Times have changed for sure due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, but what has not changed is the need for housing in the Phoenix market. You might think that 
everything has shut down and no one is moving, but that’s certainly not the case. People have leases that end, landlords retire, people move to due to job transfers, people move to be closer to family, and the list goes on. There are still buyers and sellers in this market. In fact, it may surprise you to know that some areas of Phoenix saw an increase in listings last month.
Thankfully in the state of Arizona, real estate has been deemed an essential industry, so that bodes well for you getting the help you need.
In this current climate, people are often scared to leave their homes, and many others are losing jobs or being furloughed. These two factors alone are concerns for home sellers who may not have a way to show their home or qualify a buyer before letting a masked stranger inside.
This is NOT a time to try to sell your home yourself. If there was ever a time that you need professional help it is NOW!
Here is how I can help you and protect your investment (and your family) in the home selling process during the COVID-19 pandemic:
- Arrange for Virtual Showings of Your Home. If you are concerned about people going through your home that might be sick, we can show your home virtually. It may surprise you to know that people are buying homes via virtual tours in this market.
- Pre-Qualify Prospective Buyers. You don’t want to have random people going through your home (or even doing a virtual tour of your home) and one way to keep this down is to make sure that anyone interested in seeing your home has been pre-qualified by a trusted lender. This is also important because some lenders have provisions to help people that have been furloughed to allow them to still qualify as long as there is an expectation that they will return to work. I have connections with lenders that can help get any prospects pre-qualified.
- Ensure That You Get the Best Price. If you are not an expert negotiator, it is not unreasonable that someone could come along and try to low ball your home. This means you will potentially lose the money from the equity that has built up in your home. As an expert negotiator, I will make sure you get top dollar for your home, regardless of the market.
- Ensure That You Get the Best Terms. In addition to price, another area where home sellers lose money is on the terms. If someone offers your full asking price, and you end up paying thousands of dollars in fees that may net you less money than a price reduction.
- Marketing Your Home. Do you have the ability to find the right buyer with a simple sign or Craigslist ad? Did you know that I can put your home in front of all of the agents in my office, as well as all of the agents in the County via Multiple Listing Service (if desired)? Additionally, I work with investor buyers who can often offer quicker closing terms and guaranteed closings when needed.
- Coordinate The Entire Process. Finding a buyer is just getting started when it comes to selling your home. There are home inspections to schedule and negotiate, appraisals to schedule and negotiate, and the escrow process to schedule and negotiate.
- Contract Negotiation. Assuming you find a sales contract, do you understand it enough to make sure that it protects you? I have seen even professionals leave boxes unchecked and blank areas on contract, both of which leave the other party vulnerable to having the contract altered and not in their favor. For this reason, my team has an extra layer of protection with someone who will give your contract a second review to ensure that it is properly prepared. You want a professional to provide an approved contract AND to make sure it is filled out correctly, both protecting you and ensuring your transaction provides the best terms.
While this is not conclusive, I hope this has helped you realize that there is a LOT involved in negotiating the sale of what is usually your largest investment.
If you have any questions about selling your home, feel free to reach out to me at 480-935-9977 for a no-obligation consultation.
Stay safe!
