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You are here: Home / Blog / A New Way to Shop for Homes in a Virtual World

A New Way to Shop for Homes in a Virtual World

December 3, 2020 by John Sibley

A New Way to Shop for Homes in a Virtual World | Simplifying The Market

In a year when we’re learning to do so much remotely, homebuying is no exception. From going to work to attending school, grocery shopping, and even seeing our doctors online, digital practices have changed the way we live.

This year, rather than delaying their home purchases, buyers – alongside their trusted real estate professionals – turned to the Internet to do more than just a typical home search. In some cases, they bought homes without even stepping foot inside. Jessica Lautz, Vice President of Demographics and Behavioral Insights at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), says:

“People really didn’t buy houses sight-unseen, traditionally. It’s still not a huge number, but it has gone up, and we have definitely seen that trend accelerate.”

According to NAR, throughout the coronavirus pandemic, one in every 20 homebuyers purchased a house sight-unseen.

How Your Real Estate Agent Will Pave the Way

Today, real estate professionals are using digital practices to help homebuyers and sellers walk through many steps in the process virtually. While following the regulations set forth by the CDC and all local guidelines, this year, agents quickly empowered buyers and sellers with virtual tours, 3D floor plans, high-quality photos, videos, online open houses, and more. For those who had homebuying and selling needs in 2020, trusted advisors made it possible in many markets.

Here’s a graph showing some of the digital options buyers found most helpful in their searches this year, as noted by NAR in the 2020 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers:A New Way to Shop for Homes in a Virtual World | Simplifying The MarketThe report also mentions that buyers this year generally searched for eight weeks. Throughout that search, they viewed a median of 9 homes, but not all of them were seen in-person. Yahoo Finance notes:

“Buyers viewed five homes online and four homes in-person during the pandemic, compared to nine homes in-person in 2019, according to NAR. This was the first year NAR asked buyers to specify the number of homes toured virtually.”

In true 2020 fashion, virtual practices helped buyers safely narrow down their top choices, so they didn’t have to unnecessarily walk into more homes than they needed to see throughout the process. Here’s the breakdown by region:A New Way to Shop for Homes in a Virtual World | Simplifying The MarketAt a time when health and safety are top priorities, current technology is making it possible for buyers and sellers to move their real estate plans forward at their own comfort levels, even through a worldwide pandemic. For many, this means buyers no longer have to physically tour every home they want to see, and sellers don’t need to open their doors over and over again throughout the process. Safety can come first, and trusted real estate professionals are here to help.

Bottom Line

If you’re ready to make a move, you may not have to press pause on your plans this season. Let’s connect to determine the safe and effective options to buy or sell a home in our area or wherever you’re looking to move.

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Filed Under: Blog, Buying Myths, For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Selling Myths

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WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

John Sibley came highly recommended by a neighbor and he sold our house not only once but twice! A pipe burst upstairs and flooded the house and the first sale was cancelled. We were out of town and John and his staff handled everything from informing us of the problem to working with the adjusters giving them access to the house. When we got back in town just three days later, the damage was already cleaned up and we were ready to begin the repairs!

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Marilyn, Slidell, LA
 

We were very happy with the service provided. As first time home buyers, we were initially anxious, however, John and the rest of the group helped us understand the home buying process and what to expect. They made sure we were well prepared by the closing and that our interests were top priority.

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Jimmy, New Orleans, LA
 

John was great to work with. He provided good sound advice relative to marketing our home. He kept me informed through every step of the process from the initial listing to the closing. It was a great experience and I recommend the Sibley Group to anyone interested in purchasing or selling real estate property.

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Richard, Madisonville, LA
 

John Sibley and Lana Sibley Leonard were very instrumental in marketing my home both personably and professionally. Their drive and incentive made it possible for my home to sell in a quick, timely manner.

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Christina, Slidell, LA
 

Everyone throughout the process was extremely helpful. Dianna spent a lot of time, including late hours helping us find the right house.

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Chris, Slidell, LA
 

John & company were always negotiating on my behalf and won the battle such as letting me have an Estate Sale w/o charging me rent for one week and then the new owner moved in. The Sibley Realty Group was always professional in every way.

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Anonymous, Slidell, LA
 

Sibley's group is the best we've used.

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Cathy & Will, Slidell, LA
 

John and the Sibley Realty Group had a great command of the market prices and an excellent marketing strategy to get new groups of people to look at our property. By using new technology to market to different buyers and target new groups of potential buyers the Sibley Realty Group met our goal of selling within 3 months. The entire office helped make the transition smooth and Lauren is very helpful making sure everyone is on the same page as you go through the closing process. It is good t(...)

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Kevin, New Orleans, LA
 

Sibley Group delivered as promised.

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Stan, New Orleans, LA
 

We are extremely grateful to have found Sibley Realty group. Initially I had called other realtors who were not so responsive since we did not live in the area. Jordan contacted me back right away and made us feel at ease with our first home purchase. We lived 7 hours away from where we were buying and Jordan was very accomendating to our schedule of only being able to make it down on the weekends. The whole office are a bunch of true professionals that we owe more gratitiude to then we can(...)

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Troy, Slidell, LA
 

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About Us

The Sibley Group has a team of Realtors to meet all of your real estate needs throughout the New Orleans Metropolitan area. We have agents that specialize on the Northshore and Southshore, including New Orleans, Slidell, Metairie, Covington, Mandeville, Pearl River, and Lacombe.


Trust a real estate team with a long-standing tradition of service, expertise, and professionalism in the local area.


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The Sibley Group
Keller Williams Realty 455-0100

3197 Richland Ave, Metairie, LA 70002

Northshore: 985.326.9755
Southshore: 504.571.9755
Broker: 504.455.0100

From Our Blog

Should I Wait for Lower Mortgage Interest Rates?

Historically low mortgage rates are a big motivator for homebuyers right now. In 2020 alone, rates … [Read More]

How to Make the Dream of Homeownership a Reality This Year

In 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired a powerful movement with his famous “I Have a Dream” … [Read More]

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