Two thoughtful blog posts from Camille Beshara of Larson Skinner, PLLC on Sellers and Buyer concerns regarding virtual showing from a legal perspective.
Virtual Showings: buyers and their brokers’ considerations -Larson Skinner, PLLC
“Buyers’ brokers must understand the technology well enough not to distribute media accidentally. For example, doing a virtual showing using Facebook’s live streaming technology might work well for buyers and their brokers, but in that case, the broker should be sure they have selected the audiences to whom the stream is visible. They could otherwise end up violating the seller’s requirements or publicly embarrassing their buyers. Live-streaming poses additional risks because of its live nature, meaning that it can’t be edited before distribution. Buyers’ brokers should understand who will be in the home during a virtual showing, and everyone should plan to be on their best behavior.”
Virtual Showings: buyers and their brokers’ considerations -Larson Skinner, PLLC
Virtual Showings: seller considerations – Larson Skinner, PLLC
“Assuming that normally the seller’s listing would be marketed so that buyers’ brokers can just make appointments and show it in person, the risks of allowing the buyers’ brokers to do a ‘virtual showing’ instead (by taking photos, making video recordings, or live-streaming) are more or less the same as those for traditional physical showings, except in one respect: The resulting media from the virtual showing might be distributed beyond the buyer and her agents. In other respects, the buyer potentially has less freedom to engage in misconduct in the property, and fewer people are present to bring pathogens into an occupied home.”
Virtual Showings: seller considerations – Larson Skinner, PLLC
