Why the Housing Market Stays Consistent in COVID

COVID hasn’t impacted the housing market one bit in H-Town. As Texas lifts stay-at-home orders and loosens business restrictions, one thing is for certain – home sales in Houston are moving and grooving consistently.

Selling a House during a Pandemic

Whether you had planned to move this summer, or you’ve been forced to sell a home for financial reasons, Houston is a seller’s market this summer. For the past couple of months, there have been more home buyers than home sellers in 2020, which has been a good thing for the Texas economy. Traditionally, home sales during the summer have been high, but since the pandemic, some buyers and sellers may be reluctant to visit properties.

With increased precautions due to coronavirus this year, though, the home sale experience will be a bit different. For instance, the exterior look of your home will be more important than ever, and its online presentation will need to be spot-on to attract buyers hesitant to visit homes in-person. Usually springtime sees the highest foot traffic for home sales, however due to Covid-19, timelines have been pushed forward several months due to reduced interest rates.

Before potential buyers visit your home, take care of the following:

1. Mow and water your lawn. Curb appeal is everything, since some people may not feel comfortable gathering during open houses. In Houston’s humid summer months, you may have to keep the lawn trimmed as much as twice a week.
2. Let folks know it’s clean. Disinfect doorknobs, light fixtures, counter tops and hang a sign at the entry to let visitors know you’ve sanitized the home for their protection. As a bonus, you can leave disposable masks, gloves and travel-size sanitizer for potential buyers.
3. Create a lasting impression. Consider repainting your front door and cleaning or replacing the knob or locks. The front door is part of a visitor’s first impression, so a bright, newly painted door could help grab attention at the get-go.
4. Time for your close up. Take the best photos you can of your property and consider using videos and 360° tours of your home online. Your realtor will be able to help create engaging tools to sell your home. When you stand out digitally, you have a greater potential of converting a looker into an onsite visitor.
5. Crunch the numbers. Going big on your listing price may cause your home to sit on the market for longer than expected. Work with your agent to price your home to sell based on similar home value and sales.
6. Keep your cool. Keeping an eye on your air conditioning is especially important during the summer. You don’t want prospective buyers or realtors walking into a steamy situation. A hot house can shorten tours and reduce potential offers.
7. Watch out for summer funk. The sweat and salty smells of summer might not appeal to buyers. Fill your home with fresh, clean scents using plug-ins or diffusers with essential oils. Make sure your scent is subtle and not too strong.
8. Take advantage of natural light. The days are longer, and you can open your windows to let the light in. This may result in higher energy costs to keep those rooms cool, but it is worth it to show how bright and cheery your home can be.
9. Smell the roses. Be sure to highlight any outdoor living spaces with flowers and leafy plants to help the space feel inviting.
10. Get rid of dust bunnies. Wipe baseboards, corners, ceiling fans and other areas that collect dust. Prospective buyers may inspect hard-to-see areas.

Covid-19 chaos doesn’t have to stop you from selling your home. You can still have an incredibly successful home sale by following simple safety rules. Ask our realtors for their expert advice as you gear up to put your home on the market. If you are active military, veteran, police officer, firefighter, paramedic, teacher, nurse, or doctor, see if you qualify for a special discount.