The COVID-19 pandemic made virtual tours more popular than ever before. Due to various social distancing measures over the past year, homebuyers relied heavily on virtual tours to view listings without leaving their home. As we slowly return to normalcy in our country, many are wondering whether or not virtual home tours will continue to be as popular. With this, here are a few of the main reasons why virtual home tours are definitely here to stay.
Virtual tours help to identify serious buyers.
One of the reasons why agents and sellers like virtual tours is because they help to identify serious buyers. While this is not always the case, it is fair to assume that a buyer who visits a listing in person after seeing the virtual tour online is seriously considering making an offer on the home.
A virtual tour can expedite a home search.
In a sellers market, listings usually do not last very long. A motivated buyer does not want to waste time considering properties containing deal-breakers. A virtual tour allows buyers to gain a pretty good understanding of a home listing. In many cases, a buyer can quickly rule out a home based on things they see in a virtual tour. Residential real estate is quickly becoming one of the fastest moving industries in our country. Any tools that can help a buyer, seller, or agent work to expedite their goals should be worth considering.
Buyers are seeking out virtual tours for convenience.
Because virtual tours have become increasingly popular, more buyers are looking for them during their home search. Real estate businesses who do not invest in virtual tours run the risk of appearing outdated. This is especially true if an agent's local competitors are using them.