Selling A Home During COVID-19

Selling a home in Tampa Bay during COVID-19 is different than it was before the pandemic, but don’t worry we’re here to help you successfully and safely navigate your real estate businesses during these challenging times, minimize the risk and keep your and our loved ones safe. We’re all in this together.

We created this page to answer some of the most common questions about selling a home in Tampa Bay during COVID-19, help illustrate the real estate transaction process, and things we recommend and do to keep you and your loved ones safe when selling your home.

Can I still sell my Tampa Bay home?

Absolutely! Our Tampa Bay market is still pretty strong and closings are happening every day.

Are real estate closings still happening?

Yes, real estate closings are still happening even under these new and unusual circumstances.

Can I decide when and how my property will be shown?

A seller generally has control over how their property is shown. This greatly depends on if the property is vacant or occupied, your personal expectations and requirements.

What will you do to minimize risk and keep me safe?

The list below is not an all inclusive list, but some of the things we do and recommend our seller clients do to keep everyone safe:

• The health and safety of our clients and homeowners is paramount. We use face masks and gloves every time we enter your home.
• Offer Virtual Showings and video tours where available.
• Require all buyers and their realtors to wear face masks or face coverings consistent with the CDC recommendations while inside your home during in-person showings, use sanitizer and avoid touching surfaces.
• We shoot professional photos for each new listing we bring on the market to quickly generate interest and quick offers and reduce your days on the market
• Require property showings in Showing Blocks and by appointment only, in lieu of open houses, to reduce the number of persons in a property at any given time. “Showing Blocks” allows for showing a home over one consolidated period of time instead of having multiple private showings at various times throughout a day or week. We feel this is safer and allows you to clean and disinfect your home once after all the showings, rather than after every single private showing every few hours.
• For owner or tenant-occupied properties we recommend that the seller or tenant open all cabinets, closets, window coverings, and to turn on lights before leaving the property, so the buyers and their agents don’t have to touch anything.
• Keep all interior doors in the home open, if possible, to minimize the need to touch surfaces.
• If you allow in-person showing we recommend you do not accept sight unseen offers and take your home off the market just so someone can use the home inspection period to tour your home and decide if they still want it. Please call us and we will be more than happy to explain this and go over it with you.
• Provide a website link to set appointment times to help control density and provide safety information for showings.
• We won’t be scheduling home showings based on sign calls at this time (someone simply driving by). We are requiring all potential clients to view the online photos and all associated listing information before scheduling a showing. If they have not seen the home online, we will make sure they see it first and then decide if they would still like an in person showing.
• Ask prospective buyers to sign Florida Realtors COVID-19 In-Person Access Acknowledgement form before in person showings attesting that they are not showing any symptoms of COVID-19, will maintain social distancing during the showing, etc. We will cover this in detail when we discuss selling your home.
• Comply with any other showing requirements you may have as a seller.

How will you present my offers?

We will email you the offer as soon as we receive it and present it to you over the phone or virtually, whatever works better for you. Virtual option allows for a face-to-face meeting from the comfort of your home while screen sharing the offer so we can go over all the details together. We typically use Web conferencing services like Zoom or Google Meet.

How will I sign the offer?

We have worked with electronic contracts for years. You can sign everything electronically from your computer or phone.

Do I have to be present for closing?

You do not have to be. Most title companies will allow for mail away closings and have implemented their own safety procedures to ensure a safe and successful closing.

Health Guidance Information

The situation continues to evolve, so be sure to refer to the CDC’s website for up-to-date information and recommendations:

http://www.cdc.gov/covid19

Where our guidelines and procedures may become outdated or in conflict with new or updated government response and guidance for the health and safety of the general public, we advise all clients, consumers and real estate licensees to follow government guidelines. We may update or amend our procedures from time to time to comply with industry best practices, REALTOR Association guidelines, government regulations or guidelines, and recommendations from health experts including The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Please don’t hesitate to call us at 727.902.0987 or 727.902.4059 if you have any questions at all. We are here for you during these very difficult times. Be safe and stay healthy!