Buying and Selling a Home during Covid 19

Update: This article was written at the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak. As of April 30th, 2020 Realtors are considered essential in NC and showings can resume as normal. Masks, gloves, and cleaning wipes will still be offered to my clients at every appointment.

Many industries are in uncharted territory as we figure out the new normal amistd Covid-19. While the real estate world is waiting to see how this affects careers and home prices, there are a few things buyers, sellers, and their Realtors can be doing in this new technology-only process.

Current stay-at-home laws vary by the state and county, so I’ll focus on big picture ideas to help everyone work as remotely as possible.

First, I’d argue to say that 90% of the current buying and selling process can be done online, if desired. Attorney paperwork, lending paperwork, signing contracts, wiring money, and even the majority of home shopping is done online in my current business. That leaves just a few important steps that we must convert from in-person activities to online.

Buying

Showings are the only current buyer step that are typically done in-person that we must convert to online activities during the Coronavirus pandemic. Here are a few ideas to turn the showing process virtual.

1. Your Realtor can ask the Listing agent to have the seller create a silent walk through of the home

2. Your Realtor can ask the Listing agent to provide the seller with a laser measuring tool to measure certain rooms if a professional floorplan was not already created

3. Ask your Realtor for helpful websites that show every possible characteristic of the neighborhood. In Charlotte, I love using Mecklenburg County Quality of Life map which has an incredible amount of statistics about every corner of the city. You can search for test proficiency in Elementary schools, commute time based on location, proximity to parks, owner occupied homes and so much more.

4. For out of town buyers, I love providing Charlotte Agenda resources like this City Notes which highlights restaurants, parks, shopping, and neighborhoods in a concise and beautiful way.

5. If able in your county, drive through the neighborhood and scout out the home from the street. You can maintain a safe distance away from other people and get a much better idea of the yard size and neighborhood amenities without needing to go inside the home.

Sellers

Sellers can help advertise their home by utilizing their Realtor’s marketing resources and helping out with video walk throughs.

1. Sellers can create a silent video tour of the home and send it to their Realtor to advertise.

2. Realtors can drop off their equipment, such as a wide angle camera or iPhone lens for the seller to use for higher quality pictures and videos.

3. Realtors can drop off laser measuring devices for sellers to measure certain rooms. While this won’t replace a professional floorplan, it can provide buyers will more details on particular rooms.

4. Realtors can use Facebook live, Youtube Live, Instagram Live and IGTV to stream the seller’s videos

5. Realtors can create an IGTV of the neighborhood and amenities while driving around the house

Lastly, but most importantly, trust your Realtor. I tell my clients I will talk them out of houses but I will never talk them into a house. Their happiness is my ultimate goal and I appreciate when my clients trust my judgement when I tell them they’ll love the neighborhood and that this one checks off all their boxes. Purchasing sight-unseen is not a new process, as I’ve helped many investors and out of town clients buy a home without every seeing it. Trust that your agent can guide you through this buying and selling process during the Coronavirus in an efficient and easy way!