The coronavirus outbreak has forced many people to stay homes, boosting online activities such as grocery shopping, studying, and even clubbing. Now more people are also buying homes online.
Chinese real estate giant Evergrande said at a press conference (also held online) that 47,500 homes worth a total of 58 billion yuan (US$8.3 billion) were sold online over three days. The property developer also said that more than 10 million people are now using its app for online property purchases, which lets users connect with consultants and take VR house tours. A question about Evergrande’s online promotion methods was trending on China’s Q&A site Zhihu on Monday, drawing more than 3 million views.
Other real estate giants, including Vanke and China Poly Group, have also beefed up their online services, according to Xinhua. And some property developers have salespeople setting up live streams.