Why In-Person or Virtual Face-to-Face & Screen Share Search Set-Up Meetings Are Best

Here are the top reasons why in-person or virtual face-to-face w/ screen share meetings are much better than alternatives for buyers for an initial consultation:

1. Better Searches

The top reason why buyers should want a face-to-face or virtual screen share discussion with a prospective buyer's agent is to acquire a better search faster. In the absence of visuals, things will take longer and the buyer won't be nearly as able to do things like drawing a map around where they are looking to buy. With remote desktop capability, available on Zoom, the buyer can do exactly that.

By having a visual of the search, it's also easier to go through potential properties together and help buyers with aspects of navigation like flood zones, with some cities/counties in SE VA having the majority of properties in flood zones.

2. See Pertinent Visual Details that Can Help Inform the Search Criteria

Whether you're excluding some areas due to crime map color coded designations, Niche's algorithym for overall zip code grades (though keep in mind that their algorithym may be very different than yours and that properties in lower rated zip codes can still have , tax rates, flood zones, or area around your job, it's highly beneficial to be able to see what you're looking at.

3. Faster Understanding

Rather than your agent needing to spend a lot of extra time explaining certain things, integrating visuals into the discussion can accomplish a lot, giving you a better understanding of something that the agent is talking about in less time.

4. More Educational

There are certain subjects that are much more difficult for buyers to grasp in the absence of visuals. With visuals present, buyers are able to learn more content faster. In addition to the search itself, I often go into a wide variety of other topics in my initial consultations with buyers.

For instance, I often like to quickly show buyers how to locate flood zones directly within MLS while setting up the searches for them, which is critical to know for many SE VA cities/counties, with some cities/counties having more properties in flood zones than not in flood zones.

5. Alleviating Agent Concerns of Catfish Buyers When No Prior Face to Face Has Occurred

Multiple sources, such as the Virginia Association of Realtors, advise face-to-face discussions with buyers and sellers to avoid getting scammed. Likewise, the Financial & Consumer Services Commission regarding catfish dealings with real estate agents states that a red flag is that the person "only makes contact via email and/or text message."

While typically not applicable when an agent knows someone personally or when they've met in person, did you know that many agents frequently get targeted by catfish buyers and catfish sellers? These are people who pose as a buyer or a seller in an attempt to defraud the agent. It is such a major problem that some weeks I get contacted by more catfish buyers than legitimate buyers. None of the catfish have ever defrauded me of anything but time, but time is a precious commodity, and in the real estate business, you typically don't get paid by the hour as an agent, so time really is money that the catfish are taking from agents even if their fraudulent attempts are unsuccessful.

If an agent suspects that a buyer or seller is a catfish, it's not uncommon for them to de-prioritize that buyer or seller vs those buyers and sellers that they know are legitimate, despite the fact that catfish buyers and sellers often supposedly have high budgets & are supposedly cash buyers. By doing a face-to-face, the agent has much less reason to believe that you are a catfish since most catfish buyers and sellers will never do face-to-face discussions, including virtual discussions. Face-to-face discussions are too risky for most catfish to get caught. I've only had a few scenarios where those who were highly likely seeking to commit fraud against me (i.e. by trying to loop me into investment schemes) who were posing as buyers actually showed their face on video. In one case, the image was dark & grainy. In another case, the image was fine, but it was very brief, the video didn't seem to match the picture exactly (both Asian women, but they seemed different), and they may have had a sophisticated operation with many people where one person was the "face" on video of the operation that needed to be spread out between many people chatting with targets for fraud.

If you're a legitimate buyer but prefer not to do a face-to-face discussion, there are still some options to demonstrate that you're not a catfish buyer and get a good search going. The best way to do it would be to still join a Zoom session for a search creation (since Zoom is still much better than a call for legitimate buyers effectively creating a search and learning from an agent) and just not show your face while establishing ethos through any one of the following means:

1. Email me from a university, organization, or business account (most catfish use free accounts, i.e. Gmail accounts, as it costs them nothing to create a new account)

2. Reach out to me via social media from a well-established social media account with relatively public settings that have plenty of tagged pictures with other people on the same social media account who themselves have plenty of tagged pictures with others. I.e. https://m.facebook.com/adambgarrett/

3. Share a typical website with your contact info. i.e. both of the following showing my phone number and email

https://www.adambgarrett.com/contact

https://www.garrettrealtypartners.com/team/adam-garrett

4. Share with Adam a better business bureau listing or established social media listing of your business (i.e. if you are an established investor).

6. Better Understanding of the Agent

Face-to-face discussion is an inherently more effective platform, especially when screen share can be included, than a phone call, email exchange, or text exchange. Part of your time putting together a search as a buyer should be assessing the competency, honesty, and knowledge of the real estate agent in order to better determine whether or not they will be a good fit for you. Without a face-to-face, you won't know as much about a prospective agent and they won't know as much about you.

Here's more related content:

Most Important Meetings for Face to Face in Person or Live Video w/ Screenshare

Here are the top meetings where it's best to be face to face with your agent (including your agent on screen share at times to help educate you):

1. Initial Buyer Consultations

2. Initial Seller Consultations

3. Showings

Beyond those 3, many other issues can be done without face to face video. Even showings can sometimes be done with recorded video instead, but it's still ideal to have both live and recorded video with showings, especially if you are in a situation where an expeditious offer is important. Other times when you may want to do face to face video including agent screenshare or something in person include:

1. Offer elements (by buyers or sellers)

2. Going through other paperwork

3. Remote final walk through inspections.

Enhancing Efficiency of Meeting

If you'd like to plan out exactly what you'd like to discuss in a search consultation with Adam, whether it's the market, checking on your credit, getting prepared financially to buy, going over area-specific information, or otherwise, one option, though not required, is to fill out this form.

Will I be Asked to Screen Share with Adam?

It really depends. In most cases, the answer is simply "No." That said, while you can always decline, there are some cases where sharing your screen may be beneficial. The most typical scenario for that is if you are pulling your free credit score/report directly on a website (as opposed to a PDF) and getting assistance from me to freely boost your credit. That way I can see what your credit needs without ever having access to your password, and we can do that process together.

Related:

• Initial Buyer Consultation w/ Adam Garrett 

• How To Join Zoom & Screen Share On Zoom (including best practices like using a large screen with a webcam instead of your phone to be able to see my screen better)

• Why It's Important to Get Immediate Property Search Updates & Not Rely on Concierge Mode 

• Seemingly Harmless Questions With Major Consequences if Answered Directly

• What Adam Offers Buyers 

• Contact Adam