Lockdown. Useful points when offering virtual viewings and appraisals

We now have some four weeks of experience dealing with the effects of Coronavirus and having to adapt to new ways of working.

Obviously, activity levels are lower than before. and the way agency activities are done has to be somewhat different but the results from what’s being carried out is generating new instructions,  lets, and sales.

Virtual viewings and appraisals have, almost overnight, become the norm. In this blog post, we aim to offer useful guidance on delivering these in the best way possible.

As you (obviously) can’t visit the property, the homeowner is going to need to show-you-around the property virtually. There are two options:

a) The homeowner walks you around the property whilst you are video calling with them.

b) Have the homeowner create a video of the property and send it over to you (- consider how the client should do this but www.wetransfer.com or even Whatsapp are simple options). If the property is to be marketed then this video is going to be needed in any event.

Christopher Watkin (www.christopherwatkin.co.uk) has produced an excellent video offering guidance on how a vendor can create a high quality (property tour) video.

The next step is carrying out the virtual appraisal.

The content is likely to be much the same as that carried out when with the client in their home – i.e. introduction; establish/reconfirm the clients’ requirements and reasons for moving;  market overview and comparables, etc …but you now have to deliver it remotely.

Zoom is all the rage right currently and it’s likely you’re familiar with it, or at least a similar service. Most have a share-my-screen feature. This is, we suggest, essential if you really want to get your messages across effectively. It’s also a great opportunity to take the client on a visual journey that will be more engaging and impressive for the client.

We’d recommend you have an Acaboom presentation with an overview of your services, property data, market trends, comparables, etc; but even if you don’t, using the collateral you’d have available on the appointment usually could be used.

Zoom screen share feature.

 

Drilling down into comparable property details with photo slide show and floor plan

 

The virtual appraisal process is likely to be something along the lines of:

• Introduction (video call)
• Qualification of client requirements (video call)
• Property tour/go through supplied client video (video call/screen share)
• Market overview – graphs, trends, statistics, etc (screen share)
• Comparable properties (screen share)
• Reasons to choose you (screen share)
• Marketing options – e.g. marketing options during the lockdown or perhaps getting things ready now to start marketing when the lockdown is over (video call)
• Q&A (video call)

 

Any questions? Whether you are a client or not, we’re more than happy to help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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