Raleigh-based 'HomeRover' app hopes to keep housing market moving during COVID-19 pandemic

RALEIGH, NC. (WTVD) -- For sale signs still stand in front yards but most sellers are wary of letting potential buyers inside. One Raleigh company is hoping its app will help ease those concerns.

"For us, we feel it's important to do the best we can with technology," said Michael Worthington, BrightDoor CEO.

The HomeRover app launched this week and it couldn't be better timing for people still trying to buy or sell a home during the pandemic.

"Before this happened, we believed that the use of live-video technology and real estate could be a game-changer and we firmly believe that," Worthington said.

The app, created by Raleigh-based BrightDoor, minimizes the number of people who need to enter a home during a showing. Realtors can show an entire home without the buyer even stepping foot through the front door.

The Realtor completes and shares items on the buyer's checklist. The app marks that part of the video for the buyer.

"They can go back and look at it if they're trying to whittle down to a few homes that hopefully when this is all over they can go tour in person," Worthington said.

Now, developers hope to take the app national, keeping sellers, buyers and Realtors safe.

The app is already available for iPhone users. It will be available for Android users in the next week or so. It is free to download.