If life during COVID-19 has taught the world anything, it’s adaptability. And that’s no different for the real estate
industry. Lockdown restrictions in NZ have forced realtors to rethink how they do business and how best to keep matching
buyers with their ideal homes.
Some agencies, such as Total Realty Dunedin, have embraced this concept of adaptability with vigour. As they’ve
re-opened for business, agencies have incorporated increased safety measures to abide both by Government’s regulations
and the mandate to keep clients healthy and safe.
Measures include requiring potential home buyers to complete a Covid-19 Pre-registration form, which enables them to
keep track of the details of both those living in a home that’s for sale, and those wishing to view the property.
They’ve also embraced ‘contactless viewing’, where potential buyers are allowed to enter a property under strict
protocols, including using hand sanitisers and not touching anything on the property.
In cases where a potential buyer would need to touch an item in order to get a better look, the real estate agent will
happily assist. While these practices and protocols are certainly different to the ways in which properties were viewed
and sold before the pandemic, they speak to the willingness of real estate agencies to support their clients and
continue to maintain quality service.
The market has seen other changes in recent months, with online viewings and auctions becoming the norm in many parts of
the world during strict lockdowns. Online viewings offer potential buyers the safety and comfort of taking a virtual
tour through a property using video call options like Zoom, Whatsapp, or Facetime, or viewing photos of the property
before taking the matter further and requesting an in-person view. Similarly, online auctions enable buyers to place
bids on desired properties online, instead of risking physical interactions with other bidders or sellers in a close
environment.
While most realtors have not gone totally digital, as they still offer physical viewings and open houses, and many
auctions still take place on-site, the housing market’s current embracing of technology has and could continue to change
the face of how houses are bought and sold in the future. It remains to be seen whether some of these technological
changes stick around as the threat of the virus passes, or whether we quickly return to the convenience of the old way
of doing things as soon as it’s safe to do so.