Like the rest of the country, Realtors are sailing in previously uncharted waters during the COVID-19 pandemic. Selling real estate in a pandemic safely and effectively requires new skills and guidelines.
- First of all, because of guidelines discouraging gatherings of 10 or more people, our real estate offices are closed and the support staff is working remotely. You can still call and talk to whomever you need to, they’re just not sitting in their physical offices.
- Traditional open houses have been suspended or modified for the duration of the health emergency. We’re doing our first virtual open house this coming Saturday on a new listing at 30 Exeter Farms Road in Exeter, NH. and Interested buyers are invited to make an appointment in order for us to control the number of people showing up. Hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes will be available.
- We’ll be broadcasting our virtual open house on Facebook Live at 11:00 AM on March 28th and inviting comments and setting showing appointments from there. We plan to be at the home from 11:00 until 1:00 for private showings by appointment. You can also call or text us on our direct number and we’ll arrange a time slot for you.
If you, family members, coworkers, or friends are in the market for a great new home visit us Saturday at our virtual open house at PortsmouthNHRealEstate . You can ask questions, take a virtual tour, join us in a virtual walk-thru, and make an appointment for an in-person visit.
This listing will be available to view soon and see the photos and virtual tour.
Mortgage financing is still readily available with great interest rates. We talk often to mortgage professionals to stay abreast of the latest guidelines put in place during the pandemic. Here’s one big change. Some lenders will be allowed to use desktop appraisal and exterior only appraisals for purchase transactions through May 17, 2020. This has been necessitated not only because of the pandemic but the huge demand for refinancing due to record low-interest rates. If you have a high-interest rate loan refinancing might be an option to consider for you. One of our past clients is refinancing their mortgage now to take advantage of the low rates and is not only lowering their payment significantly but also eliminating their private mortgage insurance. Give us a call to get the latest on refinancing.
Closings are different now than they were a few weeks ago. Today it’s common for sellers and buyers to sign their portion of the closing papers in separate rooms or locations to minimize potential exposure. No big change here, we’ve done remote closings for years, sometimes with either buyers or sellers or both in another state or country.
If you have any questions or concerns about buying or selling during these unsettling times, we’re happy to talk with you and give you the latest information to enable you to reach the best decision for your needs and your health and safety.
Ann and Jim, call or text 603-436-1221 or contact us here
