At Inman Connect, Realtors Cara Ameer and Gary Gold weighed in on whether they think virtual tours will continue to be enough for homebuyers.

We’ve got a full slate of digital and in-real-life events coming up for the best community in real estate. Join us in person in October at Inman Connect Las Vegas and Luxury Connect, and stay in touch virtually with the virtual event bundle. Save the dates, and register now!

As a result of the pandemic, buying homes sight unseen became a fairly common occurrence.

But with life returning back to normal, will only virtual tours continue to be enough?

During an Inman Connect session Thursday entitled, “Is Buying Sight Unseen Here to Stay,” Realtors Cara Ameer and Gary Gold went head to head on the topic. 

“I think the pandemic forced a lot of changes not only in our personal lives, but in how business is done,” Ameer said during the discussion. “If it weren’t for being able to buy sight unseen, our industry would have stopped.”

While the country continues to move toward a post-pandemic reality, Ameer believes the trend is here to stay, pointing to the convenience it offers to all parties involved: the buyers, the sellers and the agents.

Now, when Ameer says virtual tours, she isn’t referring to turning on a camera and doing a quick walk through a property.

“You need to be able to show the bumps and the bruises of the house. You need to be able to show them what’s across the street, what’s on either side of the home. Is there anything unsightly that they should know about?” she said.

The more you can get the buyer confident, Ameer continued, the more inclined they’ll be to purchase sight unseen.

Gold on the other hand doesn’t see the trend sticking.

“I think it’s a great additional tool,” he said.

But if people have the ability to tour a home in person, he continued, they’re going to do it.

In addition to the pandemic restrictions that have prevented people from taking physical tours, the housing shortage has forced them to pull the trigger quickly.

Once demand levels out and inventory isn’t as scarce, Gold believes there won’t be as big of a need to opt for just virtual.

Email Libertina Brandt

realtors
Show Comments Hide Comments
Sign up for Inman’s Morning Headlines
What you need to know to start your day with all the latest industry developments
By submitting your email address, you agree to receive marketing emails from Inman.
Success!
Thank you for subscribing to Morning Headlines.
Back to top
Only 3 days left to register for Inman Connect Las Vegas before prices go up! Don't miss the premier event for real estate pros.Register Now ×
Limited Time Offer: Get 1 year of Inman Select for $199SUBSCRIBE×
Log in
If you created your account with Google or Facebook
Don't have an account?
Forgot your password?
No Problem

Simply enter the email address you used to create your account and click "Reset Password". You will receive additional instructions via email.

Forgot your username? If so please contact customer support at (510) 658-9252

Password Reset Confirmation

Password Reset Instructions have been sent to

Subscribe to The Weekender
Get the week's leading headlines delivered straight to your inbox.
Top headlines from around the real estate industry. Breaking news as it happens.
15 stories covering tech, special reports, video and opinion.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
It looks like you’re already a Select Member!
To subscribe to exclusive newsletters, visit your email preferences in the account settings.
Up-to-the-minute news and interviews in your inbox, ticket discounts for Inman events and more
1-Step CheckoutPay with a credit card
By continuing, you agree to Inman’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

You will be charged . Your subscription will automatically renew for on . For more details on our payment terms and how to cancel, click here.

Interested in a group subscription?
Finish setting up your subscription
×