While the current rules around social distancing have put the brakes on the housing market to some extent, there are definitely ways to work around it. Here at Boutique Property Agents we are still working hard and finding new ways to sell online while social distancing rules are in place.
In fact, there is no reason you can’t sell your home right now if you need to. The real estate market has been moving online gradually for years, and will continue to do so. Here is a step-by-step guide to selling your home within the current restrictions caused by Covid-19.
Pre-sale preparation
The good news is, there’s never been a better time to prepare your home for sale. We are all spending more time at home, which is a rare opportunity to start preparing for your sale without unexpected visitors interrupting you. Read our blog on decluttering and getting your home ready for sale.
You can get to work decluttering, cleaning and carrying out odd jobs and styling while at home. This means you can move towards a sale while the country is still in lockdown, and compete against fewer sellers. Or you can get moving with your sale as soon as restrictions are lifted.
Marketing online
Marketing is largely unchanged, because everyone now searches for property online. And in fact, people will have more time to house hunt right now, too.
And, thankfully, you can still call on the services of a stylist or photographer right now. Styling and photography are both jobs that cannot be done at home, so these workers are permitted to visit your property for styling and photography. As long as you keep your physical distance and provide hand gel and soap, this won’t be a problem. And a copywriter or your agent will still be able to provide marketing copy, so this isn’t a problem, either. Styling your home yourself is also something you can achieve with the help of Pinterest and online advice sites. Interior designer Clare Le Roy has some great tips for styling your own home on her blog.
Conducting an online open home
Currently open homes are prohibited, however, it is fine to conduct private inspections, with all parties following social distancing rules such as keeping a safe distance and not touching things. A safe online alternative is to shoot a walk-through of your home on your phone.
Fortunately, real estate has been gradually moving online for years, which means that some online services are already out there. Online real estate websites such as Gavl offer sellers the opportunity to host live online home inspections. These give buyers the opportunity to ‘attend’ at a set time and even ask questions as you walk them through the home.
Auctions and private treaty sales
Once you have buyers interested, your agent can start negotiating over the phone. Both private treaty and auction sales can be held online through services like Gavl and Anywhere Auctions.
The auction takes place via video link, with the auctioneer calling the bids in real time. And once all parties agree on a sale, your agent can arrange digital document signing.
Talk to us
If you are thinking of selling your home in the current market, feel free to get in touch with us.
People will always need to buy and sell, so while it’s a challenging market, it’s not impossible to sell your home during COVID-19.
Fortunately, businesses are responding quickly to keep the market moving. Here at Boutique Property Agents, we are still hard at work. We are always happy to talk to you about the changing market and what the social distancing rules mean for your sale.
