What can you do to sell your home safely?

 

Selling a home while protecting you and your families’ health utilizing social distancing has become the new challenge for many homeowners wanting to sell their homes. Does it mean you have to wait to sell your home? Has your home selling plan just had it’s bubble burst? I explore this here in my most recent home selling article. 

 

What can you do to sell a home when we’re experiencing public health concerns?

You have options that will satisfy however cautious you choose to be; pick what works best for you, perhaps all or just a few. So much can utilize common sense hygiene. Let me explain what’s available to you. And be sure to get to final thoughts to read my overall thoughts on this subject.

 

First, get to that calm place in your being

 

Get rid of the fear. Ignore the panic that seems to rear its ugly face everywhere you look for answers.  Fear and panic will not solve anything. Calmness will and it involves remaining at ease, knowing that we just have to attempt selling your home a bit different than we did just a month or so ago, but no worry….we’ll get it done. Ignore the hysteria so often seen. Home selling times have changed for a bit. That’s okay…we adjust. We will remain positive and revel in hope.

 

Find a Real Estate Agent well versed in digital, virtual technology

 

Digital and virtual technology will work hand in hand to become your new best friend; and, one that is attached to a Real Estate Agent is key for you to have any type of success in getting your home sold during these times. You’ll be thrilled of the options that are available to you.

I’m fortunate to represent a Real Estate Brokerage that has been in the forefront of such explosive digital virtual technology – eXp Realty.  They’ve been ahead of this curve even before now, when many Real Estate brokerages are scrambling to make their typical brick and mortar brokerages work in this age of social distancing, as they must adjust.

So, what do I mean, you ask? What is this digital virtual technology that I’m referencing and how will you need to market your home?

Your options can include:

 

Hold virtual meetings via video communications   

If preferred, I can meet with you online, over a high quality face to face video, sharing my screen with you to detail the home selling process that I’ve instituted to get your home sold in today’s environment. 

In addition, this mode of communication would enable me to see your home as we chat and you walk through your home showing me your home, as if I was right there with you for our very first meeting.

We’ll discuss your home, all of its features, it’s suggested list price and answer any questions or concerns that you may have about selling a home.

Know that this is all about what is going to work best for you and what you choose, once we’re able to get reintroduced back into society as stay at home orders are lifted, precautions can be taken for face to face meetings to resume. Hoping this to be the case, sooner rather than later.

 

Matterport Virtual Home Tours

Your home would get digitized where almost every inch of your homes’ space is brought to life in a 3D format, where many prospective home Buyers will “walk” through your home without even stepping one foot into your home. What?!…how wild is that you wonder! How could that be?! It’s true, it allows prospective home Buyers to tour a home virtually. Plus, your home will even come with a floor plan for Buyers to view how your home will work for them.

 

Ideally, you’d find a Buyer for your home that would find the presentation sufficient and will present an offer for your home after seeing this masterful 3D virtual home tour, skipping any of the routine home showings and eliminating the need to implement your home’s “access to your home” system, as I’ll discuss below. 

 

Signing of all Real Estate contracts will be completed digitally

No need to sign any document in person. You will set up a digital signing account using your email address, where it will serve as your legal signature and/or initials. All contracts will be sent to you via your email for signing.

 

Forget Open Houses of the past

 

Open Houses are the last thing you want going on during these Covid-19 times. You want to sell your home, but you certainly don’t want to risk putting you and your family in the face of any swirling virus. The thought of dozens of people meandering through your home, touching and feeling your things, really doesn’t set well with you. Particularly, when so many that frequent open houses aren’t really even looking for a home like yours to buy, but rather are just curious and/or looking for another pretty house to browse. No, you don’t…I get that and completely understand.  

If open houses are to be used, the scheduling of virtual open houses may be an option. An appointment would be set and prospective Buyers could be tuning in during the scheduled open house via a live access tool such as a Google hangout, Facebook live, Zoom and the like. 

 

Establish an “Access to your Home” system

 

This system should keep germs to a minimum. Yet, keep in mind that the digital and virtual technology that your hired Realtor (discussed above) employs, this access could well be kept to a very minimum, where prospective home Buyers are able to utilize the tools your Realtor provides.

This will help to guide you when you’re taking social distancing seriously, giving you safe options to consider for you, your home and any visitors. Also, it’s important to realize that the health and safety of visitors to your home should be top of mind also; if you’re not feeling well, don’t allow others into your home.

• • • If an entrance to your home is needed, require all entrants to wear a face mask. Currently, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), county and city orders here in April 2020 are recommending and/or requiring a face mask to be worn when out in public. With this in mind, most people should be having their mouths and noses covered with some type of facial mask before entering your home. Most visitors will likely have their own face masks, yet some may not; with this in mind, face masks would be provided by you as the home Seller – you wouldn’t want to rely on someone to get their own masks to wear into your home. Have them there, just in case.
    • Again, if an entrance is needed, require all that enter your home to wear disposable shoe covers prior to entering or better yet, have them remove their shoes at the door and then put on the foot/shoe covers. Disposable shoe covers would be provided by you as the home Seller – you wouldn’t want to rely on someone to get their own covers to wear into your home. You may have already been requiring the service industry professionals to wear shoe covers in your home before this all even started.

• • • Same here, if an entrance is needed, require all that enter your home to wear disposable gloves. Disposable gloves would also be provided by you, just like the disposable shoe covers would that I just discussed above.

• • • Provide a small trash can, lined with a trash bag for visitors to dispose of their shoe covers and gloves upon leaving your home. At the end of day, put on your disposable gloves and gather up a trash bag to safely dispose of into your home’s large garbage can. 

