Using Tech to Show Houses in Coronavirus Times — Compass Rolls Out Innovative New Virtual Agent Services Tools

As the world shifts seemingly hourly with new coronavirus pandemic developments, one real estate company is unveiling an array of new virtual offerings that put showing a home still very much in play. Compass rolled out a Virtual Agents Services (VAS) program Friday that capitalizes on the forward-thinking firm’s commitment to investing in and utilizing the latest technology.

Now Compass realtors can use tools such as interactive listings, live video postcards, virtual reality home tours, 3D house staging, real-time interactive virtual showings and virtual neighborhood walks to put potential homebuyers in a home without anyone having to leave their home.

This is not like clicking through a photo gallery or watching some one-size-fits-all standard video tour of a house. This is as close as you can get to actually being there in the house with an agent. All while observing social distancing rules.

“Our agents are used to being very communicative with their clients,” regional marketing director Sabrina Evans tells PaperCity. “That one-on-one relationship is crucial and these tools allow that to continue virtually.”

Live interaction drives these new Virtual Agent Services. In the interactive virtual showings, Compass agents can take a client through a house room-by-room and stop to point out features that are particularly important to that specific potential homebuyer. They can linger in that showcase bathroom or stunning mega closet, taking as much time to look around as they need.

You will not be physically there to open a drawer, but you can ask the Compass agent who is to do it for you and watch it happen.

C0mpass has been developing some of these features for a while. It’s always been a cutting edge real estate company. The current coronavirus realities just make these virtual capabilities — valuable at any time — even more essential in the moment.

With that in mind, the company is holding its first C0mpass Catalyst Conference online next week. The Catalyst Conference will educate agents on all the new virtual services through a series of collaborative Livestream workshops designed by the Houston Compass team. The Virtual Agent Services are launching first in Houston due to the team’s commitment and work on the VAS project.

Not all cool new tech comes out of Austin. This Houston-shaped system will be valuable to Compass realtors in all markets.

Just because you can’t be there with your clients in the same house doesn’t mean you still can’t be there for your clients.

Compass agents will be able to Facebook Live things like cooking demonstrations inside a house they have listed to still show off the home in fun ways to clients. “People are looking for that type of programming more than ever,” Evans says. “And we want to be able to show homes being used in creative ways. It can show a different perspective of the house.”

Even in real estate, content can be king. As long as it allows agents to connect personally with clients.

“VAS allows agents to maximize their best asset which is their ability to connect on a personal level,” Evans says. “VAS allows them to stay connected to their existing SOI (sphere of influence) while building what we like to call at Compass their SSOI (social sphere of influence).”

Real Estate During Coronavirus

Looking for a new home may seem a little daunting with the coronavirus developments changing our daily lives for the time being (though, it also may drive home the need to have a house you enjoy spending time in). Things like Compass’ virtual neighborhood walks — where a videographer goes out and actually walks the neighborhood, filming it — can make the process seem more normal again.

It is possible to feel like you’ve been there without actually leaving your own house.

In some ways, the virtual tools allow a home showing to be even more personal. With the 3D house staging, Compass agents can stage a home differently for each specific client’s needs and wants without anyone having to physically move any furniture.

Welcome to the new world of real estate?

For Compass, it’s the same world it always tries t0 create — a real one-on-one relationship. Just more virtually.

Tech tools matter more than ever in real estate now. People still need to buy and sell homes. There are just different ways to make the process personal now.