Of necessity, virtue: the virtual agent (and not only real estate)

Covid has undoubtedly changed social relations and our approach to technology, whose use has, in fact, become indispensable.

Let us remain in our sector and say that the changes have been truly significant. We, who have "existed" for over 30 years and have always had a strong innovative drive, suddenly found ourselves, unwillingly, becoming “virtual.”

It goes without saying that this virtuality allowed us to work at a time when many people and entire families felt the need, the desire, and the urge to change their housing conditions, especially in terms of outdoor space — be it a garden, courtyard, terrace, or balcony.

We adapted, invented, structured, and implemented everything necessary to satisfy our clients, even at a distance. And the same happened with the different offices involved in procedures: from notaries, to the land registry, to the cadastre. Everyone was perfectly aligned with the pandemic measures that protected us and, in fact, are still protecting us.

Yet, we cannot fail to say how important the human and face-to-face relationship with clients is, especially when describing a property (while of course maintaining mandatory social distancing).

Presenting a home to someone “in person,” as is commonly said now, is very different from doing so via WhatsApp, internet-based software, or simply by phone.

The pathos, the glances, the understandings and misunderstandings of face-to-face contact, unfortunately, have no equal. Our many years of experience allow us, with just one look, to understand whether we are heading in the right direction, whether our client is satisfied, or whether instead they are hesitant or doubtful about details that may seem minor to us but are of vital importance to them. A detail that may quickly become a “yes, I want it” or a “no, this is not what I am looking for,” at which point we immediately move on to an alternative.

The in-person visit, which we cannot help but prefer, is fuller, richer, and less sterile. It creates the agent-client relationship that becomes crucial once negotiations move forward. Making a virtue out of necessity can also start in the virtual world, but at the beginning it requires greater mutual trust, a willingness to let go. And that is not always easy.

It is one thing when a client has no time or possibility (for example, when they are not in town) and the virtual visit becomes an excellent tool to start the relationship. It is another matter when there is no choice: virtual or nothing.

Now things are simpler and there is more physical presence again, but the hope is that we can soon return to a free choice of how visits are carried out.