Tips for Virtual Home Shopping During COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed so much of the way we live right now, home shopping included. With Stay at Home mandates in place in much of the country, we certainly can’t be going in and out of strangers’ homes touching doorknobs, light switches, and appliances.
If you are needing to move soon, however, don’t despair! We can help you find a home and stay safely within the health guidelines. Here are some tips for home shopping during the pandemic.
Be selective about the homes you choose to visit. If you are the type of buyer that likes to cast a wide net and see everything in your price range, you may have to change your methodology. Try to narrow down your list of homes to visit to your very top choices.
Start with a Virtual Tour. Many sellers are making virtual home tours available for buyers.The technology for virtual has improved greatly in the last couple of years, from simple videos to 3-D tours with floorplans that help you feel what it is really like to walk throughthe rooms.
Take a Facetime tour with your agent. If the seller doesn’t offer a virtual tour, have your agent do one for you. The seller may be more comfortable allowing one agent to come in than a group of people. Your agent, masked and gloved, can take a video for you or Facetime with you while you tour the home.
Scheduling a live showing. When you find a home you really must see in person, don’t bring anyone with you that isn’t vital to the decision-making process. Besides the fact that sellers probably don’t want a family of six parading around, with fewer distractions you can get a better look and eliminate the need to come back a second time. Take lots of pictures and measurements so you don’t miss anything.
Put safety first when touring. You want to safeguard your own health, and you want the sellers to appreciate that you safeguard theirs as well. Have your agent arrange for the sellers to stay in one area of the home, or in the yard, while you look and ask the sellers to open all the doors, cabinets, and closets so you don’t have to touch anything. Wear a mask and use hand sanitizer before and after you enter the home.
We are showing and selling houses during the pandemic, so don’t let it discourage you from looking. Most of the process can be handled online now, and what cannot be done digitally we are taking care of with your health and safety in mind.
Spring is in the air and so is pollen and dust. While we are all practicing responsible social distancing and staying home, why not take the time to do a deep cleaning?
Here are some ideas and tips from professional cleaners and organizers to help you get the job done.
Designate an area to collect items to be donated. A closet, a corner of the garage, or a spare room. This way you can collect everything in one place until you are able to take it to a donation center.
Pick a method for decluttering: Follow the Marie Kondo’s advice and clean out the entire house by category, in this order: clothing, books, papers, miscellaneous items, then sentimental items. Another approach is to tackle the task by area, one cabinet, closet, or room at a time.
When cleaning, start from the top with ceiling fans, crown molding, door and window frames, and cabinet tops, and work your way down, finishing with the floors.
Remember to clean these easily over-looked spots: the top of, underneath, and inside of the fridge, inside the microwave and oven, behind the washer and dryer, the dryer vent outlet, air vents, windows and screens, window blinds, computer keyboards and gaming controls, toys, the shower curtain and drain, the garbage disposal and splash guard, patio furniture, the grill, outdoor trash and recycling containers, and outdoor door mats.
Set up an annual or semiannual appointment for carpet, rug and upholstery professional cleaning.
Keep an ongoing list of needed repairs to tackle yourself or have a handyman come in periodically to check things off the list. Spruce up landscaping with fresh mulch and plants. Have tree limbs trimmed away from your roof.
Have your home’s exterior pressure cleaned, including the roof, driveway and patios.
Launder your bedspreads, blankets and mattress pads. Don’t forget about your pet’s beds also.
Don’t waste money on a lot of cleaning products. Baking soda and vinegar can accomplish a lot for much less than brand cleaning products cost. Click here for some homemade cleaning solution from Good Housekeeping.
Spring cleaning is a good time to do a safety check on your home and hold a family fire or emergency drill. Check the pressure on fire extinguishers, test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, make sure doors and windows lock and open properly, and check for unsafe wiring, improperly stored flammable materials, and child safety hazards.
