Six pros and cons of virtual home tours

A real estate agent conducting a virtual tour of a house with a client over Facetime in Washington, DC. Private showings and open houses, until recently the bread and butter of a realtor's sales strategy, are increasingly, and by necessity, being replaced with high-tech, 3D walk-about virtual tours. — AFP

LOS ANGELES: Covid-19 has caused a tectonic shift in the way the US real estate industry operates, with the most significant changes largely a result of shelter-in-place orders enacted in many states and localities.

Private showings and open houses, until recently the bread and butter of a realtor's sales strategy, are increasingly, and by necessity, being replaced with high-tech, 3D walk-about virtual tours. Once seen as a snazzy bonus used to entice buyers to attend an open house or book a private showing, virtual tours have nowadays become indispensable.