At the outbreak of the pandemic in early 2020, Shelter-In-Place orders were issued that altered the process of selling a home. The orders have continued to change over time, but for the foreseeable future our home-selling process is expected to remain dramatically different from what it was pre-pandemic.
The Virtual Effect
Public open houses have been banned since the first order, replaced largely by virtual tours and, more recently, virtual open houses. In-person showings must be pre-scheduled to allow for preparing each property to meet strict physical distancing and disinfecting protocols.
There’s no turning back now—virtual marketing is here to stay.
These changes have only accelerated a trend that began in the mid-nineties with the release of the first mass-market Internet browser. Two years after the browser Netscape was released in 1994, the number of people using the web soared from 16 million to 70. Since then, the dominance of what’s comprehensively known as “digital marketing” has grown by leaps and bounds.
Just ten years ago, for example, video marketing was an expensive, pie-in-the-sky luxury. Now, it’s become a staple—a must-have tool to help attract audiences, explain products, and support customers. Today, 92% of marketers who use video say that it’s an important part of their marketing strategy—the highest percentage of any year since 2015, according to a recent survey by Wyzowl.
Mobile Home Searches
By 2019, over 80% of homebuyers had found their home on a mobile device, according to real estate data in the National Association of Realtors® Real Estate in a Digital Age 2019 Report. This means that even before the outbreak of COVID-19, more than three-quarters of real estate properties for sale were first found on a mobile device. With millennials now the largest cohort of homebuyers, the growth of this trend is all but assured.
As homebuyers become more familiar and comfortable with the virtual process, it will gradually become the norm, forcing real estate agents to adapt or perish. Selling a home today without a multi-platform digital strategy is bound to yield a lesser amount of offers and possibly a lower price.
How We’re Prepared For The Future
Way before the pandemic, Julie and our team had detected this growing shift toward digital marketing. So, we developed a comprehensive, state-of-the-art digital marketing strategy that guarantees sellers maximum exposure. Our digital reach includes social media and online platforms, messaging apps, public-facing websites like Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com, agent-specific groups like the MLS, Top Agent Network (TAN), VLS Homes, and private online networks exclusive to our brokerage firm.
With print rapidly being replaced by digital and virtual media, we’ve also teamed up with a first-rate photographer whose professional and artistic eye captures the distinct essence and features of a property in stunning, high-resolution images. Likewise, our firm offers sellers cutting-edge video tools and 3-D virtual tour technology to make their homes seen from every angle and in the best possible light.
However dominant digital marketing has become, sellers still seek a personal connection, authenticity, and honest dealings. This is something that hasn’t changed and will never change for Julie and our team. For us, relationships still matter. Integrity matters. Values matter. It’s what’s kept us thriving for two decades. Combining the latest digital technology with our classic values ensures that both our clients’ financial interests and personal needs are met by one of the most reputable agents in the nation.
Can We Help?
With housing inventory expected to rise as regulations relax over time, interested sellers should consider this current lack of competition as a favorable time for putting their property on the market.
Let our digital marketing prowess, solid reputation, and experience help you seize the moment. Call Julie at 650.799.8888 or Julie@JulieTsaiLaw.com to schedule a free consultation.
