Unsettled Sellers and Buyers and virtual marketing

Let's look at a few things we know:

1. The market, in certain price points, is very active.
2. The uncertainty of COVID-19 will impact the mindset of both the seller and buyer, but to what extent?
3. Nervous Sellers look to you, the real estate professional, for guidance and advice.
4. Nervous Buyers look to you, the real estate professional, for guidance and advice.

Whether you have a listing on the market or you have one coming to market, you may also be feeling a little uncertain.  That's okay because everyone is.  The real estate market has relied on Buyers physically visiting homes, and Sellers physically allowing Buyers into their homes, for decades.  So, how can we help unsettled Buyers and Sellers?

Your home Seller is looking to you for solutions.  If Buyers are reluctant, or have chosen not to go out and look at homes, you must bring the walk through experience to them.  I believe you're going to see a much higher level of adoption to virtual marketing (products like 3D tours) above the use of videos and photography.  No, I'm not suggesting it will replace those high quality forms of media, but it will be a necessary compliment to every listing.  Think about the solutions you could leverage and share with your Seller to show them how proactive your marketing approach is:

• If you had an Open House, you could also advertise a "Virtual Open House" on signage, etc. with a QR Code or link to the house tour.  
• If you are opting to not have Open Houses, you could advertise only Virtual Open Houses on various platforms (Facebook, Google, etc.).
• Your For Sale sign could encourage home buyers to "Take a virtual tour" easing any initial discomfort at visiting many homes.
• Re-target (Re-market) to any online traffic to your tour (Happy to share more on this if you're interested).
• Realtor.ca home tour will put your listing above those without a tour to serious home buyers.
• Share your tour with cooperating realtors who have potential buyers.  This gives them a tool to use for their unsettled Buyers

Unsettled Buyers may be very critical on which houses they go out to see and the media used to showcase them will be just as critical to helping a home "make the cut" in their eyes.  Make sure you give your listing it's best chance by considering a virtual marketing campaign to attract any potential Buyer.