There are plenty of overseas clients looking to buy real estate in Southeast Asia. And even though they aren’t able to visit properties in person, many are still willing to make a deal assuming everything checks out.
This is where you, the real estate agent, comes in. Your job is to streamline the process and provide international clients with enough information to make them feel comfortable. Sure, it may sound like common sense, but it never hurts to brush up on the basics.
With that in mind, let’s look at a few ways real estate agents can help overseas clients who can’t visit a property in person.
3 ways to help overseas clients who can’t visit a property in person
1) Communicate on their terms, not yours
Good real estate agents understand that international clients living in different time zones will want to communicate using their preferred channel. A willingness to be flexible and accommodating provides the groundwork for smooth communication. There are two things to be mindful of.
Firstly, overseas property seekers are going to require you to work beyond traditional office hours. Now, they aren’t expecting you to answer questions in the dead of night or anything like that. But you may need to be prepared to speak with them during early mornings or late in the evening.
Secondly, never ask a client based abroad to download a new app for communication unless it’s absolutely necessary. Instead, cater to them even if that means you’ll need to download and learn how to use something new.
2) Practice and perfect your approach to virtual viewings
There is perhaps nothing more important for property professionals than virtual property viewings. This is currently the only way international clients can see inside properties and visit far away locations. It’s vital this be a great experience if they are going to buy.
In order to successfully conduct virtual property viewings, you are going to need practice. Even if the technology is familiar and you’re skilled at hosting traditional viewings, combining the two can lead to mixed results. Think about virtual viewings like cooking. Just because you have the recipe doesn’t mean the dish will turn out well on your first attempt. It takes time and repetition to get it right.
Related: Tips to successfully conduct virtual property viewings
3) Know their pain points
There is a huge difference between purchasing a property on-site and conducting the transaction from overseas. A lot of processes that are naturally addressed during the in-person buying experience can become obstacles when being done outside the country.
A great example of how a real estate agency can streamline the buying process is the Thailand Virtual Property Purchase program from Siam Real Estate. The firm found a way to eliminate logistical issues facing international property seekers by creating a system everyone is able to follow.
The majority of overseas clients will have the same pain points. If you know these ahead of time, they can be addressed immediately. If you aren’t sure what these may be, ask international customers early on in the process about their concerns. This provides you with a better idea of what issues or questions may arise later on.