COVID-19 has changed the way we think about day to day tasks. The real estate industry has also shifted to accommodate social distancing. Many events and meetings that would have been hosted in person, have moved online. Open houses are one such event.
Virtual open houses make it possible for high risk individuals to see homes for sale or safely offer viewings of their own on-market homes. They are typically scheduled events where you can ask questions about the home and get a feel for the layout by having a guided video-tour around the house.
Before you attend your first virtual open house, make sure you check out the listing photos, and if available, the virtual tour online. While looking at those, write down any questions, you still have about the listing such as
- What’s the neighborhood like?
- What school zone is it?
- Is the home in a flood zone?
- Are the current owners living in the home?
- Is it move-in ready?
- When was the roof/water heater last replaced?
Once you attend your virtual open house, you should have a good idea whether or not that’s the home you want to move ahead with and we can talk about next steps.
In the meantime, if you or someone you know is looking to buy or sell a home this holiday season, let me know! I’ll be glad to help.