As of writing, tensions are rising regarding the developing Covid-19 spread across NC. Earlier today, there were a couple confirmed cases in the Charlotte area, and the real estate market is starting to see some of the effect of paranoia nationwide. While we truly believe we will come out on the other side of this thing soon and for the better, we also think that it’s supremely important to consider alternative options to marketing listings and keeping the market moving. People still want to buy and sell, and we’re certain you’ll want to keep foot traffic low at the same time.

So… how can we do both?

Enter: Matterport Virtual Tours

As many of you already know, we’re HUGE fans of Matterport tours. But don’t take our word for it, the stats tell the full story! Listings with visual content receive 403% MORE INQUIRIES, 41% found virtual floor plans useful and 40% found virtual tours useful while 92% look online before ever calling an agent. Those stats are pretty telling. They’re just part of the reason we’re Matterport providers, but they also serve many more purposes.

Coronavirus may scare sellers, but Matterport allows showings virtually.

Allow Showings While Keeping Virus Exposure Low

Part of the glory of Matterport in the time of Coronavirus is holding open houses and house showings where nobody ever steps foot inside your listing. As the virus spreads in Charlotte, it’s understandable that sellers will want as few people walking through their houses as possible. We think showings and open houses will decline, but we’re dedicated to giving you a multitude of ways to still get those listings sold. With Matterport, buyers can walk through the house, see a virtual floor plan, and even take accurate measurements of the house. Really, there’s little they CAN’T do with our tours. Sellers enjoy the benefit of lower exposure and buyers get the benefit of still being able to find the perfect home!

Consider Only Allowing Virtual Showings

If you have a seller who is particularly worried about exposure, consider allowing only virtual showings. By listing a house as “initial showings virtual only”, you can allow buyers to prequalify a home before ever seeing it in person. We see it a lot, buyers come to a house and within seconds they have determined the home isn’t for them. Sometimes it’s something that doesn’t convey across photos, and other times it’s simply that a room looked larger online than in person.

Matterport tours can negate any opposition buyers have by allowing them to see a house in its entirety. From measurements, to floor plans, to layout and beyond, potential buyers are completely immersed in your listings. If the house passes their prerequisites, encourage them to get in touch and possibly negotiate an in-person showing afterwards. Just. because a property is listed as virtual tours only, doesn’t mean a serous buyer can’t come tour the house in person, but it does allow your sellers to put it all out on the line and make sure that they are only getting very serious buyers to come tour the house. While we think this is a great strategy in general, we think it’s an especially convincing proposition during this current pandemic.

Getting The Job Done, No Matter What

ProLocal is all about serving our clients. We want you do sell your listings, and we want to share in that success. We’re here to provide any services we can to help you reach that goal, including using creative marketing tools to cope with the current landscape. If you think there’s something else we could do to help you reach your goals, reach out!