Staging your home in the era of COVID-19

Guest Post: Natalie Jones, Blogger for Homeownerbliss.info

With the coronavirus still an active public health threat, folks are opting to shop online rather than in person. This includes shopping for new homes – which means homeowners need to be prepared to stage their homes to stand out in virtual open houses and online tours. If you are selling your home, you may have some questions about how to best stage your home in an online world, or even how to sell your home during a crisis. These resources can help answer those questions and give you some peace of mind.

Should I Even List My Home Right Now?

Before we get into staging tips, let’s address some of the most common anxieties sellers may have regarding COVID-19:

• COVID-19 is impacting the real estate market for sellers and buyers.
• Despite these impacts and a recession, homes are still selling.
• Experts predict that this recession will be much different than 2008’s, especially in terms of the impacts on the housing market.
• Sellers should take precautions when attempting to sell a home during the outbreak.
• This includes getting familiar with online real estate tools that buyers are using right now.

How Can I Stage My Home to Sell Online?

Buyers are still out looking for homes but they’re doing so virtually. Which means you will need to take the right steps to help your listing stand out online:

• Virtual tours are very popular right now so make sure your home is staged both inside and out to make a good first impression.
• Organizing every single room and storage area inside your home, including your pantry.
• If you need extra space for your belongings, you may need to rent a storage unit.
• Once you’ve decluttered and organized, you should also deep clean your entire home.
• When staging your home for virtual tours, virtual staging can also come in handy.

Should I Anticipate Any In-Person Showings?

Online tours are all the rage right now but serious buyers may still want to see your home in-person. To keep showings safe, be sure to follow the proper precautions:

• Even in Canada, most real estate companies are taking added precautions if and when they conduct in-person showings.
• For in-person tours, agents and sellers should discuss these precautions with buyers beforehand and take measures to limit tours to serious buyers.
• Wearing face coverings is essential when buyers, sellers and/or agents will be near one another during in-person showings.
• Hand sanitizer should also be provided before buyers or agents enter the property.
• Finally, your home should be cleaned and disinfected after all in-person showings.

While COVID-19 remains a risk, virtual real estate tools will remain essential for sellers and their agents. Of course, some buyers may still want to take a closer look in person before making a final offer on your home. So make sure you are prepared to help your home stand out and stay safe for both of these options.

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