The real estate industry has adapted its practices to help ensure safe transactions. Amid the pandemic, real estate professionals have modified their processes to market and sell your home effectively and safely.
Be assured that the National Association of Realtors has provided real estate agencies with detailed guidance to ensure agents and office staff safety. Real estate agents are prepared to work remotely and may agree to meet with you initially over the phone or through an online platform such as Zoom; however, it will be necessary for your agent to visit your home at some stage. Many agents are regularly testing to keep their families, co-workers, and clients safe.
In addition to your real estate agent, other professionals may need to visit your home before and after it is on the market, potentially a photographer, inspector, and an appraiser. While in your home, these professionals follow strict protocols that include social distancing, the use of masks, gloves, and sanitizing. They are encouraged to keep their hands in their pockets, disinfect tools, and wipe down surfaces.
Before COVID-19, the real estate industry started to embrace virtual tours; these have now become standard practice because they enable potential buyers to explore listed properties without entering the home. Potential buyers are highly encouraged to view homes virtually so they can narrow down the selection. Agents try to limit the number of physical home visits, reserving them for the most qualified and motivated buyers.
Several states have adopted remote notarization to keep transactions moving forward, and where permitted, title offices are employing virtual notaries to facilitate drive-up or mail-in closings.
You can obtain more information or start your home sale process with the assistance of a Personal Relocation Manager, compliments of your senior living community’s Moving Made Easy® program. This dedicated real estate expert acts as your advocate and will provide you with a 360° Home Market Analysis. They will review and discuss this report with you, so you are informed and confident in your home sale decisions. Your Personal Relocation Manager can recommend local top-performing agents and, for qualified homes, may also present an immediate cash offer so that you can close on your timeline in as few as 14 days.