How Real Estate Consumer Expectations Have Changed

In the past few years, the real estate industry surprisingly overcame the drastic changes that needed to be made to adapt to the new normal. Despite the challenges of meeting the ever-changing consumer expectations in the field, real estate was able to show resilience and even achieve success in helping economic growth. Today, as the world is slowly transitioning back to more lenient restrictions, it is the best time to evaluate the changes that have been made to better serve potential clients moving forward.

Consumer Expectations in the New Normal

The effort to digitalization started many years ago. However, the real estate industry is one of the sectors that was considered a bit late to utilizing online channels for customer touchpoints. A lot of the real estate transactions that homebuyers used to go through with developers or sellers were mostly through offline channels. This is why the majority of the resources that real estate professionals spent mostly went to traditional marketing strategies such as newspaper ads, brochures, billboards, and free site viewing trips.

Over the years, an increasing number of competitors have arisen. More foreign players are getting into real estate investments in the country which pushed for innovation to take place in the industry. Real estate developers and sellers are no longer focused solely on the build and sell process but also trying to deliver to the new consumer expectations. This is where quality service and great customer experience come into play.

Establishing Online Presence

The Philippines is one of the countries in the world where people spend a lot of hours online each day. The number reached its peak during the height of the pandemic, when the safest way to interact with people was by being on the internet. This experience created a habit in people’s lives that even with the restrictions eased off, many people still opt to do things online.

This created a gap between many businesses and their clients, especially the ones that were not onboard with the digitalization of their customer touch points at the time. In such a short period, companies pushed for a complete transformation of their customer journey to keep their businesses going despite the strict mandate for social distancing.

When it comes to real estate, developers have started to build their online presence by providing transparent information regarding their real estate properties, such as house and lot for sale and condo for sale. Some of the top consumer expectations that companies need to meet are having an informative and optimized website, well-curated social media pages, and documented customer reviews. These items will help to establish credibility and win the trust of interested homebuyers.

Virtual Tour of the Property

Despite the restrictions being eased off, many people still experience anxiety about going to places outside their homes because the pandemic is still not over. These days, developers of both residential real estate and commercial real estate properties are expected to have a digitalized version in 3D graphics that can be used by potential clients to take a virtual tour of the property. This is now common in the real estate business, especially for luxury real estate developers.

An option to take a virtual tour is not only used to pique the interests of homebuyers, but it will also help in understanding the property better even before an actual site visit. Nowadays, people generally prefer to research things on their own before starting a transaction with a real property agent. Having a virtual tour available is a marketing tool that is proven to have a good conversion rate that will result in more sales.

In an instance where 3D graphics are not available, walkthrough videos are being used instead. These strategies help in boosting sales and keeping the property’s sales prices up.

Consistent Customer Engagement

Aside from researching things on their own beforehand, potential clients also ask questions. With an investment as huge as real estate—be it be vacant land, an undeveloped property, or multi-story detached buildings—it should be expected that potential clients will have a lot of questions about the property. This is why customers expect businesses to have a consistent engagement through their website or social media pages to take care of inquiries and after-sales concerns.

Making a real estate investment is a dream for many people. Naturally, it is one of the customers’ expectations to regularly be updated about the house and lot for sale or condo for sale they are inquiring about. This will increase their trust and strengthen their partnership with the seller. Some developers even take note of the client’s milestones, such as birthdays and anniversaries, because real estate transactions are the long-term relationships between the buyer and the seller.

Attractive Selling Point

A house and lot for sale or condo for sale are not complete without an attractive selling point that homeowners can proudly say, “This is the best thing I have in my property!” Homeowners invest a huge amount of money to make their dream home a reality. It is a small reward to at least be able to show off their personal property to other people.

This is one of the perks of living in a luxury real estate property, as there is more focus on elements like features and amenities that will provide a better living experience for homeowners. Some developers also focus on upgrading security, interiors, and common facilities to entice potential clients who prefer such features.

Seamless Customer Journey

Customer expectations are now taken into consideration more than ever. Gone are the days when businesses only sell a product and sit back without worrying much about the after-sales services. Nowadays, a single social media post can either make or break a business. It is important to listen to and respond to the needs of the customer to keep the business thriving.

Convenience is an expensive commodity. Consumers want to pursue a transaction that will not take so much of their time and energy. This is why providing a seamless customer journey to potential clients will more likely lead to a sale—from inquiries to sales assistance, up to the actual turnover of the property.

Suggested Read: Why Real Estate Should Focus on Customer Experience?
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Experience the Best Customer Service with Brittany!

In the real estate world, there is fierce competition and fast-changing dynamics. To rise above the competition, excellent customer service is a must. Consumer expectations must be met to ensure that clients will have the best experience possible.

Brittany Corporation is one of the leading luxury real estate developers in the Philippines. When it comes to luxury houses, Brittany offers world-class developments that are inspired by famous international travel destinations. On top of these, Brittany has proven its credibility, trustworthiness, and professionalism in the field through numerous international recognitions it received from several award-giving bodies—not just in the Philippines but among many countries in the region as well.

Check out Brittany’s luxury real estate properties in the South! Live in your own luxury house at Crosswinds Tagaytay, Brittany Santa Rosa, Vista Alabang, or The Lakefront Sucat. Experience luxury living with one of the best developers in the country.