Buying things online may mean buying properties online too?

I buy stuffs online on a monthly basis. The latest one was a Queen-sized bed frame and mattress. Haha. Yes, it arrived in 4 days and so far so good. The price? Slightly below RM700 including delivery. I was even thinking of buying a whole bed-room set but since I have time to view, touch and feel, I think I will skip this for now. Will visit the furniture store instead. I think if everyone thinks like me, then the traditional outlets should do just fine, for now. I buy most of my stuffs from the traditional outlets and only few items online. What about properties?
Many years ago, when I was still with a leading property portal in Malaysia, a customer stated, ‘No one buys properties online. I just need to advertise in newspaper and people will come to my show room and buy.’ I smiled and replied that I could not see the future but the time has come where advertisements in newspapers are not effective anymore IF the new development has no property site for the customers to understand more. He said that buyers can call instead after looking at the advertisement. I told him I agree but not many buyers would be tempted to call WITHOUT understanding and knowing more first. He disagreed and I wished him all the best. A few weeks later, I caught his advertisement in another property portal. Haha.
I could still not accept buying properties online, even if I could view a 360 virtual tour of the property. Due diligence can be done via google these days BUT I remain a traditionalist and I would love to drive to the area, see what I wanted to see and feel the vibrancy (hotspots) or the potential (for future). So, as someone who has been in the online industry for 14 plus years, I think media must work together in order to be effective. The time will come when advertising online makes better sense. Just look at the new generations taking helm at many of these developers. They have no ‘history’ with newspaper and they embrace technology easily just like the majority today.
Happy browsing for properties, regardless of the media you use.
written on 12 June 2016
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