COVID-19 has infiltrated our lives immediately and seemingly out of nowhere. It is currently keeping us away from each other and impacting daily life in ways many of us never thought possible. We are at home working, raising children, keeping our families safe and some of us are even running classrooms. As a society we have all stepped up to get through this together and it truly is something to be commended. We should take a pause and pat ourselves on the back for how well we have all stepped up to the plate.
Unfortunately, this whole mess is affecting all of us financially. Employers are laying people off at an alarming rate and the economy is suffering. Those of us that are blessed enough to be able to work from home find ourselves struggling to balance all the needs of our families and our work life. And in the middle of this you may have a house to sell and you may need to sell it NOW! Like, right now. We can help with that. Don’t let this pandemic stop you from selling your home. Here is what are clients have been asking.
1. How can you buy my house if you never actually step inside?
We have purchased hundreds of homes over the past 16 years. From bungalows to mansions and everything in between. And we already have experience buying properties remotely and virtually. In fact, we have been doing so since 2016. We are not new to the method or the execution. We own several properties right now that we have never actually stepped foot in. Some of them we purchased after lengthy discussions describing as much detail as possible. Several we have purchased with the convenience of picture messages and more recently, we have been conducting “virtual appointments”.
2. What is a virtual appointment?
With services like Zoom, FaceTime, Skype, Duo, etc we can visit with you over the internet. We can discuss all the details about the home and your unique situation just like we would sitting across the dining room table. You can give us grand tour of the house right then and there. Show us the layout, the condition, the issues, etc. We may not get a chance to smell the cookies in the oven, but at least we will know what the tile looks like in the kitchen.
3. What if I am not familiar with these video services?
Don’t worry. We can survive without it. We have at times been able to make decisions when we are given enough verbal detail about a home. Having been in thousands and thousands of homes over the years, we know every style of granite, every color carpet, every type of light fixture. We have literally seen it all. As unique as your home is, it is likely nothing we have not seen before. And if we need to remodel, we already know what it is going to look like when it’s done.
4. How do we sign the contract?
Virtually! It’s really quite easy. We have an online signing program that makes it really easy to sign from you phone or your computer. And if you are not very tech savvy, don’t worry, we can just overnight it to you with an envelope to send it back.
5. What about closing?
This will be as close as you need to be to someone for this whole process. Our closing attorney is currently handling all closings in her parking lot! All parties are staying in their car and the notary is managing the paperwork safely and securely from outside the vehicle. Don’t worry if you live out of town either. We can send a remote closer to you that will insure they maintain the proper safe distance from you. A couple signatures and they are out of there.
6. What if I am not ready to move?
Don’t worry. We won’t be kicking you out in the street! We offer our home sellers what is called a “post-occupancy agreement”. This allows you to stay in your home after we buy it. You can stay there until you have all of your arrangements made and have your new chapter ready to be started. And we can close whenever you need us to. Do you prefer to hold off on closing for 60 or 90 days? Not a problem for us. We can close whenever it is convenient for you. Next week or late August, you can stay in your home while you figure out what’s next.
Selling your home for cash is still a viable option in today’s environment. We know it’s scary. It is for us too. Shoot us a message. Fill out a form or just give us a call. We are happy to discuss how we can work together. We are looking forward to it. Stay safe out there.