Don't Let Your Home Search Get Infected by COVID19!

There is one conversation dominating the headlines at the moment- COVID19! The highly transmissible virus that seems to taking victims like a silent Ninja! Medical experts have explained that we can lessen the risk of exposure by washing hands frequently, avoid touching your face and staying clear of large gatherings and crowds. No matter where you are on the spectrum of concern, we can all agree that this has already caused significant disruption to our society.

So how does this pandemic affect any plans to buy a house? As a trusted Realtor, I thought it may be helpful to provide some guidance on how to continue your search for the perfect home while limiting your risk of infection.

• Spend extra time looking at online property pictures and virtual tours to carefully examine the features, floor plan and finishes of the home. This will also allow you to build a mental list of what things you may need/want to do and decide if you are comfortable with taking on the work.

• Use online tools (such as Google Earth and Google Maps) to better understand the property location and the surroundings to determine if it is suitable. 

• Request property documents ahead of time. This may include community restrictions and seller disclosures. These will help uncover some of the more specific details of the community and the property condition. There may be information in these documents that help you make a decision to pursue or pass on the property. 

• Arrange a live video tour (such as FaceTime) of the property with your Agent. This will allow you to ask questions and get real-time answers. Your agent would be able to offer insights that perhaps you cannot gain online. They would be able to take measurements and explain details of the home as if you were there.

There is no substitute for physically walking around a space and experiencing the feeling you have in the home. However; using these tactics will allow you to eliminate properties and narrow the search so you only need to tour homes that you may make an offer on. At the same time, following these suggestions would keep your home search on track and keep you as healthy as possible.

Stay safe out there!