House Hunting During the Coronavirus (March 2020)

This post was written in March 2020, just before the Shelter in Place order took effect on March 16. We’ve kept it as a record of how buying a home in Marin worked in those first weeks of the pandemic.

We’re certainly living through a scary time. Our normal daily lives have screeched to a halt, from working remotely to skipping get-togethers to not shaking a new friend’s hand. If you’re in the middle of a home search, you’re probably wondering how to proceed.

Showings and open houses

Should you still go to open houses, attend showings with your agent, or just look online? In real estate we should follow the guidance from health experts: social distancing, washing hands, and staying home if you have any symptoms. If you feel ill, get tested and skip open houses and showings.

If you’re well and decide to attend an open house, keep your distance from other visitors and agents. The National Association of Realtors® is asking agents who hold open houses to have every visitor sanitize their hands on entry and to provide sanitizer, soap and disposable towels. NAR is also encouraging virtual tours and videos for buyers, which is exactly what we’re doing, while sanitizing our own hands after previewing each home.

Keep searching online

The best thing buyers can do is keep searching online. Homes are still coming on the market: 16 new properties have been listed in Marin County since the national emergency was declared, according to BAREIS MLS statistics. Watch your listing alerts and ask your agent for a video. If you’re still interested after the video, set up a private showing, and leave the kids at home if you can.

The good news is you may face less competition, since many buyers will take a break from their search. We’re all for continuing business in the most careful, responsible way.

If you’re searching for a home in Marin, reach out to us directly. We’ll preview homes for you, make videos, FaceTime live, set up listing alerts, and walk you through the process.