Will people continue to buy homes sight unseen in a post-pandemic world?
At Inman Connect, realtors Cara Ameer and Gary Gold weighed in on whether they think virtual tours will continue to be enough for homebuyers. Weve 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. 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 werent 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 isnt 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 whats across the street, whats 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 theyll be to purchase sight unseen. Gold on the other hand doesnt see the trend sticking. I think its a great additional tool, he said. But if people have the ability to tour a home in person, he continued, theyre 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 isnt as scarce, Gold believes there wont be as big of a need to opt for just virtual. Email Libertina Brandt