{"id":17216,"date":"2020-04-21T12:03:47","date_gmt":"2020-04-21T12:03:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/?p=17216"},"modified":"2020-04-21T12:03:47","modified_gmt":"2020-04-21T12:03:47","slug":"quarter-of-consumers-accept-virtual-home-buying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/quarter-of-consumers-accept-virtual-home-buying\/","title":{"rendered":"Quarter of Consumers Accept Virtual Home Buying"},"content":{"rendered":"

Quarter of Consumers Accept Virtual Home Buying<\/h1>\n
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Listing data, detailed photos, and virtual and live-video tours will suffice for a growing number of consumers who are looking to buy a home; they don\u2019t need to physically visit the property before making an offer, according to a new joint survey from realtor.com\u00ae and Toluna Insights.<\/p>\n

Twenty-four percent of 1,300 consumers surveyed say they\u2019d be willing to buy a home without seeing it in person, and 30% would be willing to rent one, the survey shows. Younger demographics appear to be the most comfortable using virtual tools in lieu of physical, in-person showings (29%). Further, 21% say that COVID-19 has made them more likely to move into a home sight unseen in the future.<\/p>\n

The survey follows on the heels of findings this week from the National Association of REALTORS\u00ae that a quarter of REALTORS\u00ae and their clients have put a contract on a home without physically seeing the property<\/a>. \u201cUncertainty around COVID-19 and limitations around social interactions and group gatherings, like open houses, have made buying and selling homes more difficult than ever,\u201d says Nate Johnson, chief marketing officer at realtor.com\u00ae. \u201cAs real estate agents and consumers seek out ways to safely complete these transactions, we believe that technology will become an even more imperative part of how we search for, buy, and sell homes moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, 47% of respondents say they prefer to see a home in person with a buyer\u2019s agent before submitting an offer. But with social distancing guidelines in place, they are willing to adapt: 23% of that group say they prefer to go view the home alone, 13% prefer an online video tour, and 6% prefer their agent to show the home via video chat, the survey finds. Survey respondents indicate the following technology features are most helpful when deciding to buy a new home virtually:<\/p>\n