Buying A Home During Coronavirus: The Dos And Donts Of Virtual Showings

Even though real estate is slowly opening back up in many states, many people are still trying to keep the process as contactless as possible. Sometimes that includes utilizing virtual showings.

In light of that, I spoke with Beatrice de Jong, a real estate broker and the Consumer Trends Expert at Opendoor – a company that, full disclosure, I have freelanced for in the past – about the process.

Beatrice spoke candidly about the fact that even though Opendoor’s buying experience was mostly digital before the pandemic, some of it’s in-person services, like home assessments and repairs, were the impetus behind the company’s shutdown of it’s home-buying arm earlier this year.

Through the pandemic, she believes that the company learned that consumers are ready, willing, and able to adapt to new technologies and digital tools. These findings have spurred Opendoor on new, fully-digital ways for their consumers to buy and sell homes. One of the new tools they’re relying on most is the virtual showing.

To that end, I asked Beatrice to share her top dos and don’ts for acing a virtual showing. Here’s what she had to say:

Dos of a virtual showing

• Power up: Make sure that your computer or tablet is fully charged before taking the tour. Do your best to ensure that the wireless connection is as strong as possible.
• Do a virtual drive-by: Look at the home on Google Street View before the showing. This will help you get a better idea of the home’s surrounding area.
• Bed size matters: When you’re touring bedrooms, ask what size beds are currently in place. This will give you a better idea of how much space there is to work with.
• Request a video: Ask the seller or listing agent to send you a video of the home after the tour. Then, you can refer back to it later when you’re making your decision.
• Ask questions: Be sure to ask plenty of questions during your tour and don’t hesitate to send more to the listing agent once the tour is over.

Don’ts of a virtual showing

• Don’t wait: Don’t wait too long to schedule a tour. Homes are still moving fast and you may miss your chance.
• Don’t get distracted by aesthetics: Paint and wallpaper can always be changed. Focus more on the layout and condition of the home than interior design.
• Don’t forget to go outside: The home’s exterior is just as important as the interior. Make sure to look at it on your tour.
• Don’t talk price: Save any pricing discussions for after the tour is over.