Since the coronavirus pandemic began earlier this year, so many things have changed, including the real estate scene in San Gabriel Valley, California. Social distancing and other safety measures aimed to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus are being practiced by sellers and their realtors, and online means to show homes to potential buyers and close deals are also currently in place. It is apparent that, despite the hit to the economy, people are still buying homes. So, if you have been trying to get your property sold before the pandemic, there’s no reason for you to forego this now. There are a lot of ways you can promote your home during this pandemic, so read on.
3D Virtual Home Tours
Since open houses are obviously out of the question, one of the best ways for you to showcase your home for sale is through 3D home tours. Fortunately for sellers, there are several user-friendly virtual tour apps available that make it so easy to create 3D models from photos you have captured using your smartphone. This is one of the safest ways to feature your home to interested buyers because you can prepare the images all by yourself, even if you are not tech savvy, so you do not have to invite a videographer or real estate agent into your home. Depending on the size of your home and the number of rooms, it can take you just 30 minutes to an hour creating your 3D home walkthrough. Aside from being able to view this on mobile devices and computers, some apps even allow your images to be viewed on VR headsets for a more immersive experience.
Virtual Open House via Facebook
Another way to allow potential homebuyers to see your property is by creating a Facebook page and setting up a public event for your virtual open house. You can share this event or promote this through an ad so more people will learn about this. On the day of the virtual open house, upload video of the tour. Walk them through the property as if you were touring with a buyer in person, explaining each part of the property.
If you want a more interactive experience with your potential buyers, you can invite them to a Facebook Live broadcast. On your page, post about the date and time of your live tour of the property. Be sure that your home is well-staged for the live session. On the day of your live walkthrough, you will be able to see how many people are watching you and engage with them. This live broadcast will allow them to ask you questions as you show them around your home.
Not everybody is comfortable in front of the camera, so if you prefer, you can ask your real estate agent to do these virtual tours for you. If you choose this route, be sure to practice social distancing, which means no handshakes and keeping your distance of at least 1.5 meters at all times. Your realtor will also have to wear a face mask and shield throughout the duration that they are inside your home. They will also need to sanitize their hands and feet before entering your house. It is also best that you keep the tour as short as possible.
Smart Lockbox Access
This would be a good option for you if you are not residing in the home that you are selling. What used to be something that was given to real estate agents so they could have access to the seller’s home, even when they were not around, is now access that may be given remotely to potential buyers so they can get into the house being sold and have a first hand experience of the place. A smart lockbox is designed to securely store your spare key and can be opened with the use of a PIN code. You can send this PIN code to potential buyers so they can tour the property without requiring you or your realtor to be there to show them around. If you would be using this technology to let in interested buyers, be sure to leave minimal furniture for staging and do not keep anything small that may be stolen easily.
One-on-One In-Person Tour
If you must entertain a serious buyer in person, you can set up a one-on-one visit to your home as long as you set protocols to keep both you or your realtor and the potential buyer safe. Aside from social distancing, there should be virus-containment items, such as disposable gloves, masks, hand sanitizer, shoe covers, and wipes, at the front door before they enter your home. Place signs by the bathroom and kitchen sink to encourage thorough handwashing. Beside these signs, place bottles of antibacterial hand soap and a roll of paper towels. Be sure to disinfect your home before and after a showing, focusing on high-touch surfaces, such as doorknobs, light switches, table and counter tops, chairs, and faucets.
During these unusual times, we are able to cope through innovation. Thanks to this highly digital age, we are capable of performing most tasks through online means. Remember, your safety and that of your realtor and potential buyers should always come first, so opt for the online options unless you really need to allow interested buyers inside your property.
If you need a real estate professional to help you sell your San Gabriel Valley home, I will be more than happy to help you. Just give me a call at (626) 915-4164 or send me an email at info@cristalcellar.com if you have any questions or if you would like to schedule an online meeting.
