Real Estate in the time of
COVID
If there ’ s anything that everyone can agree on , it ’ s that life looks a lot different today than it did a year ago . We ’ re wearing masks to the grocery store , limiting our social lives and , for many , even changing up our living situations to suit our new reality . But what kind of effect has this had on the real estate market ? Rhode Island Monthly caught up with a few of this year ’ s Excellence in Real Estate honorees to find out .
What were some of the safety measures you ’ ve taken during the pandemic ? “ Our offices closed very early on . Our agents shared ideas through weekly Zoom meetings on how to do business safely in this bizarre market — open houses with scheduled appointments , video tours and even taking temperatures at appointments .” — Michelle Snoeren of Residential Properties , LTD , michellesnoeren . com
“ We strictly followed all guidelines and requirements rolled out by the Rhode Island Association of Realtors on a consistent basis . Virtual tours ( on FaceTime and Facebook Live ) became the go-to medium for property viewings and drive-bys were encouraged .” — Sarah Huard of Mott and Chace Sotheby ’ s International Realty , sarahhuard . com
“ The days of packed open houses with snacks and chit chat are over . We now require agents to register for a fifteen-minute window for a showing with their client . They must also show us that the potential buyer is pre-approved and they need to fill out a COVID questionnaire to ensure that all coming through are healthy and have not recently traveled .” — David Boisvert of Keller Williams Leading Edge , theboisvertteam realestate . com
How has the pandemic affected clients ’ buying and selling habits ? “ I am definitely seeing more buyers than sellers . Many are moving out of congested living situations or are retiring early and moving closer to family or someplace with a preferable climate .
70 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l APRIL 2021