Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the housing market made a surprise move by continuing its hot streak. Now that the housing supply is even lower due to a year-long gap in housing construction, the U.S. housing market is set to get even hotter. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean the COVID-19 pandemic is over.
With the Delta variant making its rounds across the country and posing a major risk to those who are unvaccinated, it's important for home sellers to keep their safety and the safety of potential buyers in mind when they place their house on the market. Here are a few key tips you can use to combat these Delta variant dangers so you can focus more on the sale.
According to the CDC, it's now recommended for both vaccinated and unvaccinated Americans to wear a mask both indoors and outdoors and to continue social distancing. If you have potential buyers coming to view your home, be sure that their realtor knows that masks are required. Also, make sure to get the vaccine validation system in place so that you will know the vaccination status of the person you're dealing with.
Limit how many buyers can view your home at one time and consider scheduling walk-throughs rather than hosting an open house. Hold off on showing the property if you or a potential buyer exhibits any cold symptoms, which typically last from 48 hours to 14 days. If you suspect that you have COVID-19 or have come into contact with someone who has tested positive with COVID-19, have yourself tested and keep yourself quarantined from others until you have received your test results.
Virtual tours have become a major trend since the COVID-19 pandemic and this trend is definitely here to stay. Ask your realtor about how to conduct a virtual tour of your property to provide potential buyers with an easy and efficient way to view your home without having to schedule a tour. If you don't have a realtor and you're selling your property yourself, consider using virtual tour apps or sites such as RICOH360 or Realtor3D.
Just be careful about what information you give to certain sites and be sure that the website is credible before you use it. In the first half of 2019 alone, data breaches exposed over 4 billion records, and cyberattacks have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic due to the influx in remote work and WiFi usage.
Virtual tours are only one method of providing contactless ways for potential buyers to view your home. The COVID-19 pandemic has also given rise to other contactless procedures and technology you can use now amidst Delta variant dangers. Digital closing tools such as e-signing, remote online notarization, and virtual meetings can make selling your property safer for everyone.
During the selling process, make sure that you hire a professional photographer to get quality photos for your home's website. Take drone shots of your home so potential buyers can see your property from all angles.
Keep the outside of your home looking great and your curb appeal on-point for potential buyers to drive by and see the property without necessarily coming in for a tour. If it's garbage day, make sure your trash and recycling are organized. About 87% of Americans have access to curbside or drop-off paper recycling programs, so if you have a drop-off option consider using that to keep the outside of your home as clean as possible. You want to give potential buyers the best possible first impression of your property.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly made selling your home a little trickier, it's important to make sure that you're following CDC guidelines to keep yourself and potential buyers safe and secure. If you plan on selling your home in 2021, follow the tips above to protect yourself against Delta dangers.
