3 Things COVID-19 Has Changed About Buying A Home

Written by Linda Carter Posted On Monday, 27 July 2020 06:20

The 2020 real estate market has seen impacts from the on-going COVID-19 crisis. It’s not surprising. Real estate is one of the few industries where it is necessary to view a property in-person, making the physical space of a home everything. You probably shouldn’t try to buy a new home without seeing it in person.

That said, COVID-19 has forced the industry to adapt quickly. While there probably won’t be wholesale changes anytime soon, we’ve been forced to confront ways to make purchasing a home run more smoothly.

Here are three ways COVID-19 has changed the process of buying a home.

No more deceptive photos

One of the frustrating things about looking for homes online is that you don’t get an accurate impression from the photos. For example, a living room that looks enormous in a picture may be tiny in real life. And walls that are flaking might come across as fresh and smooth.

This is because the point of photos is to attract people to an in-person showing. When a client visits the house, they can view it with a more practical eye.

However, with social distancing measures, online real estate listings have taken on a more critical role. They are no longer there just to convince a person of a showing, because seeing the home in person may not be possible. People are taking the process much further based on the online listing, and it is therefore necessary that they see the home for what it is.

Otherwise, their first real visit will put them off completely.

The extras

People have already been viewing homes online for years. Websites have made it easier to search for exactly what you want. You can compare homes with ease and research any extras unique to fit your needs. But now more than ever, people are getting down to the nitty-gritty.

Today, buyers spend more time looking for homes online by researching what realtors or websites tell them. For example, if your realtor suggests purchasing a property with home warranty coverage to protect your systems and appliances from breakdown, you can look for a quote for a home warranty company online to see if coverage is worth it.

In other words, homebuyers today like to do the research for themselves. They are not going to be led into simply following what an agent says, giving them a lot more agency over the fine print.

Armchair architects

One of the best ways to get an idea of what a house is like is to see a professional rendering of it done by an architect. However, this has never really been a part of the home buying process.

For some homes, creating a rendering can be an extra service for the sellers. On the other hand, with new homes, it may be possible to get renderings from the architects themselves.

A rendering of the home gives buyers a clear understanding of the thinking behind each part of the house. It gives you an idea of just how you can adjust the home to better suit your needs. That may be a renovation planned for the future or a consideration you take into account when settling on a mortgage.

Rate this item
(0 votes)

Realty Times

From buying and selling advice for consumers to money-making tips for Agents, our content, updated daily, has made Realty Times® a must-read, and see, for anyone involved in Real Estate.

Joomla! Debug Console

Session

Profile Information

Memory Usage

Database Queries