The government announcement about re-starting the property market in England has seen the reopening of marketing suites, show homes and estate agencies, but virtual viewings and interactive tours are here to stay and increasingly expected by house-hunters.
Here’s a look at some of the latest tech-based property tours.
Bluebell Meadows, Fulwood, Lancashire
Anwyl Homes is offering “Access All Areas” remotely with a virtual re-launch of its first Lancashire development, Bluebell Meadows in Fulwood, near Preston. On its social media channels from 10.30am on Saturday 13 June will be a chance to “meet” the site manager; find out more about the process of buying a new Anwyl home, including the Move Simple scheme; and to hear from an independent mortgage advisor.
Matthew Gould, head of sales for Anwyl Homes Lancashire, explained: “We already have video tours of our show homes available, but Access All Areas by Anwyl is an innovative way for us to interact with buyers through a series of short films available across our social media channels. This virtual event will enable buyers to experience everything they’d normally see and hear when they visit the development and more.”
A choice of four-bedroom detached homes is priced from £331,995. Find out more about Anwyl Homes developments.
Two developments, Kent
Millwood Designer Homes is offering new 360 degree tours of its developments Hawthornden, in Yalding (where three- to five-bedroom houses are priced between £460,000 and £905,000), and The Maltings in Biddenden (three- to five-bedroom homes from £425,000 to £925,000). The brand new 360° tours guide interested purchasers through each show home, and offer three different views; a dolls-house view of the entire property, a floor plan view of the ground and first floor, as well as individual views from a 360° angle in each room. The sales offices are also open, from 11.00am to 5.00pm daily. Find out more at www.millwooddesignerhomes.co.uk.
Priors Crescent, Salford Priors, Warwickshire
This CALA Homes development is a collection of two- to five-bedroom homes and two-bedroom bungalows, set around a sweeping crescent in the village of Salford Priors, on the border of Warwickshire and Worcestershire. The development boasts over seven acres of green spaces creating a new village green, with some homes in a gated courtyard boasting views over the picturesque countryside. The homes are part of CALA’s Light and Space collection, which offers flexible open-plan living spaces, a fully integrated modern kitchen, and a high-specification finish and attention to detail throughout each and every property. Prices at Priors Crescent currently start from £325,000. Find out more at www.cala.co.uk.
Shared Ownership and outright sale homes across the South West
Debra Saunders, head of sales and marketing at LiveWest, said: “We are living in challenging times and the safety of our customers, colleagues and contractors remains our number one priority. Despite the government lockdown, we realise people are still looking for and wanting to buy homes and we continue to receive many enquiries. So we have launched a special virtual viewing service across our portfolio of homes which will help to show customers around some of our Shared Ownership or outright sale properties. Our customers want to view our homes, yet stay safe from coronavirus. So the launch of this virtual viewing service is an innovative solution to help meet this demand.”
Using any smartphone or PC device, customers can request a virtual walk-through, with pre-recorded footage of each room. The viewings enable one of the sales consultants to guide buyers through properties and answer any questions. In line with a normal viewing, the virtual tour can take however long the customers requires – whether that be 10 minutes, 20 minutes or an hour or more. Find out more at www.livewest.co.uk.
Age-exclusive developments across the UK
RoyaleLife has hosted a number of successful virtual viewing events featuring its bungalows for the over-45s and had almost 200 homebuyers signing up to view its developments through the Zoom app. Participants are invited via a digital link to a guided group tour, hosted by a member of the RoyaleLife and Quickmove team, with viewings lasting between 30 to 40 minutes.
A spokesperson from RoyaleLife said: “Our virtual viewing events have been a resounding success – resulting in a high number of reservations during the month of May and we are confident this will continue through the coming months.” Find out more at www.royalelife.com.
Part of a huge redevelopment in south-east London, which will soon be on the Crossrail network, Waterfront III is a phase of homes with a prime position alongside the Thames, with panoramic views of the City and suburbs. There’s a choice of completed apartments, ready to move into, with two- and three-bedroom properties ranging from £825,000 to £1.325million). Residents have \access to The Waterside Club and a 24-hour concierge. Find out more about Royal Arsenal Riverside from Berkeley Homes.