As the nation basically shuts down, many of you are nervous about selling during the Coronavirus outbreak. This is the Spring market, after all – which is notoriously the best time to sell. Plus – the best time to buy, with low interest rates all around. But, if everything is coming to a halt, you need to know how to deal with selling during this crazy time.
Open Houses/Showings
First off, take a deep breath. Everyone is being effected by this virus, not just you and the sale of your house. There are still people that need to move. Your house will sell. There just may be a break in showings for a bit. Keep the house on the market and have your agent keep advertising – everyone is on-line anyways, with a lot more time on their hands to search for homes!
I was actually one of the crazies that held an Open House yesterday, while everything else was shutting down. The house still needs to sell, right? I wasn’t expecting to have too many visitors, but wow. I was surprised. 7 families came through yesterday – and at the 2nd Open House for this particular house even. I did not anticipate that.
So, I wiped down all doorknobs and railings after each group left. That’s a lot of germs to welcome into your home, so I did my best to disinfect. It did rattle me a bit, having all those people through. At a certain point you really wonder if it’s worth it…while your start feeling your skin crawl, imagining all these germs. When I got home, I went in through the back door and straight into the shower. You have do this when selling during the Coronavirus!
Many agents have cancelled Open Houses until further notice, which I completely understand. As of now, I am too. Yesterday, a fellow agent mentioned, “I don’t know about holding Open Houses right now…”, although – she was at my Open House! With a family of 5! If you’re not going to hold Open Houses, you should also not be doing showings.
My point is – people are still looking. People are literally still risking their health in order to check out houses. The interest rates are just too tempting and some buyers need to take action, regardless of what’s going on. But still, be smart about it. Take a break from showings. If you’ve recently had one, disinfect your home. This virus stays on surfaces for up to 15 hours. Treat everyone as if they have it, and stop letting strangers with their stranger germs into your home! The more we practice social distancing, the sooner this whole thing should be over. Buyers will still be there, ready and waiting.
What You Can Do During the Coronavirus Shutdown
There are plenty of things that you can do to prepare for selling during the Coronavirus outbreak. Here are just a few:
- DIY Projects. Get all those little projects done now! You have extra time on your hands- you may as well use it wisely. I’m sure you have some paint in the basement to do some touch ups. Tighten that cabinet drawer, or dig through the garage and find a project to do – that you already have the supplies for. Or whip out your Cricut and make some cool new home decor!
- Refinance. The rates are great right now for refinancing! Even as interest rates start rising again, it’s something to look into. Here are 5 times you should consider refinancing, even when rates rise. At least you can save some money if it’s going to take a while for things to get back to normal.
- Yard Work. There’s no blizzard out there! You aren’t stuck home with bad weather for once…it’s actually pretty nice out. Get out there and get your yard in tip – top shape and increase your curb appeal. Head to your shed and grab the rake and the cutters and get to work!
- Clean & Declutter. You have the time right now to get your house looking its best. Sort through the bins that you frantically shoved in the attic to hide. Scrub inside the cabinets and fridge. Go through clothing, books, and toys to donate. Clean the windows, clean the floors…and try your hand at some staging!
Basically, take this time to really get your home show-ready. The market will bounce back and the buyers will be eager to buy. Check out more ways to Increase Your Curb Appeal Here, and prepare yourself completely with all the Steps to Selling Your House. The more you prepare yourself and your house now, the better the whole process will go – when the time is right.
