How to view property?
How can I view properties for sale during Coronavirus?
You’re staying home and staying safe, but that doesn’t mean your property search needs to be put on hold.
In line with Government guidance surrounding isolation, viewings of properties in person cannot be conducted at present. However, online viewing activity is starting to surge as the property portals (such as Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket for example) are seeing the millions of stay-at-home workers making use of the extra time at their disposal, to browse and look at homes.
We may be all housebound right now, but the appetite for moving home certainly doesn’t appear to have tapered off.
Worried about missing out on a property? Great news – you can still make a provisional offer, subject to viewing the property in person when it is possible to.
Please note: At the time of publishing this information was correct. You can keep up to date with any changes to the property market, by reading the Government guidelines, which are continually being updated.
The wonders of technology… and you don’t need to be tech savvy!
Virtual viewing technology has made it easier for potential property hunters to be given wow-factor realistic “walk through” tours of the homes that are advertised.
You don’t need to be a whizz at technology, have a fancy computer, or even a camera. A simple click and the virtual tour will appear on screen, where you can control where you go and what you would like to see in that particular home. Don’t worry, this isn’t a two-way thing, no one can see you.
Virtual viewings offer a great opportunity for you to still tour prospective properties whilst in isolation during Coronavirus, and also help you to whittle down your options for when the distancing restrictions are lifted.
How to find virtual viewings on Rightmove
The good news is the number of listings with virtual tours on Rightmove has quadrupled in recent weeks. In fact, did you know that property listings that have a virtual tour receive an average of 40% more views? No doubt one day soon every property listing offering a virtual tour option will become the norm – it’s an easier way of viewing and you don’t need to leave the comfort of your sofa!
Here are the simple steps to follow
Firstly, you enter the location in the search box on the Rightmove homepage of where (which location or postcode area) you would like to look at properties.
Then you further refine your criteria by type of property and price, then click ‘find properties’. This is the normal search process and it hasn’t changed.
When the listings appear, this is where you can identify which ones are offering a virtual tour. There are several things to look out for:
- Online Viewing Label
- Virtual Tour Button
- Virtual Tour Feature Box
- Description text mentions
Online Viewing Label
This is the yellow label circled in red. Currently, the ‘online viewing’ label is only visible on the Rightmove website, but they are planning to add it to the Rightmove app soon. However, virtual and video tours are viewable, where available, via the apps.
Virtual Tour Button
What is a Live Video Viewing?
The key word here is the word ‘Live’. This means, that the seller of the property is happy to show you around their home via a live video. So, it’s like having a live video call.
If you have an iPhone, this can be done with Facetime, or WhatsApp, Zoom or any online video facility if you have a particular preference on any device. Have you used Skype before?
The bonus with video viewings is that you have the opportunity to see the seller and ask them more personal questions about the house and area. Such as what do they love most about their home, or what are the neighbours like? You can choose to turn off the video of you, if you’re uncomfortable being seen on camera, whilst still being able to speak and listen.
The virtual tour button appears in the top left corner of the individual property listing. It is represented by a play button within a box.