...not to mention for agents! I had my flat open for previews with selected agents last week. The first two agents who came to visit took videos to send to their interested clients; one set of clients subsequently discounted the flat as they wanted something with more bedrooms, and the other has made an appointment for an visit in person.
I think, and I´m sure all parties concerned will agree with me, whether, seller, buyer or intermediary, that this first viewing, done virtually, is much more efficient and I for one hope it continues after the threat of Covid-19 recedes. Of course in recent years virtual tours / 3-d pictures and videos have been used more and more, but for some reason most of us chose not to use them, preferring to go and visit a property even if we knew it wasn't really what we wanted (me included) and often the virtual tours online left something to be desired.
How does it work?
An agent can do a Facetime call from the property to show it to the agent, ´live´, virtually walking the client around the property, into each room and discussing each feature while they do it. Or alternatively the agent will simply make a video and send it to the client; whether a personalised video for each client, pointing out things the agent knows that particular buyer is interested in, or a more generic one that the agent can use for all their clients who might be interested.
It is far more time efficient for everyone involved and the seller, if they live in the property only has to receive buyers once they have shown they have real interest.
It also means buyer who live outside of Madrid can start looking at properties to buy, even if they are not yet here in person with travel restrictions still in place.
It also means time isn´t wasted showing properties people who, it turns out are looking for something completely different; (more bedrooms, something cheaper, something with a lift, etc). I've lost count of the times, as both a seller and as an agent, I´ve shown a property only to be told by the potential buyer the property does not fulfil their requirements due to x, y or z, which they knew before seeing the property but want to see it anyway, just in case, before taking it off the list. (and as I above I am among the guilty).
I´m actually a complete convert to virtual appointments, having saved so much time in confinement doing various online meetings including, in one day, 22 parent/teacher meetings, with not one being late or over running, and several (non-urgent) pediatrician appoibntments from my desk!
And of course, showing a property virtually, thereby reducing human contact, is of course preferable coming out of confinement in Madrid and with the threat of infection still a concern - but even once we are past that, I think we will see a lot more buyers choosing to do a virtual tour first before committing to seeing a property in person, only seeing homes they are really seriously considering buying.