ShowingTime is committed to safety and to helping agents keep their businesses moving while still adhering to local laws limiting face-to-face interactions with clients. That’s why we’re pleased to share a few great tips we’ve found online from agents on how they’re keeping showings safe.
Keep Current
Your clients rely on you to keep current about the latest trends in the industry and in your market. That’s why it’s vital that you continue to meet their expectations during these uncertain times by staying current on the latest best practices, advice from health professionals and evolving local ordinances.
NAR’s Coronavirus: A Guide for REALTORS® is a great resource to review for a detailed look at how you should conduct business during the pandemic. The CDC’s COVID-19 page also provides a great high-level overview of the virus, with vital information on symptoms and testing. And, of course, your local media will have the latest details on the laws that apply to your area that may impact your business.
If you use ShowingTime to manage showings, you can stay current with updates on the latest steps we’re taking to help agents conduct safe showings by subscribing to our newsletter. Click here to sign up and receive a weekly update right in your inbox!
Host a Virtual Showing
If the phrase “virtual showing” hasn’t yet entered your vocabulary, it’s almost certain it soon will. That’s because virtual showings have quickly become an agent’s best friend while stay-at-home orders are in place. Virtual showings offer agents the unique opportunity to allow prospective buyers to “tour” a listing from the comfort of their own home.
Thanks to the introduction of the new Virtual Showing appointment type, ShowingTime users can now seamlessly manage a virtual showing within the interface they’re already familiar with.
Q: Who is the camera person for a real-time video showing?
A: This is entirely up to the listing agent, depending on their local situation. For most showings, it is the listing agent or showing agent who acts as the camera person. However, our research has also shown that some listing agents – as a last resort – ask their sellers to be the camera person because neither agent is able to visit the home. In fact, in some markets, in-person showings are forbidden due to local shelter-in-place restrictions. In these cases, it is highly recommended that only the agent speaks, with the homeowner acting only as the camera person.
Google Trends highlights the incredible uptick in user searches of the term “virtual showings” during the last few weeks.
Stay in Touch
Every real estate agent has a duty to remain in regular contact with clients and the importance of sticking to that duty has never been more apparent. Sellers and buyers alike can find the process of a real estate transaction to be stressful in the best of times, so the added stress of the current pandemic can weigh especially heavy on them.
Fortunately, real estate agents can calm clients’ nerves now just as they always do, by being available to answer any of their questions and address their concerns. Of course, communication is a two-way street, so while it probably goes without saying, it’s incumbent upon agents to respect the wishes of clients who may not feel comfortable attending or hosting an in-person showing (in markets where such showings haven’t already been forbidden by law).
Follow Best Practices
Though the present situation may demand a few changes to how a listing is shown, many of the same principles behind hosting an effective showing remain as relevant as ever. Check out a few of our resources, for both agents and sellers, for some great tips on how to have the most effective showing.
Resources for sellers: Preparing Your House for Showings | 10 Essential Tasks for Home Sellers | 8 Tips to Make Your Home More Inviting
Resources for agents: The Most Important Thing to Do After a Real Estate Showing | 6 Feedback Questions Every Listing Agent Should Ask | Now Available: The Essential Guide to Real Estate Showings for New Agents
ShowingTime is dedicated to enhancing showing management products to best facilitate showings, now and when the market rebounds. Our sales team is readily available to listen to your needs and to help you find out which ShowingTime product might be best for your situation as you prepare for the turnaround to come. Click the button below to reach out to them.
