Selling Your Home and Staying Safe in the COVID-19 Age
There is no doubt that the pandemic has affected and will continue to affect real estate. However, if you have to move, you have to put your home on the market. In doing so, you potentially put your family at risk. But with a few smart choices, you can mitigate these risks and sell safely without letting fear control the process.
A Virtual World
One thing that has truly changed the game as far as real estate listings are concerned is the availability and ease of virtual tours. These, along with interactive walk-throughs and virtual staging, mean that people can access your home from anywhere in the world without ever walking through the threshold. Fortunately, getting your home ready for a virtual tour is not that different than prepping it for an in-person showing.
According to HomeAdvisor, natural light is your best friend when it comes to preparing your home for video production. If you’re doing the video yourself, keep your hands steady. If you know this will be a problem, invest in a device known as a gimbal, which allows for smooth video, even when you are walking and navigating stairs.
Set It Up
In addition to ensuring that you have ample natural light, there are a few things you can do to your home to make it show better in video. Perhaps one of the simplest of these is to add a fresh layer of mulch to the yard. Not only does this neaten things up and improve curb appeal, it will also provide visual interest and color, which will stand out on your video. A coat of paint on the kitchen cabinets or turning a spare bedroom into a home office are also small projects you can do while you have time to improve your home’s value and appearance.
More than any of these, your home must also be clean and free of clutter. If you don’t have time to purge your unwanted belongings, Remoov can help, and you may even earn a bit of money back to help cover the cost of home improvements.
In Person
At some point, a serious buyer will want to physically come into your home for closer inspection. You may be concerned about your family’s safety, and that is understandable. But there are steps that you can take to lessen the chances of contamination without exposing your family to harsh chemicals.
Making your own cleaning products is safer and often just as effective as using commercially manufactured cleaners. Not only do you not have to go out in the public to buy the ingredients – you probably have them in your pantry – but they are healthier for your entire family as well. For an all-purpose cleaner that also kills germs, Cleaning Product Reviews suggests mixing hydrogen peroxide and vinegar with castile soap, water, and a few essential oils. You can similarly make air freshener and glass cleaner that is safe enough for food prep services and won’t pose a threat to children or those with a compromised immune system.
Something else to consider before allowing people into your home is that you may want to limit visits to no more than two people, but do speak with your realtor first to confirm that in-person showings are not prohibited in your area. The National Association of Realtors has published a complete guide, and your agent can use this to help you make more informed decisions about how to proceed.
When you have to sell your home, there are things that you must do to make yourself and your buyers safer and more comfortable. Fortunately, you can lessen some of your risk by insisting on safety protocols, such as video tours, cleaning, and limiting the number of people inside of your house.
Guest article written by Shirley Martin from Tidylifetoday.com – shirley@tidylifetoday.com