I hope this time of uncertainty during COVID-19 won’t keep you from selling your house if you NEED to sell your house now. While some real estate agents may advise you to wait until the market picks back up again, our local real estate association has seen no negative effect of the quarantine on sales price of local homes. Yes, there are fewer showings and fewer homes going under contract, but the ones that are marketed well are faring quite well.
Real estate in NC is considered essential business. We have updated guidelines that we must follow when showing and marketing homes that are consistent with current general guidelines on social distancing. Many listing agents are now offering virtual tours of homes, or a buyer’s agent can do a live tour with clients via FaceTime or the like. It’s no surprise that much can be gleaned from a virtual tour, floor plan, Google street view, and getting questions of importance answered between agents before entering a home for a showing.
A perfect example of folks who need to sell in this time of COVID-19 are those separating and divorcing. They need the equity from the house in order to move forward with their lives and may be on a timeline. It’s likely the most important factor in the financial equation of who gets what and how much. As I’ve shared before, careful attention should be paid to get the numbers and process right. This research can be done now. It doesn’t have to wait.
A realtor (particularly one specializing in divorce real estate like myself) can help you with assembling people to get your home prepared for listing. Stagers are working virtually, lenders can talk over the phone, attorneys can do title searches, and an inspector can provide a pre-sale inspection and share findings through photos and videos. If you are up for it, we can suggest minor home projects or encourage you to pre-pack non-essential belongings. So, if you need to sell, don’t worry. Business isn’t as usual, but we are finding creative ways to get houses sold for top dollar.