Since the housing market reopened after the first lockdown last year, the appetite to move has been remarkable. This is due in no small part to people reassessing their work/life priorities as a result of Covid-19, as well as the current stamp duty holiday.

As we enter a new year and a new lockdown, demand remains strong, the market remains open and once again virtual viewings will give buyers an important head start in their search for a new home. 

In the same way, prospective vendors can steal a march on the spring market by requesting a virtual market appraisal of their home. Our experience has shown that virtual viewing can work very well, generating offers and sales, and there’s no doubt it’s here to stay as an essential house-hunting tool as non-essential travel is restricted.

How does a virtual viewing work?

There are various ways to view a property virtually. It could be via a Matterport virtual tour based on a floorplan which allows for a 3D visualisation of the space. Or it might simply be a matter of watching a short video taken before lockdown.

We’ve found the best way to attract buyer interest is by providing a live video conference call. Set up by the agent using a tool such as WhatsApp, Facetime or Zoom, this enables the seller to take the buyer on a bespoke, real-time video tour of their home while the agent directs the action, pointing out all the key features and answering any questions along the way. This can be really engaging and enjoyable, and a practice run-through with your agent can help banish any pre-filming nerves.

Failing that, the seller can take a short video clip and email it to their agent who will pass it on to interested buyers and talk them through what they are seeing. This lacks the interactive nature and immediacy of a live viewing, but can still be helpful.

So what makes a good home video? Here are our top tips:

• Videos should be no more than 60 seconds long. If you need to take a number of shorter clips of different rooms that’s fine too.
  
  
• Your agent will be able to advise which rooms to feature but generally speaking we know buyers are most interested in the main reception rooms and the kitchen.
  
  
• Start filming as you enter a room, then stand close to a corner so you can convey its size. If it has a good view, make sure you capture that too.
  
  
• Don’t include any high value items of furniture or art.
  
  
• There’s no need to record a commentary. Your agent will talk the virtual viewer through the tour.
  
  
• If it’s a nice day, don’t forget to include the garden.

We are making it clear on our website that virtual viewings are available where applicable. But it’s important to stress that before sharing video material or setting up a video call, your agent should carry out exactly the same checks with the prospective buyer as they would before organising a traditional viewing.

Further information

Contact Andrew Perratt

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