Real Estate and Covid-19 Part 5
Procedures for Real Estate, How Covid-19 has Changed the Experience of Selling Real Estate
By Erin Wright and Christina Waterhouse
What challenges do sellers face when putting their house on the market? How can sellers help create a safer environment for showings? This week we continue to focus on the challenges that are currently being faced by buyers and sellers transacting real estate and how our local market has responded to those challenges to make the process safer and easier.
The Seller Process During Covid-19
Selling a house is always a stressful time, add a worldwide pandemic and it can seem overwhelming. However, speaking with an agent can help increase preparedness and reduce stress.
Before Going on the Market
The first step is always getting the house ready for the market. Although it is fun to watch a house makeover in real time, it is best to avoid being home during this part of the process. Allow the landscapers, stagers, and photographers to focus on making the house look its best instead of maintaining social distance standards. Also, if the agent does not offer it, have the house thoroughly cleaned and disinfected by a professional right before going on the market.
Virtual and Paperless Marketing
The house is ready for the market. Work with the agent to give as many details about the house as possible to put into the MLS. This is a great time to have room measurements and amenities added. Virtual tours and floor plans allow perspective buyers to get a good idea of the house before a showing. Have a sturdy, permanent flyer attached to the sign post in lieu of paper flyers. I love a good flyer and being able to take one, but now is not the time to have lots of hands on pieces of paper being passed out to the public. If brochures are used inside of the house for showings, only put out one at a time prior to the showing.
Being Prepared for a Showing
Limit showings to pre-approved buyers only. This will minimize the number of people in the home. The buyers who do see the home will be the serious ones. Try to not be home for the first five days on the market. This allows buyers easier access and makes it easier to clean when you return. Have all lights on and doors open for a showing. This minimizes how many surfaces are touched inside of the home. Be prepared for showings to take longer since not everyone in a group can see the house at the same time. The agent should be providing ample shoe covers to be used inside. Place them by the front door. The best practice right now is to have buyers use the shoe covers and take them after the showing. Single use shoe covers minimize touching. Consider placing hand sanitizer with a pump at the front door for people to disinfect upon entering and leaving the home.
Sanitize When Returning Home
Thoroughly sanitize common surfaces when returning home. Places to consider are cabinets, countertops, door handles, handrails, and light switches.
When first listing a home, this can be overwhelming. Consider making a checklist so the house is prepared for every showing and sanitized after. For more information on how to stay safe and what to expect as a seller in this market, please feel free to comment on this blog post or reach out to us directly.
As always, we welcome any questions you may have and are happy to offer advice.
Real Estate and Covid-19 Part 1
Understanding the Current Real Estate Market in Clark County
Our team has received a lot of inquiries regarding the real estate market during Covid-19. There are valid concerns and questions surrounding how this has impacted the market so far and what will happen in the future. We decided to share with you all the various statistics that we review to gauge the health of the real estate market and help you understand what they mean. This is part 1 of a series of real estate economic blog posts we will be publishing weekly.
What our local Market is currently doing and why
Clark County Washington is experiencing a Seller’s Market. We are seeing new listings that are priced appropriately selling quickly with multiple offers. This may seem counter intuitive, given that unemployment is up and so many businesses are closed. These things are true. Real estate is a perfect example of supply and demand. The pandemic has decreased demand, and we are seeing fewer buyers in the market than we would typically see this time of year. Some buyers are waiting to see what happens with their jobs, the economy, or just do not feel safe viewing properties. However, the pandemic has decreased the supply further. According to RMLS the week prior to the state-wide lock down, there were 272 new listings on the market. This past week there were only 173 new listings on the market, a decrease of 36%. To further tighten the inventory, during the past week, 183 listings went pending, which is 10 more listings than came on the market.
This data provides a good picture of what is going on in terms of numbers, but what does it mean to the buyers and sellers in the market today? We received multiple offers on our last 3 new listings during this pandemic. We have also had multiple buyers in bidding wars over the last couple weeks. For Sellers, this is showing that there is strong interest in the market right now due to the incredibly low inventory. We strongly advise Sellers to fully prep, clean, landscape and stage houses. This, along with pricing at market value will enable sellers to capitalize on the high demand and hope for multiple offers. For Buyers, this means that if you like a house, you need to make a quick decision to write an offer and really put your best foot forward. This can be difficult if you are looking for a good deal. Our best recommendation to such buyers is to look for properties that have been on the market for 30, 60, 90+ days and try to negotiate those sellers down on price. For all buyers right now, be prepared to lose out on a few houses because you have a lot of competition. Be patient, the right house will come around.
As always, we welcome any questions you may have and are happy to offer advice.
Come Play Bingo for a Cause!
Looking for a fun event to do in March with the whole family? This month to give back, Erin Wright Homes is partnering with Habitat for Humanity for a fun night playing Bingo for a cause. Join us Friday, March 18, 2016 for a fun night of Bingo while helping support the Evergreen Habitat for Humanity. Games are $2 a piece and all prizes are valued at $25 or more! Complimentary snacks provided and beer and wine available for purchase. This event is family friendly, so bring your kids! Want to get even more involved? Join Erin Wright Homes for our Habitat Build April 2, 2016! We would love to see everyone there!
What: Bingo for Habitat for Humanity
When: Friday, March 18, 2016 from 6pm-8pm
Where: Clark County Habitat Store
10811 SE 2nd Ave.
Vancouver, WA
Please RSVP to Erin Wright by Wednesday, March 16, 2016 by e-mail at ErinWright@Windermere.com
or by phone by calling 360-356-1445
Hope to see you all there!
For more information on the Evergreen Habitat for Humanity, please visit their website at:
***Want to plan ahead for April’s Community Event? We will be doing a Habitat for Humanity Build with the Evergreen Habitat for Humanity on Saturday, April 2, 2016. We would love to see everyone there. This event is for people 18 years and older.***