How to sell a home successfully during the pandemic

Perhaps you are not eager to put up your property for sale in the middle of the global pandemic, but you do not have a choice. The house is too small to hold all your family and upsizing to a larger one is necessary. The decision may seem sudden, even if it is not. Choose a real estate agent, decide on a price, and spend the rest of your time preparing the property for showings. If your home does not sell within the first 30 days, change your approach. Clearly, you are doing it all wrong. Selling a house in the age of social distancing and COVID-19 may be difficult, but not impossible. Here are some pointers to remember if you want the house-selling process to go smoothly.

Make sure you are asking a reasonable price for your property

As governments around the world make great efforts to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus, they have had to take drastic measures, which have negatively affected economic activity. The global pandemic is seeing lower-income households. The point is that people’s income has declined considerably. Set a reasonable price for the property you want to sell. We are on the brink of an economic recession and people barely have money to make it through the day, let alone invest in real estate property. Make sure not to overprice your house.

If you do not know how much you should ask for, do your research and consult with your real estate agent. Do not look to get as high a price as possible because the home will be left unsold. Homebuyers will jump at the chance to strike a good bargain. However, it is not recommended to price your home below the market value. It will show up in the search results of prospective buyers, but they will not think that you are a serious seller. Practically, you will alienate people with your bait. There is no denying the fact that we are living tough times, yet you should not give your house away for free.

Offer buyers a virtual tour of the home

Real estate agents now use virtual technology to offer 3D touring. If you cannot afford to purchase a high-end VR computer, you are better off hiring a video production company. Present your property in an engaging clip. The video will be uploaded on the listing websites alongside the photos. We are not in lockdown anymore. Nonetheless, it is important to respect social distancing measures and minimize the number of showings. Watching the clip will allow prospective buyers to figure out if the home is a good fit for them. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth millions.

It can be tempting to shoot the video yourself, but you should better leave it to the pros. It is incredibly hard to shoot a good clip. If you have not been successful with anything having to do with filmmaking until now, it is best to hire video production experts. Attention needs to be paid to the fact that they typically work with brands and organizations. Find someone who can cater to your specific needs. Videos are highly specific projects that require the finesse of a professional. The promotional film should be under 3 minutes and it should highlight key features and amenities. Include some shots of the neighborhood so that viewers can get an idea of what is like to be living in the area.

Disinfect before and after showings

If a homebuyer insists that they want to see the property in-person, you cannot refuse them. It is understandable if you are reluctant to open your home to complete strangers due to the risk of infection. Limit the number of visitors to the property and thoroughly disinfect the house before and after the showings. There is no guarantee whatsoever that the people coming to view your home will be careful. Use disposable gloves for disinfection and make sure you have good ventilation after using household products specially formulated for the COVID-19 virus.

It is important to disinfect every room in the house, including the kitchen, bathroom, living room, and so on. The surfaces are full of microbes and germs. There is a big difference between cleaning and disinfecting. More exactly, cleaning implies removing the organic matter, such as germs and dirt, while disinfection implies killing the germs that lie on these surfaces. We do not know for how long the novel coronavirus resides on surfaces, but it is believed that it can survive for a couple of hours. Disinfect frequently touched items. This list will come in handy:

• TV remote
• Fridge door
• Door handles
• Kitchen cupboards
• Taps

You will want prospective buyers to get the best impression of your property before they walk through the door, so do not forget about the outside of the house. Trim the edges, will you?

Use teleconferencing and e-signing programs to negotiate contracts

If you get a good offer for the house, manage it digitally. Owing to advancements in technology, you do not have to leave home to negotiate contracts. Eliminate confusing emails and other forms of communication and opt for real-time questions and replies. If you are not familiar with the process, reach out to your realtor for help. Online negotiation is a must in times of social distancing. Do not try to claim as much of the pie as possible. Keep in mind that this needs to be a win-win situation. in other words, all parties should benefit from the agreement.

Embed electronic signing into your documents to make the real estate transaction go faster. Digital signatures are perfectly legal and, once the paperwork is signed, the agreement is enforceable. Glitches can occur during real estate transactions, meaning that you should be prepared to handle delays. You have waited until this point, so you should be able to wait a little bit longer. The last thing you will want to do is find a new home for your family.