How to Successfully Sell your Home During the COVID-19 Crisis
1) Open houses are currently canceled.
Buyers: This means no open houses. All showings are by appointment. Approval letters, property entry disclosures, and full background vetting is now required to even book an appointment. Most properties sell quickly so arranging within the first 3-5 days is crucial.
Showings are limited to 3 or less people, and often children are asked to stay at home.
Protective gear is a must! Masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer are local government requirements.
The time allocated in a showing is usually 15 minutes or less
Sellers: Arranging 2-3 hour windows for scheduled, spaced out, private showings are the new norm. No longer will endless people and nosy neighbors come traipsing through your email. Every buyer is screened, vetted, has reviewed the virtual tour, photos, driven by, and verified local area disclosures. It’s more of a win in your court! Less people through your home and limited showing times. In some case, if the property is listed for more than 2 weeks, the showings become sparse and the windows of showing times become smaller. Pricing right in this COVID market is key.
2) Online research and virtual tours have skyrocketed.
Buyers: Not much has changed in your world of scouring the internet, touring homes virtually, google map searches, hitting that “share” button to a few friends or family members, researching the history of the property, the owner’s names, just a long rabbit hole of endless information. So, what’s to change? Not too much on your side, except more homes with the norm of virtual tours and excessive information up front. Sellers: Preparation is at an all time high. Not having enough photos, a video, or a virtual tour will limit the amount of people touring your home online, and ultimately booking a COVID safe in person showing. What goes into prepping a home is much more important than it’s ever been. It’s important to align yourself with a professional who knows what it takes.
3) Digital Media Marketing is now more important than ever.
Digital media marketing has always been important, however with everyone turning to digital platforms for their businesses during this time, it is crucial that properties have high quality pictures, professionally edited videos, plus drone images and interactive 360° virtual tours. Our plan is designed to continue marketing to new buyers 24/7 as long as your home is for sale. We cover the coming soon phase, the launching phase, and the ongoing phase, to keep potential buyers engaged and interested in the property.
4) SAFETY, FIRST!
Safety is everything. The first step in our marketing plan is to make sure your home is set up to adhere to all safety guidelines, that you and your family members in your home are safe, and that buyers know we have taken the precautionary steps. We help ensure the home is sanitized between visits and provided masks, gloves, and sanitizer. We also work with you on decorating, cleaning, repairs, or staging to maximize its sale price.
5) Expect Delays!
Due to the national Pandemic there are shorter time-slots for showing homes. It has been more challenging to arrange inspections, solidify appointments, obtain needed contractors, book moving companies, buy furniture etc.