 

 

Limit foot traffic through your home and when there’s an essential need, refer to your established system in place, as discussed above

 

The home selling process typically involves some who may need access to your home in order for the home Buyer to complete their purchase of your home.

This foot traffic can have certain rules in place; similar to what you put forth when a Buyer may need to access.

• • • Home inspectors will need access to your home to fully inspect it before a home Buyer is ready to finalize and close on the purchase of your home. Your home’s access could be limited to the home inspector only. Home inspectors can wear facial masks, along with shoe covers and gloves, as discussed above. When the inspector has completed his/her inspection, they’ll then call the home Buyer to go over their findings verbally and then as is customary, provide a full inspection report. If you want to allow access to one or two of the home Buyers, that could be an option too.
    • Home appraisers that need to access homes to complete their assignment from the Buyer’s Lender will have to access in order to complete an appraisal, determining your home’s value.

 

Use of Remote online notaries for social distancing closings

 

Remote notaries were signed into law January 1, 2020. Allows Real Estate transactions to be completed entirely digitally.  

The SECURE Notarization Act addresses fraud and security involvement. It requires multi factor authentication, tamper evident technology and real time audiovisual technology that is used so the notary and any signer are able to observe and hear one another at the same time.

A notary seal, signature or a certificate is generated, located, then saved electronically.

Permitting a notary and signer to be in different physical locations safely executing electronic, closing documents is currently allowed in 23 states.

You’ll sign and notarize your Real Estate documents online with the Webcam notary, opposed to the traditional notary where your identification would need to be presented in person, typically with your driver’s license to verify you are who you say you are for the closing.

Remote notaries is not an automatic for all notaries, as some notaries may not be authorized to complete an online notary. In addition, not all Lenders will allow for a remote notary closing. Therefore, it’s important to find out up front with the home Buyer’s Lender if they indeed allow for the use of a remote notary.

 

In the event, a remote notary is not allowed, there are still ways in which to limit your presence at a home sale closing with the following 2 options:

1. 1. As the home Seller, you can sign all of your documents with only the Closing Agent being present. The home Buyer’s will sign all of their closing documents separate from your meeting with the closing Agent, limiting the presence of multiple persons. You could even accomplish this in the fresh outdoor air if you prefer, keeping you out of an office confinement. This option is most often available here in southeast Florida where we most often have beautiful weather. The joys of being a Florida resident here in Boca Raton, Florida. Smile.
   2. The Closing Agent can either email or overnight mail you all of your closing documents and you can make arrangements to meet with a notary to have any and all documents that require a notarized signature. You’d sign all of the closing documents, obtain the notary required docs and then you will return all of these original documents via overnight mail to the office of the Closing Agent.

 

Final thoughts

 

Instituting a plan, such as discussed above, can certainly provide you with suitable social distancing options to get your home sold. It’s up to you, in what you choose to do when selling a home. All of these options and guidelines will be dependent upon your unique situation, where you live and government recommendations and/or orders that may be in place for your home town. If you’re wanting to sell a home in Boca Raton, sell a home in Coral Springs, another southeast Florida city or just about anywhere here in our great nation, you’ll look to your local ordinances to determine the route you’ll take.  It’s all possible. Know your mind can be set at ease when you have a trusted Real Estate pro on your side guiding you through this new home selling process, when the time comes to sell a home in times of social distancing.

 

Perhaps, these times will bring in new ways of selling a home simply because you like the digital, virtual approach to home selling. Maybe it will just become easier to sell a home virtually. Ever think of that as being a new norm?! Hmmm, maybe…even without any viruses.

 

“And remember, just keeping your hands washed and any unwashed hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth really goes a long way towards keeping you, your family and friends healthy.  Keep your hands clean! Simple. It’s funny, but I’ve always been a routine hand washer, so I guess I’ve known all along on the importance of keeping our hands clean to ward off infections.”

 

 

 

More additional home selling references below: If you’re selling a home, be sure to read the valuable resources below to aid in the home selling process.

 

Selling your home during coronavirus?  – Here Petra delivers some very good advice when you need to sell a home during the Covid-19 outbreak. Know how best to get it done.

Coronavirus etiquette rules – What will set you up best to surviving the selling of a home or buying a home during the coronavirus? Xavier lets you know the right way to do it.

Selling a home when divorcing – Divorce is never easy and lessening any obstacles when it comes time to sell a home that you both shared will be welcome advice from Bill, as he shares excellent home selling tips.

What to disclose when selling a home – What is it that you have to disclose when selling a home? Paul lets you know the importance of disclosures come home selling time.

A home selling process – What is the process to selling a home? Knowing what’s in store for you once you’ve made the decision to sell your home, will make the whole process go a lot smoother. Here you find out all you need to know from Kevin.

 

Today’s Boca Raton Real Estate article “How to Sell a Home in times of Social Distancing” was written by Lynn Pineda a top Boca Raton Realtor and top Coral Springs Realtor. You’ll find Lynn selling homes in Southeast Florida in the cities of Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Coral Springs, Delray Beach, Coconut Creek, Deerfield Beach, Margate, Lake Worth, Parkland, Pompano Beach,Tamarac, Sunrise, and surrounding areas within Broward and Palm Beach counties. Call Lynn at 954-464-1100 if you have questions about buying a home in Boca Raton to Coral Springs and around.

Lynn Pineda, a licensed Southeast Florida Real Estate Agent serving Southeast Florida since 2005. eXp Realty LLC. Real Estate Promises Delivered. You can speak with Lynn by calling/texting her at 954-464-1100 or you can email her at: LynnP@ImagineYourHouse.com if you need to buy or sell a Southeast Florida home. Your local, trusted professional when it’s time to buy or sell a home.  Real Estate promises delivered.