Demand for video tours skyrockets amidst the COVID-19 pandemic
Real estate technology company BrightDoor has launched HomeRover, a new mobile app that addresses the growing demand for remote video home tours during the coronavirus crisis.
HomeRover connects agents and prospective buyers or sellers through a remote, real-time video home tour. BrightDoor CEO Michael Worthington said they began developing the app in 2019 when agents and buyers started using technology to screen options faster.
“We really felt there was an opportunity to create a consumer-friendly app that mirrors as closely as possible what it’s like to participate in an in-person tour," Worthington said. "And it doesn’t matter if the two parties are 10,000 miles apart or just 10 blocks apart.”
The app enables agents and customers with a smartphone device to quickly pick a home, schedule a tour, collaborate on a pre-tour checklist, and then perform the live video tour. Agents and house hunters can also tag any US property to request or host a live video tour via HomeRover.
A recent Redfin report found that the pandemic led to a 494% surge in requests for agent-led video home tours as prospective buyers tried a zero-contact touring approach.
“We recognize the current global health crisis is having an enormous impact on residential real estate. In some jurisdictions, for example, real estate is considered an ‘essential business,’ while in others, it isn’t,” Worthington said. “Ultimately, though, whether they’re able to use HomeRover for the first time today or months from now, we hope agents find it a timely and uber-affordable tool to keep real estate sales moving forward."
HomeRover is currently available for free in the Apple App Store, and soon to be released in Google Play Store. The app will launch in the Raleigh/Durham, Charlotte, Atlanta, and Nashville markets soon.
