It may surprise you to learn that the average global internet user spends roughly 7 hours a day online. This is why there's no time like the present to host a virtual open house.
Not only will you increase a home's visibility to prospective home buyers, but you may decrease the amount of time it stays on the market.
If you're considering an online property tour, then you need to know all the open house benefits that accompany hosting one. This guide explains everything you need to know about virtual open houses, along with tips and tricks for holding your most successful tour yet.
Virtual Open House: Explained
Similar to an in-person open house, a virtual open house shows potential buyers your home so they can get a feel for the layout. It's advantageous to photos, as they can zoom in and out and speak to your real estate agent. Online open houses are much more interactive than 3D video tours, working to attract more attention and interest in your home, hopefully helping it sell quickly while even providing aerial views of your home.
Your realtor will host a virtual open house at a designated time. They'll use a video conferencing platform such as Zoom or Skype, along with live streaming on social media. There will also be a recording of the open house so prospective buyers can watch it later, especially if they were unable to attend your online property tour when it was hosted.
Should You Host an Online Open House?
If you're looking for a safe, convenient way to host an open house but the thought of strangers in your home turns you off, then host a virtual open house. You'll have more control over who's in your home while still showcasing your house’s highlights and selling points.
Anyone looking to offer realtor-led tours of their home should consider hosting an online open house. Also, some states may only allow open houses with a maximum of ten people, so virtual open houses give more prospective buyers access to your home.
Here are other benefits of an online open house.
Online Open Houses are Safer
As previously mentioned, many sellers aren't comfortable leaving their houses while strangers walk from room to room. Virtual tours are a way of safely showing your home to interested buyers without the concern of strangers up close and personal with you and your belongings.
Additionally, it was last reported that 21% of people still avoid attending small gatherings. Since people still prefer to socially distance themselves, virtual open houses allow them to do so while asking a realtor questions about the property.
They Offer Convenience
Virtual open houses are more convenient for everyone involved. They're as simple as logging on from a computer or smart device.
Driving from open house to open house can be arduous for home buyers. It's time-consuming, which is why virtual open houses are an ideal choice. Potential buyers can get a solid feel for your home, weeding out the houses they do and don't like without needing to spend a day visiting them.
This makes it easier for buyers to narrow down their top choices for homes they'd like to see in person. It also helps the seller because whoever comes to see their house in person already had a virtual tour and showed interest, making the home showing process a more efficient one.
They Benefit Long-Distance Buyers
Roughly 8% of Americans relocated to a different state in 2022. When you host a virtual open house, you make it possible for out-of-state buyers to see your home without the inconvenience of flying or driving to come visit your property. They can talk to your real estate agent and ask questions, zooming in on certain aspects of your home that they find appealing.
Fewer Disruptions for Sellers
Many sellers shy away from the prospect of open houses due to the inconvenience that accompanies them. Their day-to-day routine is disrupted so the open house can take place. This is especially true for sellers with children and pets.
However, virtual open houses offer fewer disruptions. Only the real estate agent needs to be present for the virtual open house.
Even better, if you prerecord video footage, you can record it at your leisure. It may be easier to record footage in the morning and host the virtual open house in the afternoon, all depending on what works best for everyone involved.
Saves You Time and Energy
Virtual open houses save you time and energy. There's no need to prepare snacks or handouts for prospective buyers, including floorplans and other pamphlets. You'll also save money since you won't need to print flyers or literature for attendees to take home.
Additionally, virtual open houses allow more walkthroughs since there's no limit to your audience size.
Virtual open houses also alleviate the need to constantly edit and upload videos to your website. You can host a live session, chatting with prospective buyers in real-time.
If a seller has more than one property to sell, you could even host an all-day virtual open house, showcasing multiple properties throughout the day.
More Opportunities to Showcase Your Home
When you host a virtual open house, you'll find greater opportunities to show your home. Realtors can share it on websites, social media platforms, and even YouTube, casting a wider net of prospective buyers who can tour your home when it's convenient for them. You can also share the virtual tour on your social media accounts.
You'll also have more success reaching buyers with hectic schedules who might not be able to make it to an open house. It's been reported that 35% of Americans have a job that requires them to work on the weekend. Since open houses are typically held on a Saturday or Sunday, this prevents a large chunk of people from visiting your home.
However, a virtual open house makes it possible for more people to attend, regardless of their work schedule. They can even log on briefly from work since all they need is a smart device.
Tips for Realtors Hosting a Virtual Open House
Once you've decided to host a virtual open house, you'll need to follow some guidelines to attract the most prospective buyers. Here are some tips and tricks to follow.
Advertise on Social Media
Realtors should use social media to advertise a virtual open house the same way they would advertise a physical open house. It's best to also include an RSVP for people to respond to the event.
When prospective home buyers respond to an RSVP request, there are opportunities to send them push notifications and reminders, while gaining an estimate of how many people will be in attendance.
Showcase the Home's Selling Features
Now is the time to showcase a home's selling features. You can choose the perfect lighting, the best framework and camera angles, and the ideal way to showcase the home's best qualities.
Prep and Stage the Home
You also need to prep and stage the house the same way you would with an open house. However, the software you use to film the virtual open house allows you to add furniture and home decorations to make the interior pop.
Although you can't use these features when live streaming, you can add your updated tour to your website or social media for buyers to view at a later date and time.
Host a Trial Run
Before the day of your online tour, host a trial run to see how your virtual tour looks and how people engage with it. Ask for feedback so you know what needs changing, what works/didn't work, and so forth.
Have Talking Points Prepared
Before your virtual open house, always have a list of prepared talking points. This helps keep you organized as prospective homebuyers ask questions. It also lets your audience know what to expect throughout the tour.
Allow Plenty of Time for the Tour
Prospective buyers don't want to feel rushed, so be sure to allow plenty of time for them when taking the virtual tour. Give them ample time to check out every aspect of the house, asking questions as they move through their tour.
Host a Virtual Open House Today
Now that you understand the benefits of a virtual open house, you can host one today. Online open houses are an excellent way to attract out-of-state buyers and offer a safe, convenient alternative to traditional open houses.
Are you looking for virtual real estate services? If so, Hommati can help. Learn more about our services here.