Covid-19 has changed the entire world in 2020, including the real estate industry. As a realtor in Florida, I am following federal guidelines and local guidelines when showing properties and those showings look a little bit different these days.
When you walk into one of my homes for sale, you will be greeted at the door with the normal flyers and information sheets, but now we also provide gloves, masks, hand sanitizer and Covid-19 showing disclosures. Open houses for my listings have changed as well. Pre Covid-19, my open houses would be over flowing with people, now, we allow a maximum of six people in the home at a time, with masks and a mandatory sign in sheet. All of these extra steps insures the safety of the homeowners as well as the realtors and their clients who enter the home.
When showing properties, my clients and I wear masks, I utilize sanitizing wipes to wipe down any surfaces we may have touched, and I carry hand sanitizer for after we have exited the property. While the real estate market is booming, not everyone is comfortable viewing multiple homes, and not everyone is able to get down to Florida to view homes. With these restrictions, I have been utilizing video home tours. I connect with my client on various video apps, I walk them through the property, and circle back to any items that like to take a closer look at in the home. Even though pictures are online, this virtual showings allows my clients to experience the flow of the home, they are able to ask questions in real time about specific parts of the home, and I am able to give them closer “in person” views they otherwise wouldn’t get simply viewing a photo online.
One of the silver linings of Covid-19 is the historically low interest rates being offered for mortgages. If you haven’t already, now is the time to take advantage of these rates, whether you are refinancing, purchasing your first home, or purchasing a property as an investment.
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