For home sellers in the era of the novel coronavirus, showing off your home to potential buyers may seem like an impossible task. As people practice social distancing to help stop the spread of COVID-19, most open houses are on hold, and in-person home showings are limited across the country.

But there are still ways to reach potential buyers and show your home in the best light—through virtual tours.

In the third part of our series, “Home Selling in the Age of the Coronavirus,” we highlight all the ways home sellers can give buyers an in-depth look at their property without actually opening their doors and risking the buyers’ health (or their own).

How virtual tours work

Virtual tours offer home buyers a remote, video-enabled walk-through of a property that will give them the sensation that they’re actually there—or at least darn close.

Real estate agents used virtual tours before COVID-19 as a unique marketing tool. Now, online tours are more important than ever, since they’re often the only easy way for buyers to check out a home without physically entering the property.

Virtual tours are recommended by the National Association of Realtors® as a way to avoid face-to-face contact while marketing homes during the coronavirus crisis.

“With the current shutdown, more and more home sellers are requesting that we offer buyers a virtual tour to help expedite the sale,” says Peggy Zabakolas, a real estate broker at Nest Seekers International in Bridgehampton, NY.

Real estate listing sites like realtor.com are featuring virtual tours on more and more listings. (Look for the virtual tour icon on the bottom of the listing page.)

Types of virtual tours

Virtual tours can be conducted in a variety of different ways, depending on time, technology, and budget.

Probably the least complicated is where sellers or real estate agents use their smartphone camera to record a video as they walk through the home, showing off each room.

A more interactive option is to livestream a one-on-one showing with the buyers. This will give them more control over where you are pointing the camera, via FaceTime or another video streaming app (“Could you take a peek inside that closet/outside that window?”).

Yet another option home sellers might consider is a virtual open house.

With gatherings of more than 10 people prohibited across most of the United States, real estate agents have been forced to cancel open houses. But many are using tools like FaceTime or Zoom to host live virtual open houses so they can show potential buyers around a home.

Buyers often enjoy seeing the “raw footage” that a virtual open house or showing can offer, as opposed to a professionally produced video, says Angela Hornburg, team leader at the Hornburg Real Estate Group in Dallas.

Buyers can also ask questions, which may help them to feel more secure that they can be fully informed about the property—or perhaps even allow them to make an offer on the spot.

Steve Schappert Founded, and is the broker at Connecticut Real Estate, Schappert owns The Connecticut Art Gallery and Home & Art Magazine   Steve also designed, built, and shipped a zero-energy double-walled home to Germany.  Schappert is an abstract painting artist and has painted, renovated and provided energy audits for over 1300 homes.

When it comes to real estate, construction and energy efficiency, Steve Schappert is one of the most sought-after experts in the field. With more than 40 years of experience in these areas, he has become a trusted source for reporters looking for insights on the industry. From helping develop net-zero homes to advising on sustainable building practices, Schappert’s knowledge and expertise is unrivaled. Whether it’s for a news article or an in-depth magazine story, reporters turn to Steve Schappert as a reliable source of information. With his expertise and guidance, they can ensure that their stories are accurate and up-to-date.

In the last year I have been interviewed by ABC News Manhattan, Connecticut Magazine and featured in 2 articles in The Washington Post.

If you are looking for a creative broker that thinks outside the box  and has been a recognized expert for over 30 years call or text 203-994-3950