Northern Ireland has been in lockdown due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic since 16^th April 2020. Lockdown has been extended until at least the 9^th May 2020. This has caused drastic changes to our normal way of life. The majority of businesses, bars, restaurants, offices, shops have all been forced to close unless they are classified as essential.

This has also impacted the housing market. We have had to cancel all viewings and home visits including those for home valuations, home photography or EPC visits.

 

What can we do to continue with house sales and listings during Covid-19 lockdown?

Due to the substantial duration of the governments lockdown measures we will have to adjust, alongside lots of other industries who are trying to cope during these unprecedented times.

We cannot indefinitely abandon our plans for the future. We must continue to progress and do what we can until normal service resumes. With the benefit of modern technology, we have changed the way home listings can be created in order to continue listing homes on the market until the government measures are lifted.

 

How to list your home during Covid-19 lockdown.

If you would like to bring your home to the market during this period we are here to help.

We will however require you the homeowner to be more involved in the process. At the minimum your property will require an in date EPC (we can check this for you). You will also require a smart phone or tablet that can take video and photos. You will also be required to download a video conferencing app; either skype or Zoom.

 

Step 1: Organise your Virtual Valuation.

This can simply be done by filling out the form below HERE.

We collect some information about the property and you request a date / time to carry out the Virtual Valuation

Once you download the App Zoom , we will create the meeting and send you a password to join at your requested time.

Zoom is really easy to use and you can have the camera forward facing to show us around the property, during which we will discuss your property, and collect the details and the relevant property information we require to commence with a listing.

 

Alternatively, you can create a video to showcase your property’s interior and exterior and send it to use at [email protected]. This video will help us to make an estimate of market value.

We may request you measure each room of your property and provide these details. We will happily guide you through this process.

 

If you wish to talk to us about our packages and how we operate first , you can get in touch via our contact us page or by calling 0800 046 5102 or online Chat system to initiate proceedings.

We will be more than happy to speak to you.

 

Step 2: Agree a Sales Price

We will review all the information and provide you with a full Market Appraisal and estimated market value or proposed listing price.

 

Step 3: Create a listing

• Prepare your home for listing. If you follow the steps on our getting your home ready for sale article it should be very helpful.
• Photograph your home. If you have access to a high quality DSLR camera this would be best. Most smart phones have good quality cameras that will be good enough to take photographs of your home if you do not have a DSLR. We will brief you on how to photograph your home. We will be available to video conference or on the telephone as you take the photos.
• We would ask you to also take a video of the property to showcase its features. This would require you to walk around the property and to slowly video each room, including the exterior. (You will not have to talk during this video)
• You send us the photographs and video and we will amend them and choose the most appropriate ones to create a listing.
• We will review the information we have and create a listing description. This will be forwarded to you for review and we can have a conversation about any further information or features you would like to include in the listing.
• We will finalise the listing and upload to our website alongside the local property portals so the public can now view your home.

 

We will manage any enquiries and requests for information as we normally would. If a potential buyer would like any addition information, we will provide this.

If they want to inspect the property we will arrange for a virtual viewing, at a time that suits you.

 

Step 4 : Virtual viewings

• We will arrange for you the seller and ourselves to join a video conference at a time that is convenient for you and the potential buyer. (As part of this conference you will be required only to show the client the property through your mobile or tablet camera. You will not have to appear on camera.)
• We will facilitate the viewing, directing you into each room and highlighting features to show the buyer more clearly.
• If the buyer has any questions or queries, we will deal with these and provide follow up after the viewing.

 

Leading Northern Ireland Portal PropertyPal have really embraced Virtual Viewings. This means rather than doing them individually , it can be organised for a specific day / time which can facilitate all perspective buyers at the same time.

 

Less hassle for you.

 

Conclusion

All other elements of the home sales process will remain the same. The staff at homepage estate agents will deal directly with potential buyers. Help deal with queries or offers and provide you the seller with feedback as we receive it.

 

We appreciate this will not be an ideal means of buying or selling a property. We believe however that these measures will ensure that homeowners who were planning to sell, or who need to sell at this time will receive a service that provides a remarkably close to normal home selling and buying experience.

 

If you would like to discuss the home sales process in more detail our office lines are open as normal 0800 046 5102 or you can email your enquiry and we will give you a call back.

Otherwise, book your Virtual Valuation HERE