Virtual showings. Let’s talk about them:
First, what is a virtual showing? When the National Association of REALTORS surveys buyers, they ask: “How many homes did you look at before purchasing? How many weeks did it take?”
For years, the average has been about 8 to 10 properties over 8 to 10 weeks.
What’s interesting is that of those 8 to 10 properties, about half are now virtual showings. Buyers perceive they’ve “seen” the home just by taking a virtual tour online. That’s a big generational shift. Roughly half of showings today are in-person, and half are virtual.
We need to explain this to sellers—and we need to offer it as a service to buyers.
Here’s what I recommend. When you meet with buyers, include this in your presentation:
“I offer virtual showings. That can mean one of two things. First, many listings already have a virtual tour option—like Matterport—where you can walk through the house online. Second, if you’re really interested in a home but can’t make the schedule w...
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I want to highlight three key stats that drive our real estate business:
First, about 80% of our business consistently comes from our sphere of influence, no matter what we do.
Second, an impressive 53% of today's industry transactions are from millennials.
Lastly, a Nielsen report reveals that a significant 92% of consumers trust family and friends over advertising. This underscores the importance of reviews and recommendations.
Now, let's dive into these areas and ask ourselves what we've done in the last six months to strengthen our sphere of influence, boost sales, and expand our reach.
Consider this: In a changing market landscape, where factors like interest rates and conditions influence sales ratios, it's crucial to grow our audience.
If your sphere of influence isn't growing, you might already be experiencing a decline in business due to lack of proactivity.
But it's not just about quantity; quality communication is vital.
Have you texted everyone in you...
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Here's something we should all be doing with a seller at the beginning of our relationship:
When we take that listing, we should be resetting expectations on the number of live showings that will occur.
Last year, when we took a listing, we'd have 20, 30, 40, 50 showings in the first week. Today, that number maybe two or three or four or five. It will not be the same as it was last year at the same time.
So how do we reset this expectation?
One thing we need to talk about with the seller is the way the average buyer looks at homes. So last year in 2021, the NAR measured this and they found that buyers, on average, that purchased a home, looked at homes for eight weeks. And during that eight week period of time, they viewed eight homes. But of the eight homes they looked at, they looked at three virtually. And in the buyer's mind, that was a showing.
So we need to educate our sellers about what people consider to be a showing today. And then when we're talking to them...
Now is the time to embrace video as a part of your process and help your clients continue on their real estate journey.Â
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About Jim Remley
Jim Remley is a nationally recognized expert in the field of residential real ...
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