How Are Real Estate Agents Adapting To The COVID-19 Pandemic?

In a matter of months, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken ahold of the globe. Most of the population remain inside their homes with limited activity and contact. The major sectors of society have to keep moving—but with caution. Until a vaccine is developed, everyone will need to follow the new normal standards.

 

The real estate industry has been significantly affected since the health crisis emerged. Because of limited operations and work restrictions, real estate professionals had to change their career lifestyle and approach. As one of the aces of the real estate industry, real estate agents have adapted seamlessly into the changes that COVID-19 brought.

 

In this article, you’ll find out how real estate agents are faring during the pandemic:

Health And Safety First!

Despite the importance of financial stability during these trying times, real estate agents prioritize their health and safety first. Essentially, agents are observing what everyone should be following, which are preventative COVID-19 protocols.

 

As illustrated by this survey, 26% of real estate agents protect themselves by working at home, 24% in keeping their hands clean at all times, and 18% by filtering infected individuals from attending meetings and touring listings. Since they have to keep working on the new normal setting, they need to exercise more caution when dealing with clients and other real estate professionals.

 

Aside from their physical health, ensuring their mental health is just as important. The real estate industry is fast-paced and constantly changing, and many agents can feel lost along the way. Adding up to the pile, the impact of COVID-19 in the industry is also affecting them. Real estate team leaders can help by trying to motivate real estate agents to boost performance.

Switching to Immersive 3D Tours

Since the pandemic’s onset, real estate activities have dropped down, but they can’t limit operations for too long. 3D and VR tours are becoming more popular options to showcase properties to buyers and sellers. Listings typically include only the property’s photos and description, but more vivid videos can help close deals faster.

 

Real estate agents use online marketing tools and online video editors like InVideo to create detailed real estate videos like property listing videos, buyers and sellers guide videos, open house videos, just sold videos, etc, and send them to their clients. Additionally, some are stepping up their game by hiring professional photographers for 360-degree home tours, supplemented with panoramic photos and detailed floor plans. If customers are still struggling with this type of technology, they can switch to easier options such as video chat apps.

Organizing Virtual Open Houses 

3D property tours only bridge the gap between an agent and an individual client. Without the pandemic, sellers coordinate with agents to organize open houses to market their property. Unfortunately, open houses are discouraged today, but real estate agents can host virtual open houses and remote showings instead.

 

It’s very simple to organize virtual open houses. Almost the same as open houses, real estate agents hold an online meeting via video communication platforms and invite prospective home buyers and investors. Another method is a static open house, where agents pre-record themselves touring the property and then answer client questions through chat.

Whichever method they utilize, they should always hold the same standards and quality as a real-life open house.

Participating in Real Estate Webinars

Aside from serving clients, an excellent way that real estate agents maximize their digital transition is through boosting their network and career opportunities online. If they can’t join seminars physically, webinars got them covered.

 

During these online conferences, real estate agents take the chance to showcase their knowledge and expertise in the industry, and some delve deeper into their niches. Also, webinars are the perfect avenue for top agents to share their experiences with new agents. Additionally, agents take advantage of webinars to attract real estate investors, particularly those who want to improve their real estate investing strategies.

Going Down The Blogging Lane

Shifting to digital activities means utilizing the available resources and knowledge online. Blogging is an effective strategy in content marketing that many businesses benefit from. Real estate agents aren’t behind in terms of online content promotion.

 

In fact, many agents these days are starting to build and improve their real estate blogs to showcase their knowledge and skills to an audience wider than a webinar’s. Writing about living and investing in a city or neighborhood can also improve lead generation and closing more negotiations. While writing blogs can be a piece of cake, agents should know and use the right keywords. Consistent blog updates are also advantageous for attracting more clients and investors.

Takeaways

Although the COVID-19 pandemic wounded the real estate industry and economy, agents proved that they’re stronger than ever. Rather than shackling themselves to the negativity brought by this health crisis, they smoothly adapted to new technologies and strategies to strengthen their career, find more opportunities, and build a better outlook for the real estate industry.