With the current state of the world, and the United States in particular, social distancing has made it necessary to get creative with the way we do business in the real estate sector. People are being encouraged to stay home to help avoid spreading COVID-19, so where online showings and remote notarization were practices of convenience before, they’re now essential to conducting any sort of business in the real estate world. Fortunately real estate and financial businesses are considered essential to the economy, so business can continue, just…not as usual.
Here are just a few of the basic solutions to the problem of conducting business in the real estate market without potentially putting clients and agents alike at risk.
Virtual Property Tours
Generally used to show houses to clients who might live too far away to come see a property in person, virtual tours are now essential for showing houses while still maintaining social distancing protocols. The real estate agent or homeowner can take video footage of the walkthrough of a property and, combined with listing pictures and open dialogue about home features, a house can still be safely shown to potential buyers.
Remote Online Notarization and Creative Closings
While most title company or attorney’s offices are currently operating under strict sterilization and containment procedures, some homebuyers, sellers, and agents might still feel uncomfortable coming in to an office to close, since it is technically a public space. To accommodate clients, many title companies have adopted the practice of notarizing important closing documents via remote online notarization, or they’ve come up with creative ways to notarize the documents in person, such as in a parking lot with a car window keeping the agent and client safely separated.
Additionally, title companies may recommend having money wired instead of issuing a check, since wiring happens remotely and with no in-person contact.
The ability to harness the internet to continue conducting important business transactions is nothing short of remarkable, and should be fully utilized as we all ride out the coronavirus pandemic together. Creativity and ingenuity are key factors to ensuring that everyone stays safe and healthy while still being able to help people find and close on the property of their dreams.
At Title Junction we care about helping you stay informed throughout your real estate transaction. Have questions? Give us a call at 239.415.6574.
In case you missed it, check out our last Title Junction post: Power of Attorney: The Most Common Types