Part 2 of 7: Top 5 real estate tips for sellers actively on the market during the COVID-19 crisis

This 7 part series is accompanied by BETHvids featuring tips regarding buying, selling and the real estate industry in general.

Top 5 real estate tips for sellers actively on the market during the COVID-19 crisis:

1. Stay in close contact with your listing agent to keep abreast of how the industry is impacted by regulations surrounding the virus. Understand that showings have decreased across the board and discuss the pros and cons of staying on the market (continuing to allow showings), changing your status to temporarily off the market, or withdrawing your listing (without penalty due to the crisis) if your situation has changed.
2. Use some of your free time to review your Realtor’s online marketing and advertising brochures to make sure both properly convey every feature your home offers. Promotion of your house should tell the full story about your home and all it has to offer both inside and out. If your agent is missing key points that buyers need to know about, provide a list of features you want to have showcased and make sure they don’t miss promoting features, upgrades, updates and unique benefits buyers should know about.
3. Create what I call the “Seller’s top 10 Reasons they Love their Home” list. Invite your children (if appropriate) to make their own list and/or create artwork to go with it. It doesn’t have to be ten reasons, but make it full of positive features that enable the buyer to picture themselves making memories of their own in your home. You can share bonus insights about the neighbors and subjective features that Realtors aren’t able to verify and include in their own brochures, but can include the list and quote from you. You could even go above and beyond and create a video tour that your agent can use in marketing in which you walk through your home and share features. Get the entire family involved!
4. Have frank conversations with your Realtor about pricing, strategy and your ideal time frame. Share any changes that the current state of affairs has caused, discuss outside the box ways to increase buyer traffic and contemplate pricing adjustments. None of us know with certainty what the crisis will do to the real estate market. Have the tough conversation sooner than later to determine what price would be one that you’d accept to get the sale behind you. Then strongly consider dropping to that price to spur the pervading stalled buyer interest. A price reduction combined with these tips could get you at the virtual closing table a lot sooner.
5. Review my other BETHvids and corresponding articles made for general homeowners and people who plan to list their homes soon for ten other suggestions you can also implement. (including my videos here on my YouTube page and articles at “Real Estate Agent Magazine.”

Stay tuned for more BETHvids and corresponding articles made for buyers, sellers and Realtors for additional tips to implement while stuck indoors. Follow her real estate and WHAT MATTERS postings on Royal Examiner under the Features tab, “What Matters Warren.”

Beth Waller, Associate Broker at KW Solutions – Keller Williams Realty
Local Office: 27 Cloud Street Front Royal, VA 22630
Direct: 540-671-6145
Northern Virginia Office: 8100 Ashton Ave #103 Manassas VA 20109
Office: 703-330-2222
Licensed in VA

Beth’s websites: Bethwaller.kw.com and whatmattersw2.com

To learn more about my real estate sales or nonprofit (WHAT MATTERS), to book a time to utilize my free community meeting space (“Open House” in the Middle of Main building on Main Street), to schedule a no-cost social media video to promote your business/group or cause, or to discuss my listing your property (which makes all of my charity efforts possible), visit my website at www.whatmattersw2.com or give me a call at 540-671-6145!