Homebuyers in 22 U.S. markets are now able to tour vacant homes listed on Redfin with or without a real estate licensee through the brokerage’s “Direct Access” home tour feature.
The expansion of this service was announced on Tuesday. Redfin first launched Direct Access in April 2020 and over the past 18 months its service has expanded to 10 additional metropolitan areas, including Austin, Orange County, Seattle, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Denver, Dallas, Boston and Phoenix.
Direct Access allows homebuyers to self-tour vacant properties without an agent by using the Redfin app to unlock the home. According to Redfin, homes with Direct Access receive, on average, twice the number of tours as other homes. Homeowners are able to track tours and buyer feedback on their home through the Redfin Owner Dashboard.
In conjunction with this expansion of Direct Access tours, Redfin is partnering with ADT security to help equip homes with smart locks and sensors that allow buyers to easily enter and tour homes, and enable sellers to stay informed on who is entering and exiting the property.
“In this hot market, more than a third of homes are finding a buyer within the first week and buyers are hustling to see new homes as quickly as possible,” Bridget Frey, Redfin’s chief technology officer, said in a statement. “Thanks to advances in automation and smart home technology and changing consumer expectations, we’re able to offer a convenient and safe self-touring option that would have seemed outlandish just a decade ago.”
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When an ADT outfitted home is purchased through Redfin, the buyer keeps the pre-installed smart lock, ADT security panel, and sensors, which are valued at $899.
The ADT security system comes in addition to multiple security features Redfin already has in place to help protect sellers and their propertied, including verifying the identity of every buyer before their tour and covering up to $100,000 in the event of loss or damage to the home.
Redfin plans on expanding Direct Access and the accompanying ADT security features to all U.S. customers sometime in the future.
