Moving Forward By Staying Safe
We are not sure how COVID-19 will affect us in the future but we do know that right now the name of the game is staying safe.
At the same time people still need to keep moving forward. Homes need to be bought and sold for many different reasons, such as retirement, job changes and estate sales.
The real estate industry has slowed a bit, but it is far from shut down. As a matter of fact we just sold a house on April 1st (not a joke).
While the state government has decided to extend the “shelter-in-place” order they have also made many real estate activities essential. Provided that we act responsibly and take all the necessary precautions.
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What can now be performed (4/21/21):
- Scheduled Showings (10 people at a time)
- Open Houses up to 10 people
- Photography
- Home Inspections
- Home Movers
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What was already allowed:
- Mortgage Lenders
- Title and Escrow Services
- Mobile Closing Services
- Sending and Submitting Offers
Virtually everything that we need to get a home Market Ready and sold, or to assist a client with purchasing a new home.
In an effort to make sure that if you do find yourself in a position where you need to move and buy or sell a home we can offer you the safest possible transaction we have fine-tuned our Virtual Services.
Below are 7 Virtual Real Estate Services that we offer.
Virtual Real Estate Services
1. VIRTUAL MEETINGS
Ironically, I just got done meeting with a new client about selling their home on a Zoom meeting. Joe and I were able to meet virtually with our client and present our Steps to Selling Success guide via screen share.
We can also meet with potential new home buying clients and present our Steps to Home Buying Success guide.
Zoom is a video and screen sharing platform that is easy to use from your laptop or mobile phone or tablet.
Example of a Zoom Meeting
We also started to use the Zoom platform for The Madrona Groups weekly meetings and our office sales meetings, trying to keep the social distancing even among our team.
2. VIRTUAL SIGNINGS
We have access to a tool called Authentisign which allows us to create and and Legally sign real estate documents from your laptop, mobile phone or tablet.
Joe and I have bought and sold a ton of homes using this technology. It is safe, easy to use, legally binding and virtual.
The platform is browser based and does not require you to download any software or apps.
3. VIRTUAL STAGING
Offering staging services right now might be a bit much to ask so we can offer a virtual staging experience. this includes both staging the rooms with furniture, rugs, plants, and artwork and removing any unwanted items.
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VIRTUAL STAGING
We can take any room to virtually stage and give you a choice of different decorating themes:
- MODERN
- SCANDINAVIAN
- CONTEMPORARY
- HAMPTONS
- TRADITIONAL
- FARMHOUSE
- URBAN/INDUSTRIAL
- Item Removal
This one came in real handy for me a few listings ago when our clients car died in the driveway and we did not want his car in our primary home exterior image.
This service is pretty self-explanatory in that we simply remove the item or items that need to be removed.
4. VIRTUAL 3D TOURS
A Matterport 3D virtual tour is not a video with 20 images that slide or fade together with music playing in the background. That is a slide show. And quite honestly not anything that should be displayed on any listing ever.
It is not a narrated tour of the home with a video camera. First of all that is not 3D and second the viewer is not in control of the tour.
“…the experience [Matterport 3d Tour] is transformative. I toured a home from thousands of miles away. I remember the master bedroom and how it was connected to the kids rooms down the hall. I remember the ensuite bathroom and the fixtures inside. To this day, it still feels like I have walked through that home”, says Joel Burslem of 1000Watt.
A true 3D Listing Tour puts the viewer in control of where they would like to go and what they would like to see.
It is a virtual tour that is available to show your home 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
5. VIRTUAL VIDEO PRODUCTION
We will take a video of the 3D Virtual tour along with a combination of the profesional HD images and cinematic music to create an video. We will use that video to market your home virtually.
Posting the video on:
- Facebo0k
- Youtube
Giving your listing more virtual exposure.
6. VIRTUAL SHOWINGS
Along with many houses having a 3D Tour and videos to help you get a good feel for a home on the market. We are also available to do virtual showings for our clients.
Just request a real time virtual showing via Skype, Zoom, Instagram video call or Facebook video call or whatever platform you prefer to use.
7. VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSES
If you don’t feel comfortable with having a swarm of people going in and out of your home we can set up a virtual open house.
We use a scheduling software for showings now and that ensures that only 1 group at a time can be in your home while it is on the market.
We can use Facebook Live to do a Virtual Open House that will give the masses access to your home without needing an appointment.
Staying Safe Non-Virtually
When we meet a client to tour a listing we bring our Stay Healthy Home Showing Kit. Which includes:
- Rubber Gloves
- Hand Sanitizer
- Disinfecting Wipes
We Are Open For Business
While things are not the same as they were, and may never be, we are still performing our real estate services.
We have just pushed as much toward virtual as possible. Trying to limit having to leave the house or be in contact with others.
Services that we can perform virtually include; Virtual Meetings, Virtual Signings, Virtual Tours, Virtual Staging and Virtual Video Production.
We hope that you and your family are staying safe and if there is anything that we can assist you with please contact us.
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