WITH the Scottish property market still on lockdown until later this month, Dumfries locals have been getting techy when it comes to viewing and offering on properties.
Dumfries and Galloway has posted 38 virtual property viewings on its YouTube channel since lockdown hit, clocking up over 180,000 views. And it’s not just nosy neighbours checking out the properties – motivated buyers are putting in offers despite having never stepped foot in the property.
Local Yopa agents Callum Neill and Emma Cooper have sold seven properties in Dumfries this way since lockdown started. Emma said: “We’ve had instances where the buyer has made an offer after seeing our walk-through on YouTube, then has driven past the property just to scope out the area and confirm they wanted to purchase. We’re even selling to international buyers, as everything is done online!”
Demand has remained so high in spite of lockdown that, in quite a few instances, properties are selling for more than the Home Report value. Yopa Dumfries even had one property with eight competitive offers – but not one physical viewing was conducted.
Emma added: “We had one property on the High Street receive an offer completely out of the blue. The buyer hadn’t requested a viewing, physical or otherwise. He just made a full written offer through his solicitor one day; he’d seen the advert online, checked out our virtual tour on YouTube and that was it: he was sold.”
Dumfries director Callum Neill said: “After lockdown measures are eased in Scotland we’re going to continue to offer this extended virtual service, in part because both buyers and sellers have embraced it with open arms and also as a ‘just in case’ in the event of a second lockdown. Perhaps this will be our industry’s future, and we welcome and embrace that innovation.”
