Moving to a new home is one of life’s most stressful events. Throw in a global pandemic (Coronavirus) to go along with it and you can imagine where your stress levels might be. You have more challenges than you would in the case of a normal move and these stressors are unlike any this generation has ever seen. For some, it might make sense to put your move on hold.
Even if there’s a great deal of disappointment if you do, it just might be safer for the time being. But what if you don’t have that option? If you’re one of those who doesn’t have the option of staying put, there are plenty of tips and advice to take into account, but ultimately the decision lies with you and your family. However, here are a few things to consider if you’re on the fence about putting off your move.
Social Distancing during Coronavirus
Anyone who has ever sold a house before knows that open houses are a great way to show off the perks of your home. You can stage rooms to be warm and inviting, you can update your landscaping so your yard looks fresh and alive, and you can even bake cookies or light candles to add that extra bit of hominess to your house for potential buyers. Health administrators and the Centers for Disease Control have always stressed that following professional guidelines for issues that might affect population health, and right now part of that is keeping your distance from people not in your immediate family. That certainly makes showing your house a bit harder than normal.
If you’re too nervous to allow people into your home, consider asking your realtor about the possibility of giving virtual tours of your home. With recent advances in technology, you can give potential buyers a look into your home without them ever having to step foot inside. Plus, if you’re taking advantage of social media to show off your house, Facebook is now offering three-dimensional photos. No matter what your final choice is, factor in the health of yourself and your family, pay attention to the experts’ guidelines, and determine what works best for you and your family at this time.
Selling In a Hurry
With low interest rates due to recent events, it’s understandable if you want to get in on the action. It also makes sense with all the risks involved with the current pandemic that you might want to do it in a hurry. Plus, with warm weather right around the corner and winter behind us, now can be a great time to sell. Just keep in mind it might require a little bit of extra money and elbow grease on your part.
When you work with an agent, they’ll help you set the price, negotiate the sale and a lot of the fine print details for the process. However, you can expect to shell out about 3% of the sale to your agent and another 3% to the realtor of the buyers. If that’s something you’re prepared to do, an agent is a great option.
However, if you’d rather go the “for sale by owner” route, it doesn’t mean you won’t be free of paying anything extra. In order for a home to sell fast, you should look into hiring a professional photographer to take photos of your home, inside and out, in order for you to advertise the sale. Plus, you’ll have to hire an appraiser as well as handle all the showings of your home yourself, virtual or otherwise. Solicit as much help as you can to mitigate stress for your move.
Putting Your Frugality to Good Use
Unfortunately, much of the population has either lost its job, had hours cut back or been furloughed for the time being due to the ongoing pandemic. This lack of income is causing a huge domino effect for everyone and that includes some of us suddenly being in situations where our housing is unaffordable. While it’s illegal at the moment for any landlords to evict you, it doesn’t change the fact that sometimes, our rent or mortgage isn’t in our budget anymore.
The good news is that there’s plenty of affordable housing options to look into. You might have to get creative but there isn’t anything wrong with that. Take a look at your finances and look at some of the options within your price range. Make a list of what could work for you but keep in mind, this pandemic isn’t permanent. If you find a short-term solution that works for you, don’t be afraid to take it. We all have to make the best of the situation we’re in and hopefully, before long, we’ll be back in an active world without a pandemic to worry about.
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