5 TIPS FOR SELLING [DURING A TIME OF PANDEMIC]

by Tara Mastroeni, Contributor
FORBES – Real Estate

Life is changing incredibly fast during the coronavirus pandemic and many industries are following suit, including real estate. While some sellers are deciding to pull their homes off the market and try to sell at a different time, that may not be an option for everyone.

With that in mind, if you are trying to sell your home in this market, there are some things that you can do to help keep everyone involved as safe and healthy as possible. Read on below to learn more.

Cancel any open houses

Unfortunately, even though open houses are typically an efficient tool to show your home to many people at once, they are just not advisable right now, given the current restrictions around large gatherings.

Put simply, there’s no easy way to regulate how many people come into your home at once during one of these events. Rather than risking creating an unsafe environment, it’s better just to cancel these events and to use other methods to market your home.

Ask your agent about creating a video tour

To that end, it may be a good idea to have your agent create a video of your home as part of their marketing process. Many MLS websites allow agents to upload video files in addition to photos.

Watching a video tour will allow potential buyers to get a sense for the layout of your home before they see it in person. Ultimately, it will help give them a better idea of whether or not your home could be a good fit for them.

On your end, it will also help to limit the amount of traffic going through your home to only those buyers who have serious interest in your property.

Clean your home before and after showings

While you should always clean your home before showings, these days, this task is taking on a new level of importance. Be sure to clean your home as thoroughly as you can before and after any scheduled showings in order to create the safest possible environment for everyone involved.

You may also want to have a selection of personal hygiene products like hand sanitizer available for buyers to use while they are viewing your home.

Use teleconferencing and e-signing programs to negotiate contracts

Once you do get an offer, you can handle it digitally. Thanks to technology, there are many different e-signing programs that you can use to sign contracts without having to go into an office and meet with your agent.

If you’re unfamiliar with this process, lean on your agent for assistance. Ask him or her to teleconference with you as you sign the documents. That way, you can get your questions answered before you sign on the dotted line.

Don’t be afraid to take a break

There’s so much uncertainty around the virus that everyone has to use their best judgement on how to stay safe. Don’t be afraid to take a break from marketing your home if you feel that’s what’s best, especially if you or someone in your family is feeling ill.