The sellers and I signed the listing on the eve of the Shelter in Place (SIP), Monday 3/17/20 while sitting around my client’s kitchen table discussing our next steps. It was the same table where we had sat a year before and made plans to sell this spring. We were in touch on and off as the spring of 2020 approached, what would have been a prime selling season was put on ice and almost brought to a complete standstill along with the rest of the economy.
Signing the contract to sell the house we were leaping together as sellers and Realtor into the unknown. Nothing in our lifetimes has compared to the virus. One thing I knew though, I was going to sell their townhouse. They had worked too hard over the past year getting it ready to turn back. They still needed to finish packing and get out. Technically everyone was supposed to stay in their places unless leaving was necessary. In this case we felt their departure was necessary as their travel itinerary had been booked and our plans set. They weren’t going to let the virus derail this most important sale of their lives.
My clients were retired, and in our real estate purchase contract page 9, section 29, ‘time is of the essence’. How long would we need to wait out the SIP when they could be on the road to their retirement and we could get the finishing touches done on the house? What would the market look like on the other side of the SIP? We had no idea that what would follow in the months ahead would be over 100,000 American lives lost, 41 million unemployed, and carnage that has altered the lives of every America. The sellers and I knew that our destiny was to move forward and they would be heading to a new state within the week where they would be quarantined for 14 days before they could begin to enjoy their new community. When they finally could get out in their new town the streets were only crowded with the specter of better times.
Back in Marin County their home was vacant. Technically there was no construction allowed which had me concerned. You could still sell vacant homes, but you weren’t supposed to work on vacant homes. We assumed correctly having one person in a vacant house was safe. My clients had a handyman friend and then a painter friend lined up to finish getting the house ready. The handyman took less than two days and the painter came in after he was done. They were never in the house together and I was told they wore masks and gloves throughout. Two weeks went by without incident and the townhouse was ready for the final touch, new carpeting. I made it a point not to go to the townhouse until everything was completed.
I called a flooring guy I know and he was still working. I got him in touch with the seller who decided to use him. The flooring guy thought the SIP was overkill, which had me concerned. So what did he do? He was riding his bike by the townhouse one day because he lives in the area and thought he’d stop by. The painter wasn’t happy, even though the flooring guy didn’t go in the house and kept his distance. I don’t imagine the flooring guy was wearing a mask on his ride. It was not a time to have contractors crossing paths or pollination.
I had to speak with the flooring guy and at first he defended his actions while I was as stern as I’ve ever been with anyone. I was not happy and he was defiant. After hanging up he spoke with his wife who then read him the riot act. He called me back to apologize and then apologized to the seller. We carried on.
Before the sellers left they took pictures of the townhouse. At the time I didn’t know if photographers would even be working, and with some remote direction and a few reshoots they did a pretty good job. On 3/19/20 we put the condo on ‘Coming Soon’ status on the MLS. We were instructed by our local MLS board to indicate the following showing instructions, “Do Not Show, Contact List Agent, See Confidential Rmk.”
In the confidential remarks which only agents can see I also followed the direction of the MLS and indicated, “Property can only be shown by appointment after viewing virtual tour, signing PEAD and following necessary COVID protocols. YouTube Link to virtual tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEZinew5ARo”
The PEAD is the Property Entry Advisory and Disclosure which all agents, sellers and prospective buyers sign. I had been doing a lot of training during the SIP through Coldwell Banker and I learned how to take virtual tours using iMovies and posting them on YouTube. I took some footage of the HOA grounds before going through the house for the first time since the eve of the SIP. I can’t say I wasn’t apprehensive but I knew what needed to be done. I wore a mask, gloves and booties in the house and wiped down anything I touched with Clorox bleach wipes. I was and continue to be fully prepared to sell homes in this environment.
After the work was done and while still on Coming Soon status we started lining up showings. For each showing the agents had to fill out the PEAD. Right before the PEAD came out I put together a hold harmless agreement for sellers, buyers and agents to sign. I was relieved to get the PEAD from the California Association of Realtors. I later heard that the hold harmless agreements aren’t easily enforced even though I laid out essentially what was in the PEAD. I’ve been part of several hold harmless agreements in real estate transactions so I wrote it up and ran it by my manager. We’ve all been doing whatever we can to navigate these uncertain times while staying safe.
I was getting showings, but nobody was writing an offer yet. There was some chatter about an offer from one of the agents, so I spoke to my clients and we decided it was time to go live and put the status of the property as ‘Active’ on 4/24/20. I was surprised that several more Realtors with prospective buyers came forward. I figured that most Realtors saw the Coming Soon designation and if they had interest they would call or set up a showing but that didn’t turn out to be the case. It was encouraging to see the change to Active status generate activity as we increasingly use the Coming Soon designation on future listings. The MLS changed the rules during the pandemic and properties can now be Coming Soon up to 100 days. Previously they could only go up to 30 days.
We did not have a broker’s open or any weekend open house. Other than virtually I don’t know when the general public will be invited into for sale homes again. Maybe in the final phase of the recovery? Despite the lack of those traditional marketing tools momentum was building for the property quickly. That’s when one buyer’s agent came forward with a good offer and it became decision making time.
I’ve seen sellers put off good buyers to try having their agents shop offers around in order to attracting higher offers. I’ve also seen those good buyers who made offers get turned off by being put off and go away. There’s a time and place for everything and during a pandemic is not the time to put off any good buyer. My sellers and I were delighted with the offer so they accepted it. It helped that I know the other agents very well and they are a very nice couple who were great to work with.
Selling real estate can be a very positive experience when everyone is reasonable, and that’s always the goal. This pandemic sale, my first, involved sensible buyers, sellers and Realtors. The buyers asked for a couple of things to be repaired after their inspection. It was no big deal and we got those items taken care of which made the buyers’ move in smoother. The best case scenario in a real estate transaction is when everyone is happy. This was truly a best case scenario and I’m grateful and appreciative to have been able to work with all parties involved.
We got it done. I count that as a victory against the virus and I’m looking forward to helping keep our market and economy moving. This sale involved: buyers, sellers, Realtors, a title company, a mortgage lender, an HOA, several home inspectors and contractors. The reason why real estate is such an essential business is because so many people are counting on us for their businesses. Chalk one up for all the good people involved in making it happen!