Buy before you try – how virtual tours are being used for houses
Estate agents in Edinburgh have been forced to come up with creative solutions to sell properties during lockdown, including to buyers who have never set foot in their new home.
With social distancing guidelines ruling out in-person house viewings, several estate agents operating in the Scottish capital have moved to offer virtual walk-arounds.
These take different forms including live video tours with the seller, pre-recorded videos or 360-degree video tours.
One couple put in an offer that has been accepted on a property in Hillend which they have not visited.
Christopher Bredin, 31, and Katie Thomson, 28, put in an offer three weeks ago with Boyd Property after taking a virtual tour on video with the seller.
They had originally planned to look for a new home after their wedding in the summer, but due to the pandemic their wedding has been cancelled. Ms Thomson, an equine vet, had more time for house-hunting after being furloughed.
“The place just looked great,” she said. “We thought we would hold off until after the lockdown, but we spoke to Boyd and they were really helpful. They advised us to put in an offer now, as right now the competition is low.
“We took a virtual tour – the owner had a phone or an ipad and walked us around pretty thoroughly. The only problem was the wifi connection in the garden, but we managed to get a good view from inside.”
Mr Bredin said: “We got a pretty good idea of it. We couldn’t quite appreciate the size of the rooms, but the floor plan is pretty detailed.”
The couple had also been able to catch a glimpse of their new home from the outside while out on walks. The sale is subject to the sale of the couple’s existing flat and there is the option to pull out of the deal once they have been able to see the property in person.
“All our friends think we’re mad,” Ms Thomson said.
“I am a bit nervous, but I think it will be what we expected. It’s such a god location for us and it seems perfect.”
Kerry Wells, property sales director at Boyd Property, has noted a couple of offers made without in-person viewings.
Eileen Henderson, senior sales consultant at Blackadders LLP, said she had seen two examples of buyers making offers based on virtual house viewings.
One offer was made by an overseas by-to-let investor who did a live video viewing with the seller. Another offer was made subject to a final in-person viewing by a buyer looking to upsize.