There’s no denying that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way homes are sold.
But which of those changes are here to stay?
A recent article from realtor.com outlined some of the COVID-related changes to the home selling process that are expected to become staples in 2021 (and beyond), including:
- Virtual showings. Stay-at-home orders prevented buyers from touring potential homes in person, which led to a rise in virtual showings. But virtual showings proved to be a convenient way to tour homes even after restrictions were lifted—and are expected to be a mainstay in many buyers’ home searches (for example, buyers who are looking for a property out of state or who want to avoid investing time in touring too many homes in person) well after the pandemic is over.
- More detailed listings. Many sellers used to rely on open houses to sell their home. But because buyers couldn’t easily see a property in person, high quality listing photos and accurate, detailed descriptions became an invaluable marketing tool and a must-have element of the sales process—a trend that will definitely continue into 2021.
- No-touch closings. Prior to COVID, most closings happened in person. But in order to comply with social distancing guidelines (and in areas where online signatures and notaries are permitted), many closings went fully virtual—and, because of their convenience, those virtual closings are fully expected to continue post-COVID.
The Takeaway:
Bottom line? The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the home selling process—and many of those changes are a) for the better, and b) here to stay.