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Physical valuations fall victim to Covid as 98% of vendors ask to go virtual

Research by Zoopla reveals how safety concerns have persuaded vendors to request valuations are done off-site or via a video call.

Nigel Lewis

valuations

Nearly all vendors say they would prefer agents value their properties remotely instead of during a physical site visit with only 2% saying they would be happy to meet and greet in person, it has been revealed.

This extraordinary shift in consumer behaviour following the arrival of the Coronavirus pandemic, has been uncovered by Zoopla within research among consumers and agents.

It found an extraordinary increase in demand for virtual valuations, with the number of digital valuations rising by 90.5% last month compared t April.

The data highlights how, as the pandemic grinds on, vendors are increasingly keen that only the most essential parts of the sales process are completed online – with only viewings being seen as necessary.

Virtual option

Part of the reason for the increase in virtual valuations has been Zoopla’s decision to change how prospective vendors and agents communicate via its Adreach Express platform.

Now, rather than just asking to organise a physical appointment, vendors can also request either a virtual valuation and/or a video call with an agent.

Link to Data Technology feature“After a 50 day market suspension, our agent partners have told us loud and clear that they want to plough forth and rebuild their businesses, said Andy Marshall, the portals’ Chief Commercial Officer.

“Central to this is replenishing stock pipelines, without posing a risk to their own health, their team’s health, or that of their vendors.

“We hope that this provides a platform from which agents can drive engagement with new customers – who might otherwise have been deterred to proceed with a sale while social distancing guidelines are still in place.”

Read more about how Coronavirus is changing the property market.

June 4, 2020

One comment

  1. I have never read such a load of old tripe. Do you really believe a seller would be happy for their house to be valued without a physical inspection of the home by the agent. People are generally very proud of their homes and want to show it off to the agent and know the agent is the right person for them when selling their most personal and valuable asset. I’m sure ZPL would love to push their idea forward but this is purely marketing hype, the reality is you will never replace a face to face valuation.
    We have come across this now several times since the return to business and vendors are not happy when they have been told by the agent they can only give them a virtual valuation, this has already won us several instructions so long may our competitors think this is the way forward.

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