The COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly turned our world upside down changing our daily routines and behaviors drastically. Although our heightened sense of awareness as to how we live a more healthy and sanitized life happened so suddenly, we as Realtors were able to adapt quickly to the way we conducted business.
In many states Real Estate was deemed essential. Being that there were still sellers that needed to list and buyers that needed to buy our industry needed to adapt safely and quickly.
Even as we are seeing our world go back to “a new normal” as the virus subsides, these new precautions must be followed for some time. To that same point, we as an industry have embraced these new procedures allowing us to perform our duties as Realtors in new (and exciting) ways, thus allowing us to expand the various ways we handle our real estate transactions.
So, how is our job different now compared to the beginning of 2020?
Take a glimpse into our “new normal”:
The Virtual World
The world has gone virtual. When COVID first broke out, spreading like wildfire, we were forced to find a way to be able to list and show homes without physically being there. Virtual meetings and showings were the only answer at the time. This solution, although not ideal, was one of the first major changes put in place within our industry and has proven to be a great backup plan if needed.
New Attire
Ever think you would find yourself double-checking that you had your mask in hand before leaving the house? It has become a staple in everyone’s wardrobe; fancy, disposable and everything in between. This new trend is one we may be seeing for a while. As for other protective gear? Don’t rule out the gloves just yet. Making sure that you show your clients that you are taking all the necessary precautions to prevent the risk of getting the virus is now an integral part of the role you play as a Realtor. Just as important is reminding them that although you will following all the precautionary guidelines, there is no way of guaranteeing 100 percent that you will not be exposed.
Controlled showing blocks
While open houses have started to slowly pop up, controlled showing blocks were the only way for a period of time to get buyers in to see a property. These consolidated periods of time would allow for multiple buyers to see a home as long as they were wearing a mask and did not touch anything inside the house. This proved to be more convenient for the seller as they only needed to worry about cleaning their house once after the showings were done, adhered to the social distancing guidelines that are still in place, but more importantly kept buyers, sellers and agents as safe as possible. We recently put out a blog, 10 Steps to a Safe Home Showing, which outlines how to properly go about attending or hosting a safe showing. Although this was during a time when the virus was very prevalent, it is important to continue to practice safe measures for our clients and ourselves.
Our new normal may look different, but our jobs as Realtors remain the same. We are here to educate, set ease and more importantly get our clients the best deal possible on their real estate transaction. For more information on navigating the new way of real estate due to COVID-19 check out our Realtor resource page that includes a letter from Anthony, blogs for both Realtors and consumers and more!