How to Sell Your House During COVID-19
If you were in the process of selling your home when the pandemic struck, have to move after a job loss or a death in the family, or need to relocate for a new career, you may be wondering how you can sell your home safely. Social distancing measures have complicated home buying and selling, but they haven’t stopped it entirely. In fact, a number of tools have emerged to help create a safe real estate experience for everyone.
If you need to sell your home during the coronavirus pandemic, here’s what you need to know.
Tools to Sell Your Home Safely
Sellers are turning to virtual tools to list, show, and sell their homes. These include 3D walkthroughs and video open houses that let buyers tour homes remotely and virtual staging apps that create professional-quality home staging photographs without a home stager ever stepping foot inside your home.
If you’d rather not have a home stager or interior designer entering your home, you can still work with one remotely. For example, you can find experienced interior designers in your area through online job platforms. These professionals can advise you on how to use lighting, furniture, color, and space to make your home look as appealing as possible for potential buyers.
Safety Tips for Showing Your House
In states where real estate is an essential business, buyers may want to see your property in person before making an offer. Use these safety tips for home showings:
- Limit two people per showing.
- Require shoe covers and face masks.
- Leave interior doors open and place hand sanitizer at the entry.
Sellers should also disinfect high-touch surfaces before and after showings. If you’re unable to find your preferred cleaning products in stores, you may be able to make your own using common supplies. Hand sanitizer, for example, can be made with isopropyl alcohol and aloe vera gel, while laundry detergent requires fewer than five ingredients to make yourself.
Should Sellers Move Out During COVID-19?
If all of this sounds like a lot of trouble, you might be wondering if it’s better to move out of your home while selling. Relocating can be a smart decision for sellers. Not only does moving eliminate any risk to your family, but it also eliminates the hassle of keeping your house spotless while the entire family is home 24/7. Instead of moving in with family and risking coronavirus exposure, book a vacation rental home while waiting for your property to sell.
How to Live in Your Home While Selling
If you do live in your home while selling, have a strategy for keeping clean. You won’t be able to avoid making messes while staying home during the pandemic, so focus on cleaning as you go and creating places to stash clutter. Instead of closets and cupboards, which buyers are bound to inspect, use decorative baskets, storage ottomans, and other hidden storage solutions.
What to Know About Coronavirus Addendums
Some real estate agents are including coronavirus addendums in purchase offers during the pandemic. These clauses allow buyers and sellers to extend deadlines or back out due to unforeseen events related to the coronavirus. Coronavirus addendums can protect sellers as well as buyers, but talk to your agent if you’re unsure about this document.
There’s no question that the coronavirus pandemic has added complexities to the process of selling a home. However, sellers shouldn’t necessarily fear entering the market. Not only is it possible to sell a home safely with the right tools and a few precautions, but with the housing market holding steady, sellers can walk away knowing they got a good price for their home
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Suzie Wilson ⎸[email protected] ⎸Happier Home
