House Hunting During COVID-19: Utilizing Available Technology Allows for a Safe Experience

Let’s be honest, searching for the right home pre-COVID-19 was no walk in the park. But now, shopping for a home can require a lot of potential exposure to the virus in order to determine if you found the right property for the right price. Given this, it’s reasonable to ask yourself whether now is the right time to buy a home; this article will help bring some certainty to uncertain times. 
The real estate market, like many other markets, is adapting to the reality that COVID-19 has created. To be successful in today, and tomorrow’s market, agents need to be tech-savvy; being familiar with all the tools available for “remote” work will help separate the agents who are prepared for this disaster and those who aren’t. At the Chernov Team our agents are familiar with, and regularly use, Zoom, Google Hangouts, FaceTime, and a plethora of other programs that allow them to combine technology with years of real estate know-how. Having agents like this will enhance your ability to safely navigate the market for your dream home. 
Most people won’t buy a home they haven’t seen before, and the Chernov Team recommends against that as well. Of course, during COVID-19, it’s a bit unreasonable to expect to run from house to house exploring every nook and cranny. This is where the previous point comes in, familiarity with technology allows the Chernov Team to provide an interactive 3-D virtual tour of most of the homes in their inventory. To be clear, some agents believe they are offering a virtual tour when they walk around a home on FaceTime, but that may not be the kind of tour you are looking for. Our tours are accessible 24/7 and allow you to interact with the home, seeing rooms for all angles, “walking” through the floorplan, and even measuring the spaces. This tool is invaluable to buyer who wants to get a real feel for a property without physically stepping foot inside it. 
While there is never a good time for a pandemic, at least it is happening in an era when technology is available to everyone. This pandemic will also expose which real estate agents belong at the top as a result of their ability to adapt and roll-with-the-punches in a rapidly changing environment. At the Chernov Team we understand that knowledge is power, and knowledge of how to utilize technological advances to provide a safe and enjoyable home buying/selling experience is powerful knowledge indeed. At the Chernov Team we know that whoever comes to the table most prepared leaves with the most, and the Chernov Team always leaves the table with the most.