As a first time home buyer planning to house hack in Upstate NY, i’m looking for feedback on how to view multi-family properties during this pandemic. I’ve experienced a lot of resistance, mainly because tenants don’t want people walking through their homes (which is understandable). But I am also being told some properties can’t even be viewed until a tenants lease is up, which could be as early as next month for one property.
Any suggestions/alternative solutions would be appreciated.
Realtor · Boulder, CO · Member since 2016 · 3k+ posts · 5k+ votes
6y
@Brianca Hill showings have been allowed on and off this spring, at times being considered essential and other times not. Some tenants are still not okay having strangers coming in (which is understandable IMO) so we’ve been using a few different methods: virtual showings (someone like your agent, the current owner, their PM, the listing agent or even the tenant FaceTimes you/Zooms you while they’re at the property), virtual 3D tours using a matterport camera, tenant takes a bunch of photos themselves, etc. A lot of deals have been closing virtually. In the middle of the shutdown when things were really bad, some people were also just getting deals under contract before seeing them because showings weren’t considered essential but inspections and appraisals were. If you’re serious about the property you might consider having the seller or the agents involved find a way to set up a virtual showing, or even getting it under contract and then waiting for inspection to see it in it’s entirety.
Thanks @Steve K.! My realtor vaguely mentioned the second option, but was cautious not to force it on me. I‘ll try starting out with the virtual tour option, and see how that goes first.
Rental Property Investor · Saratoga Springs, NY · Member since 2018 · 162 posts · 102 votes
6y
Hi @Brianca Hill. Showings are very much property dependent at the moment. You may have a nervous owner who prefers virtual showings, or as you mentioned tenants are also restricting access. The best success I've found is offering several dates/times for showings, emphasize that masks and gloves will be worn and that your group touring will be limited to just one person. The more you can demonstrate that you care about the owner & tenants well being the greater the likelihood of gaining entry. All the best, - Steve