Redfin launched a nationwide roll out of Direct Access, which lets homebuyers self-tour vacant homes with or without an agent, using an app to unlock the door.
“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. Direct Access makes it simple to tour our sellers’ homes conveniently and safely without having to coordinate with an agent to schedule a showing, driving double the foot traffic that leads to offers for our sellers,” Redfin Chief Technology Officer Bridget Frey said in a release. “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.”
The company also partnered with home security company ADT to provide smart locks and sensors and 24/7 monitoring of Direct Access homes.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Redfin to deliver ADT smart home security services to Redfin’s customers’ homes via our team of 5,000 smart home installation professionals,” ADT Chief Revenue Officer Keith Holmes said. “This is a win-win situation for homebuyers and sellers who get a professionally installed ADT smart home security system and the peace of mind provided by our U.S.-based network of security monitoring professionals. We’re eager to welcome new Redfin homebuyers to the ADT family.”
Redfin launched Direct Access for customers selling vacant homes in select markets last year. The feature is now available in 22 markets, and Redfin plans to eventually expand the program to reach all its U.S. customers.