challenge for homeowners and agents looking to sell properties, an all-too-familiar process that’s typically done face-to-face with home tours and open houses. Despite these hurdles, nothing stops home buyers and investors to apply for mortgage applications for home loans.
Technological innovations have played a huge role in making life a little less difficult during the pandemic. From e-commerce platforms to contactless payments, these tools made business interactions possible amid physical distancing restrictions. Even real estate is not an exception as they shifted from open houses to virtual tours.
Virtual tours offer a convenient way for investors and real estate buyers to discover houses on sale without leaving their doorstep. This saves a lot of time instead of traveling and going from every house to pre-screen the ones that match their criteria. With virtual tours, buyers visit homes they’re only interested in. Whether you’ve been selling homes for a while or just starting out, it’s important to understand how to improve your virtual tour strategy to sell more homes.
Use photography methods
Picture and video quality should be a top priority in virtual home tours. Poor lit, blurry, and grainy images will put off prospective buyers and make a property less worthy of a second look. Whatever tools you use for the virtual tour, be sure to apply the right photography and videography methods to get the best quality.
Great lighting, particularly natural light, is the key to take good pictures and videos, whether you’re using a professional camera or smartphone. But if you plan to do the photo shoot by yourself, consider buying a high-quality camera. They’re very good investments, especially if you sell homes as a business.
To ensure clearer and quality photos, open the windows and turn on the lights around the house or bring artificial lights if it’s not enough. Move the shutters and curtains to let more natural light flow throughout the space. A great tip is to shoot in sunny weather, but make sure not to film with too much sunlight since it can ruin the brightness of the photo or video.
Finding the right angles is also important as they can affect the projection of the house. Be generous when taking photos to have more options when choosing the better angle, lighting, and quality. Also, take the time during the post-production phase and don’t forget to apply touch-ups and balance the photo quality.
Invest in home staging
Staging is important in home tours, whether in-person or virtual. A great staging makes the house look livable and allows buyers to visualize themselves living there. Staging is probably one of the most critical projects when selling homes. Buyers aren’t only looking for a house to live in, they’re also finding ways to enhance their lifestyle and make their dream home a reality.
Home staging also benefits potential buyers by letting them know the important features of the home and give them peace of mind that it’s in good working order. Buyers deduct the price once they spot a problem. If they found many issues, they will likely move on to the next house.
Cleaning and decluttering is the first thing to do before staging a home. This includes all areas and corners of the house from the flooring to the ceilings. If there are no new appliances, make them shiny and spotless. You may consider applying upgrades, repairs, and improvements to increase the value of the property. Also, don’t forget to boost the curb appeal as they serve the overall reflection of the property.
Showcase the neighborhood
Buyers today aren’t just looking for beautiful homes but also peaceful neighborhoods. A stunning scenic trail or park will encourage families to look into your home, especially those with kids while elderly couples prefer neighborhoods where they can safely stroll outside the homes and are quiet enough for uninterrupted sleep.
Preferably, buyers want homes built in healthy communities with visually attractive elements. Of course, nothing feels better when you welcome guests in a good-looking house in a good-looking neighborhood. You can also showcase nearby homes to give buyers an idea about the type of neighbors they will have.
Use natural light to your advantage to get the best images. If the house has a great view of the sunset, make sure to capture that moment whether in a window or backyard. Also, don’t forget to include common spaces and community amenities.
The pandemic has driven many businesses online, and real estate is not an exception. Technology has played a huge role in allowing sellers, agents, and investors to sell homes and make a living amid a global crisis. Until then, we expect to see more developments in virtual tours to make home staging more convenient than ever.
