Yes, the "First Showing" is Online
When a home buyer decides to look at a home again, agents will call this a “second showing”. Sometimes a third or fourth showing might be needed before a home buyer makes the decision to write up an offer, but it is important for you (Mr./Ms. Home Seller) to understand the new “first showing” concept.
There was a time when real estate agents would ask their clients to describe what they were looking for in a house. Okay, we still ask those questions because we know that everyone isn’t looking for the same exact home to buy. The idea is to get an idea of their style, hot button items or total turn offs. People can typically describe their turn offs without hesitating, but divulging their “likes” to their agent is a challenge. It really isn’t until people see things that they can form a clear picture.
These are the Vienna homes we want to see!
Today’s Home Buyers are totally different because they have already seen most of the houses in the area while sitting in their current home drinking coffee (or tea). Checking out homes online is the new national pastime taking place wherever people can surf the Internet.
Today’s first showing of a house is taking place online, and homes with poor photos suffer and those listings with few or no photos get totally ignored by the majority of the active buyers. So if you are one of today’s home sellers, then know that the buyers who are walking in your door are on their second showing.
My strategy for selling a home in Northern Virginia takes into account what I hear from buyers currently active in the market. If they all were screaming for videos rather than easily skimmed photos then I would probably take videos.
But really, would you sit through a 15 minute video tour? Let me know your thoughts on that…
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About Doug Francis
A few years ago I noticed that real estate sites seem to show the same MLS listings, so I decided to create a distinct real estate blog to share my local insight - if you already live here or are relocating. There are topics based on recent client experiences, buying custom homes, and more learned over the past twenty years. Take a few minutes and read a blog post or two to see if my approach matches your goals. I am a real estate agent with RE/MAX, have lived in Oakton and McLean, and live in Vienna Virginia. My goal is to provide you with intel into today's market, candor, practical advice, ideas to get you moving, some humor, geeky stats, the best coffee shop, some video, and a cool way to search for homes. Helping you understanding the process of making an offer, the sales contract and more will come when we meet. Yes, I live here. It is easy to reach me: 
Interesting posts Doug,really loved this “first & second showing” concept. I would say if I’d to buy a home , preference would be video. Reason for that is of course evident view of that home,it would be a big deal for me to spent 15-20 minutes on watching that video.
Thanks
Doug,
I think you are dead-on. Browsing listing photos has become a national past time. Without good photos, the home’s only hope is someone targetting a neighborhood.
As for photos versus video, I home buyers, I believe, do not have the patiences to start watch a video unless they are interested in the home. The photos grab the interest. I could see a well done video as a great next step to get the buyer to commit the time and effort to see the property. Additionally, the video can highlight aspects of the surrounding area that they buyer’s agent might not be familiar with.
All the Best,
Monica
Preferred Staging
I love this post! it is so interesting. If I were the buyer I would go and see the house that I like. It’s different when you see the real house than seeing the photos or videos.