Selling Your Home During The Pandemic

It’s amazing how quickly things change during a pandemic. The real estate market is no exception. Six weeks ago, we were in a sellers’ market. Today, houses are still selling, but sales have slowed. Some people have taken their homes off the market temporarily, but that’s not an option for everyone. If you still need your home to sell now, here are some tips for selling during the pandemic.

Cancel all open houses

This is probably a given for most people. If you’re one of the holdouts, there are two reasons you should consider cancelling them:

• Possible violation of sheltering ordinances
• You don’t know the health status of strangers entering your home

If you are not willing to cancel your open houses, be sure you conduct a deep cleaning and sanitizing of your home after each event. See our blog site for information on effectively sanitizing your home.

Create a virtual tour

Many real estate agents are already doing this. If yours is not, ask about it. A virtual tour (as opposed to simply posting photos of the home) is an effective way to sell your home while still providing the selling points that make the house more attractive during an in-person showing. Potential buyers don’t just see the home. They hear the agent mention why certain features in the home are valuable or unique. Virtual tours help buyers narrow their choices and limits the number of people coming into your home. It also almost guarantees the people who do enter your home are serious buyers.

Inquire about a remote closing

The less you have to do in person, the safer it is for all parties involved. Tell your realtor you want to work with a title company that will close your loan remotely. Or, ask if a mobile notary is a possibility. A mobile notary travels to your home or workplace to complete the closing while limiting in-person contact.

Take advantage of our Bridge Loan

First Bank has continued closing loans on time. If your buyers are delayed by their lender, or if you still haven’t sold your home but need to close on your new home, a Bridge Loan can help you purchase the new home paying two mortgages. A Bridge Loan can also help you avoid situations like moving twice in a short period of time.

Selling your home in the middle of the pandemic may not be ideal, but it’s definitely doable. Work with your real estate agent to incorporate some of these tips for selling as safely and effectively as possible.