My friend told me recently that she purchased a home out of state. I knew they were being very cautious and had not traveled to Florida over the past several months, so I asked, “how did you purchase a home in Florida, if you were here in Chicago?” She shared that they did it all virtually! They had a real estate agent in the area to assist with the showings. By using home listing websites, Zoom, and FaceTime sessions they toured and purchased a second residence. I was shocked. With ease, how they conducted their search and made such a big purchase decision. I wonder, is this going to be the new normal? I have made 50 virtual purchases on Amazon this year, from food and groceries, to clothing to home décor, items which I have never seen in person. Do I justify the ease in the purchase because the value is not a high-stake investment?
I propose this question, would you purchase a home without stepping foot inside? The investment alone makes me wonder if going through the entire sales process without ever viewing the property in person is something I would feel comfortable with. Nonetheless, more and more, my connections with other builders across the country are sharing that they are in fact are selling homes virtually, many times without the buyer ever being physically present. The more I write and dissect this topic, I think about Sublime’s business. We are a custom home builder. While Sublime Homes does have past completed homes and under construction homes that prospective shoppers can view; often, our clients are building a home unique to them, many times without physically walking the floorplan.
For years, Sublime Homes has worked to stay ahead when it comes to using technology to view and build homes. Earlier in 2020, we launched an updated website, that allowed for a better desktop and mobile experience. Our team made sure that in addition to adding a beautiful portfolio of images, interior, and exterior, that the use of video and 360 degree virtual tours of our homes was also present. Maybe it is that easy, maybe you can buy a home online without stepping into the home beforehand. Through our online home listings on real estate sites and with digital tools, Sublime Homes has made it easy for you to shop and research your new home without ever leaving your couch.
Should you decide that your sweatpants need a break and your jeans are ready for an in person visit or you’re just not ready to give up the best seat on the couch and a virtual meeting is in the cards, myself and our team are excited to help you shop, plan and design your dream home in whatever manor suits you best.