How to successfully sell your property online

If you've ever spent a lazy Sunday browsing real-estate listings, you know the handful that grab your attention. Usually, all it takes are a couple of professional photos and a good description, and that home gets added to your wish list of open houses to visit.

The coronavirus pandemic, as you can imagine, has significantly changed the process of shopping for a home. Open houses mostly ground to a halt, at least in the way you're used to them, as state governments tried to restrict social contact. 

Even though social restrictions have been eased in some states, if you want to sell your home right now and avoid contact with strangers, there are still options for showing off your property in a way that attracts prospective buyers.

Technology is now playing a more prominent role than ever in transforming the traditional open house and it might become the new normal if new waves of the covid_19 virus cannot be contained. Here’s what you need to know if you want to successfully sell your property online.

Prepare for a longer process

While the home-selling process has certainly slowed because of the coronavirus, agents are still seeing deals happening right now. And deals that are still happening are at a different pace and can a bit more complicated if parties aren’t keen on social contact.

Buyers and sellers need to understand that more likely than not, there's potential for hiccups along the way. It can also take longer than usual to close a deal because of unexpected delays.

Beware, some standard practices, such as inspections or repairs from service providers, might be affected by social-distancing rules, which can cause postponements and delay deals. 

Working with an agent who's aware of local restrictions and can communicate those through the process can be a valuable asset when planning to sell.

Provide as much information as possible across multiple channels

Now more than ever, sellers need to make sure their listings not only stand out as visually alluring but that they are also detailed robustly. Beautifully staged photos and a solid description are a good start but may no longer do the trick in the current market.

You should also include links to professionally shot listing videos, floor plans with measurements, and 3D walk-through using a camera app that can create virtual tours. 

Your selling agents should also be focusing on their online presence, which can help drive views of your listings. You want an agent who realizes the whole world is changing and moving more towards a digital world.

Leverage virtual-tour technology

Some agents have been using 3D technology to create walk-throughs for a while but now it should be considered essential because it allows buyers to get more of a feel for the property. 

You want your virtual tours to include panoramic and 360-degree images, as this is another popular viewing option for potential buyers. 

Buyers need to be able to see ourselves in the home actually doing things, open the door to the backyard and see the kids having the run of the backyard or have people sitting on the back deck enjoying a BBQ — these are all things that we simply cannot do by looking at a photo.

Allow buyers to "walk" through your home, even taking in the view from the living-room windows. These images are just about as immersive as you can get without being there in person. Engage the senses! 

Offering these virtual tours helps you as a seller as well. Beyond protecting your family’s health by restricting strangers wandering through your property, it's beneficial for a big practical reason. You don't have to live in a 'glasshouse' and keep it spotless 24/7.

Buyers and agents still believe that in-person open houses were still an important part of the home-selling process. However, leaning on technology, especially virtual open houses, will become increasingly popular and may even continue to be a standard part of listings.

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This article via BI does not constitute advice; readers should seek independent and personalised counsel from a trusted adviser that specialises in property, a tax accountant and property design specialist.