How to Conduct a Virtual Home Tour

Written by: Rita Magallona

Safe distancing is the new norm during a global pandemic like COVID-19. In places with lockdowns or quarantines, this means that home seekers can no longer see the property in person.

But you don’t have to give up entirely on your goal of selling property in Singapore. A variety of apps now allow millions to work remotely and study online. Why not leverage the same technology to offer a virtual home tour for prospective real estate buyers?

Normally, your property agent can conduct a pre-recorded or live video viewing of your home for you. But if public health measures prevent this, you can just as easily give a remote tour yourself with these handy tips.

When is the best time to shoot the video tour?

Ideally, shoot your video during what professional photographers call the “golden hour.” Soft lighting makes places and objects look their best. You can get soft lighting naturally by shooting near an open window an hour after sunrise or an hour before sunset.

If this is not possible, grab several lamps and place them strategically around the room. The more sources of illumination, the better your house will appear.

What to avoid: Overhead lighting that casts a lot of harsh shadows. Remember that a single light source is usually unflattering in videos.

How can you save time with a video viewing?

A video tour allows you to attract buyers who are seriously interested in your property. Once they see your remote real estate tour, buyers can decide if your house is a good fit for their needs. This means you won’t need to deal with people who are just looking at houses on a whim.

Plus, when buyers contact you after a virtual house tour, they already have specific enquiries that you can easily answer. It’s a win-win situation!

What to avoid: Not answering enquiries promptly. While it may not be possible to reply immediately, try to check for messages at least twice or thrice a day.

How can you prepare for a real estate video viewing?

1. Deep clean and stage your home as if you were expecting buyers to visit in person.
2. Think of all the possible questions that a prospective buyer may ask about your home and neighbourhood. Write down your answer to these, making sure that they are truthful and clear.
3. If you are pre-recording the video tour, put your smartphone on airplane or “Do not disturb” mode. You don’t want a notification to ruin your video!

What to avoid: Having family members or pets come into view, which may be distracting. Inform the other occupants of your house about the video viewing ahead of time.

How should you tour your home?

1. Start outside your front door or gate. Take a wide shot of the street and adjacent buildings, then show the exterior of your home or building. If you do not want to show your unit or house number, just cover it up.
2. Cover all the floors, from the first to the second, then conclude at the backyard. As you enter each room, slowly pan up and down, then side to side to show everything in it.
3. Make sure you include any outdoor areas and accessibility features like stairs or elevators. If you live in a building, you may need the management’s permission before shooting a video of common facilities.

What to avoid: Using portrait (vertical) mode while shooting the video. Instead, set your phone on landscape (horizontal) mode so that your video will look better on larger screens.

What else should you remember while shooting your video tour?

1. Describe everything as you walk, including dimensions, fixtures, and building materials. Help the viewer imagine that they are also there and walking with you.
2. Emphasize the special features of the house and neighbourhood that may appeal to the prospective buyer. What is your community like?
3. If you get a call from a prospective buyer, you can offer to do a live video tour then and there if they seem interested. Just make sure you and your house are ready for the viewing.

What to avoid: Oversharing personal details or awkward memories about the house. You want them to imagine living in your house, so focus on the positive.

Not only do remote house tours help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, it also allows you to save time and effort. These tips also work if you prefer to DIY your property sale process.

Download the Ohmyhome app from the Play Store or App Store. Its chat feature provides a secure channel to communicate with verified buyers. Plus, you can use the app’s financial calculators to compute your estimated sale proceeds.

If you’re seeking professional advice on selling your property, check out our HDB Seller Agent Service.

Call 6886 9009 today.