New Protocols
These are new times and we’re all adjusting to new norms. We want to help explain some steps we’ve taken to make your home search or home sale as safe as we can for you, for others, and for us. Please note that each of our surrounding counties has slightly different rules for us to abide by and these rules seem to constantly be evolving. Chat with your favorite Nester to discuss specifics about your county for the most up to date information.
First off, we’re practicing social distancing, and we mean it. Our promise to you is that we are monitoring our own health carefully and will self isolate if needed. We’re taking extensive personal precautions and when we do meet in person, we’ll stand at least six feet away from you. It’s not personal.
We’re riding solo: We’ll take our cars, and you take yours. Normally, we love to road trip with our clients, but for now, we’ll meet you there.
We’re going mobile: FaceTime, Facebook Messenger video, recorded video, Zoom…We’re using it all to minimize the need for face to face meetings.
We’re working with our vendors: Closing attorneys, inspectors, vendors, and contractors are all developing new procedures for their piece of the real estate transaction. We’ll keep you informed about changing systems as they evolve.
For Home Buyers
Whether we’ve just met, or we’ve been working together for months, we’re doing our best to get a very good handle on your “home search criteria.” Going forward, we’ll work with you to learn the most about homes online and help you virtually visit as many homes as we can so we can make the most of any homes we choose to tour in person.
We strongly encourage you to take advantage of our offer of a “First Look” video/FaceTime home tour, allowing you to see a house or houses from the comfort of your sofa. Need to have a change of scenery? If your possible dream home is nearby, consider driving by on your way to pick up groceries or fill a prescription.
No occupied homes can be shown in Mecklenburg County unless you are open to going under contract with a virtual showing only. Once under contract, we would be able to gain access to the home for a showing. Your Nest Broker can discuss the logistics with you in greater detail. Traditional showings at this time can only be conducted at completely vacant homes that are no longer occupied. So if you need to purchase a home right now, our options for in person showings will be vacant properties and new construction, without going under contract first.
When we do tour a home together in person, leave the kids, your sister, grandma, and other interested, but non-essential folks at home. We want to make sure every home we visit is as clean when we leave as it was before we arrived.
We’re using common sense sanitation practices: driving ourselves, wearing gloves, and bringing soap, paper towels, and disinfecting spray or wipes. If you have hand sanitizer, bring it along and use it before and after the showing. Be prepared to remove your shoes for showings.
When we’re in a house, let us spoil you: with gloves on or Lysol wipes in hand, we’ll switch on the lights for you, open doors and cabinets for you, and then step aside, keeping our safe distance. You should keep your hands in your pockets and off surfaces. Let us do the touching. You don’t need to lift a finger.
Contract time? We’ll meet with you via Google Hangouts, Zoom, or FaceTime to prepare and review contracts and will use Docusign to gather signatures. While we love our clients and want to spend time together, right now, distance is best.
If you put a home under contract, we are going to advise you to let the inspector do the complete inspection and then we can use technology to make sure you are fully in the loop and part of the process. You can still ask questions, and the inspector can still show you any issues that may arise, but we’ll do it virtually.
When closing time comes, there’s a high likelihood it’ll need to be done remotely. Remotely has many definitions so chat with your Nest Broker about your specific attorney and how they are working to make the closing process as simple as possible. We’re happy to be on the phone or video during your closing, as if we were there in person. We’re with you. And we’re here to help.
Most importantly, if you have concerns about the current economy or real estate market and whether or not this is the right time to buy, we are here to listen and advise, so please reach out for a conversation!
For Home Sellers
If your home is vacant, we’re promoting the heck out of it, emphasizing how safe and easy it is for other Brokers to show and sell it!
For occupied homes, we’re encouraging other Brokers to give their clients a “First Look” home tour of your property by video or FaceTime. We may even conduct a Zoom showing with you giving us a tour of your home, real time! The goal is to reduce the number of people moving through your space.
Right now in Mecklenburg County, occupied homes cannot be shown prior to going under contract. Once you are under contract, we’re emphasizing to other Brokers that they should make sure their clients are healthy before stepping into the home.
For home showings (and for home inspections), we are going to ask the other Brokers to minimize the number of people who attend. Only the decision makers should attend. For a home inspection, we are going to suggest that only the inspector be in the property, and then utilize technology to go over the results with the buyer and their Broker.
Before showings, we ask you to depart the home, leaving curtains open, lights on, and doors (including closets) open, in order to reduce the need for anyone to touch any surfaces in your home.
When you return home, we encourage you to wipe doorknobs, handles, counters, handrails, and other surfaces with disinfectant.
We’ll meet with you via Zoom or FaceTime to review offers on your home and we’ll use Docusign to gather signatures.
Most importantly, if you have concerns about the current economy or real estate market and how it impacts your listing, we are here to listen and advise, so please reach out for a conversation!
We’re here for you.
Reach out to any of us, any time.