Purchasing a House During a Pandemic: Everything You Need to Know
Buying a house during the pandemic may seem like a bad idea, but it is an excellent investment because real estate prices continue to fall. Here are some things to expect when buying a house during the pandemic.
You were on the verge of searching for your ultimate dream home, and then COVID-19 happened. Nonetheless, the real estate industry have adapted to the times, and most of all, the new home buying process favors the buyers more than the sellers. Therefore, you will still find that perfect home despite the restrictions.
Here are some things to expect when purchasing a house during this pandemic:
Virtual Tour
Everything is virtual now, and there is little need to go out of your way and go house hunting. Armed with a mobile phone, you are capable of viewing houses from wherever you are and at your most convenient time.
Virtual tours of properties are all over the web; maneuvering through a virtual tour or attending a live feed of open houses is just at the tip of your fingers. The details that you might want to know are almost always included in any virtual tour. The advantage of virtual tours is that you can cover many houses in just a span of a few hours, unlike physically driving to these locations that will exert effort, gas money, and food along the way.
Real Estate Agent
Create your list of possible agents that you feel comfortable with. These agents are not difficult to find at all; in most cases, they find you. However, finding a real estate agent is equivalent to finding your dream home, too, so it is best if you sift through the list of names you have, do thorough background research on their legitimacy, capabilities, and advantages. And then, find time to hold interviews and measure the agents you choose based on your liking. It is also helpful if you ask relatives or friends if they can recommend you a good one.
Location
When finding a home to purchase, it is a given that location is vital. However, this prerequisite is also in various ways affected by the pandemic.
It is an extreme safety measure that you research the neighborhood of the property you might want and the news within the areas surrounding the house you intend to purchase. It is in your best interest to avoid places where COVID-19 is most concerning. A dream house is not limited to its architectural comfort and feel, the environment in which a house is located will significantly affect the essence of what makes it a dream home.
Credit Score
Before anything else, get your mortgage pre-approval. Ask your lender to make use of a calculator for home mortgages. It is best to be ready for whatever kind of seller you encounter. This can be done online, for it requires just a letter from a lender to verify your capacity to borrow at an accurate estimated interest rate. Due to the pandemic, protocols on meeting face to face might be affected. However, you can request that your information be organized; this will give your lender ample time to review and prepare for your pre-approval
Verify your credit reports, then retrieve your credit score. When your credit score is within the threshold of high, this will help you have a typical mortgage with the advantage of lesser interest rates. Once you have the pre-approval, any seller you might face will never question your sincerity and capacity to buy.
Home Inspector
Once that offer is made, and you’re drawing closer to purchasing your dream home, a responsible homebuyer will have to acquire a home inspector. This is a necessity, an essential part when purchasing a home. Home inspectors will verify that the home you’re buying is worth exactly the dollars you’re shelling out when it comes to safety, durability, and quality. It is a given that you should find a licensed home inspector with a good reputation and reviews to back with.
However, due to the circumstances, you must also make sure that the medical history of your home inspector will not compromise the house, the seller, or you since especially that inspector will go through every inch, nook, and corner of the house. It is better to be overly cautious than to later on regret that you chose an inspector who managed to spread a virus around a newly purchased dream house.
Negotiation
Always try to haggle with the expenses. Though some prices of homes significantly dropped due to the pandemic, unfortunately, the unavoidable fees of formalities stay and remain the same. You’re not merely paying for just the house but also everything before and after having a home.
In conclusion, house hunting during the pandemic is convenient. Still, nothing much has changed when it comes to the process of purchasing a house. It has its pros and cons; so far, the pros still outweigh the cons. With proper planning and expert advice, you will find that house you’ve been dreaming of.