How To Do A Virtual Showing With The Corona Virus

Limiting contact is key but don't let that slow listings, showing and offers down!
Flat Fee MLS Virtual Showings & Flat Fee MLS Virtual Tours are the key & easy to do!
 

There are 2 things you need to do in my view:

1. Virtual Showings:  This is where you do a live video with the buyer's agent, buyer and anyone else
2. Virtual Tours:  You make a video or hire it out to be created then send the link for us to post in the mls.

How To Do A Flat Fee MLS Virtual Showing: 

1. People have different phone types.   iPhones or Androids. Some use Face time, some use Google Duo. We need to use something that works for both.  Zoom is in my view a great app! It allows us to do "Group Meetings" regardless of phone type. 
2. Go to the app store on your phone and download Zoom. 
3. Once you confirm via email your free Zoom membership you're good!
4. You're either going to "Host" or begin a meeting or you will "Join" a meeting. (Typically, a Realtor / the buyer's agent will "Host" or begin the meeting then they invite you.
5. If you "Host" a meeting you'll need to create a free account.  If you will be simply "Joining" a meeting then you do not need to create an account. (You should join in case you wish to host a meeting).
6. If you "Host" a meeting you simply login and click "New Meeting". Once done just start meeting (you do not need to select the "Use Personal Meeting ID", leave that unchecked.
7. After you "Start Meeting" on the bottom of your screen click "Participants" then "Invite" then you can invite whomsoever you wish via email, text or contacts.  I think it is easiest to text or "Send Message".
8. If you are only JOINING A MEETING then you will receive a text or email. Simply click the link to join the meeting.

Remember, you're either hosting a meeting or joining a meeting. Fuss around in the app, you can mute it, change the background to an image so your face is not there, other things play with and get to know it.

Virtual Tours:  There are 2 types
1. Branded: Branded virtual tours include your information or our company info. They are not allowed on the mls. Remember, the mls is for Realtors so they do not want to promote seller info. This is why we cannot include any contact info (or advertising from say YouTube).
2.  Un-Branded:  The MLS allows ONLY unbranded tours. This means that the virtual tour cannot contain ANY phone / email or other contact / advertising information.  It must be unbranded (no contact information) or they will not allow it.  These "Unbranded Virtual Tours" are the regular, old style where you hire a company to come out and do it for a fee.  Google "real estate virtual tours" there are tons of companies out there that do them for a small fee.
3. A Word on Zillow:  When a home is listed in the mls it datafeeds over to zillow. If we add your virtual tour in the mls it should feed over to zillow. 

You can either create your own flat fee mls virtual tour or you can have it done from a number of places for a fee.  Just google virtual tours.  If you have it done professionally, when it's done send us the link to post it in the mls BUT ALSO GET A COPY OF IT  and get it to us via Dropbox or another method. This way we can post it in other sites aside from the mls.

If you do your own flat fee mls virtual tour make sure it is Un-Branded.

How To create your own Flat Fee MLS Virtual Tour

1. First we need to create the video. This can easily be done from your phone by choosing the Photo app then scroll to do a video as opposed to a photo.
2. Practice your videos like anything else. It may take several tries but make sure your yard is clean as is your home, lights on, shades open, just like a showing, super clean and ready!
3. As you walk around narrate your home. Start in the front yard with the front exterior.   Move around the yard if you wish or do the walk through inside.  Keep it short and business like describing the features of your home. Remember, all business.
4. After you created your video you will need to get the video / virtual tour to your computer (then us). Usually this will be a LARGE file, too large to simply email so you'll need to use another method. 
5. If you have an iPhone you use the app. "airdrop". (This should be installed on your phone).  If you have an Android you can use Drop Box.  If you don't have an account you'll need to create one, it should be free.  There are other methods but the idea is to get your video from your phone to your computer. (If you're experienced you can upload it from your phone direct.
6. Simply "Share" the flat fee mls virtual tour with us then we'll take it from there​.

I hope this helps during this time of adjustment.
Jeff Kermath
Kermath Realty LLC
broker / owner