Moving with the times
AS we focus on life after lockdown the property industry is swinging back into action with builders returning to work and a government go-ahead for estate agencies to reopen and buyers to view homes for sale. Normal services are unlikely to resume fast, though, and while buyers have adapted well to online viewing, some developers are introducing next-stage virtual reality viewing with sales consultants that could continue “after coronavirus”.
Although few would buy a home without visiting the property and checking out the area, buyers who have already done the groundwork have been able to continue the process during lockdown thanks to online technology.This has been particularly successful for new-build properties, says James Tucker, CEO at mortgage technology provider Twenty7Tec.
Although searches are still lower than pre-coronavirus levels,Tucker says: “The data tells us that we are gently on the up again and have been ever since Easter.
“Across the board, we are seeing higher search volumes, higher levels of documentation prepared and higher total levels of loans requested.”
Sally Denham, from Wakefield in Yorkshire, reserved her new-build dream home using video tours and digital communications, having already sold her semi-detached property within a week using Countryside’s Assisted Move scheme.
She bought her new home at Countryside’s City Fields development in Wakefield using virtual tours, email and
WhatsApp. “I didn’t think reserving online would be possible, let alone so easy,” says Sally, who has bought a three-bedroom detached house on the development, a 20-minute walk fromWakefield town centre.
Sally was helping her parents look for a new house when she discovered City Fields and decided to buy after they had already reserved a four-bedroom detached house for themselves.
KEEPING the family together, after the solitude of lockdown, was one of the factors behind Sally’s decision. “Being separated is very tough for a lot of families at the moment and ours is no different,” she says. “Having these reservations and the thought of us moving closer together in the near future is helping enormously.
“Mum and Dad wanted to be nearer to me when they moved but now we’ll be on each other’s door steps and we’ll certainly be able to make up for any lost time with each other.”
City Fields is a collection of three and four-bedroom homes priced from £249,995 for a semi-detached house (01924 911542; countrysidecityfields.co.uk) and the development includes retail and community facilities as well as open spaces.
Show home and overall development video tours are available online but regional operations director Christopher Penn adds: “To progress the reservation, a variety of digital communication methods are used such as Skype, Zoom and WhatsApp which enable customers to have their questions answered promptly.
“Reservations are then achieved over the phone with paperwork issued by email and signatures provided by secure digital signing methods.”
One of London’s oldest housing associations, Peabody, is offering virtual reality appointments for tailored viewings with a sales representative to see specific apartments.
This is available at developments including Motion, six state-of-the-art apartment buildings in Waltham Forest in east London, part of the Lea Bridge and Leyton regeneration, where the last few homes for sale include a penthouse apartment for £430,000 (020 3906 1955; motion-e10.co.uk).
“We have found that the people viewing property in this way are serious buyers who are keen to proceed and don’t want current restrictions to hold them back, so sales are relatively strong,” says Andrew Peglau, Peabody’s assistant director of marketing.
“Circumstances have forced us to introduce this new method of show-arounds in a hurry, but there is definitely scope to continue to offer virtual viewings as a regular part of our sales channels.”