Post written by Senior Sales Associate, David Leb.

Meeting a prospective property tenant or buyer and conducting a tour is the bread and butter of commercial real estate brokers.

I view it as my best chance to get a prospect excited, highlight the property’s top features, and most importantly, strategize with them as they go about their decision-making process.

Between mid-March and early-May of this year, property tours ground down to almost a complete halt in our industry. Now, as the economy re-opens and people are starting to think more about their real estate strategies (both tenants and buyers), real estate agents and brokers are back to leading property tours – myself included.

I have type 1 diabetes. It’s something I’ve had since I was twelve years old. It’s under good control and it’s not something I typically like to talk about, but autoimmune diseases become particularly important with the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Here is how I have modified my tours so that I can best represent my clients while also keeping myself and those around me safe:

Virtual Property Tours

During this pandemic, I’ve had good success with doing more property tours by myself, and recording narrated video and taking pictures to send directly to prospects. Most deals are not made on the first tour—but the first tour does determine whether a prospect moves on to something else or takes the next step in the process.

By arranging the first tour as a virtual one, I have been able to effectively answer questions, give clients and potential tenants/buyers a really good sense for the layout and feel of a property, and—most importantly—build momentum on inking a lease or purchase agreement.

Tenants or buyers always love to see and touch what they are buying. But keeping the first tour purely digital has helped reduced the number of physical tours I’ve had to conduct, while still enabling me to fiercely advocate for my clients and put them in the best position to make a sound real estate decision.

Wear Masks

When the virtual tour and property photos have done their job, a physical tour is the next step. I’ve been able to conduct tours and do my job safely by asking the people that I am interacting with on tours to wear masks. To date, at every tour I’ve conducted since the beginning of the COVID-19 spread, the prospects or people I was meeting with have worn masks.

Studies have shown that two people wearing a mask are much less likely to spread the disease to each other. It costs next to nothing, there is no downside, and my landlord clients have appreciated the fact that when people are coming into their building, they are doing what they can to limit the spread.

 Minimize Contact with Doors and High-Touch Surfaces

I typically like to arrive to a showing early, so I can turn the lights on and prop open doors. It’s a goal of mine during a tour to limit the amount of surfaces that are touched, and keep contact to an absolute minimum. If I’m the only one touching the doors, light switches, elevator buttons, etc., then I feel confident when I am washing my hands or dousing them in Purell, that I’ve done what I can to keep myself and others safe.

Follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn for property updates and opportunities. If you or a client has an interest in a personalized tour of a space, I am more than happy to deliver. Stay safe out there.