How to Deliver a Covid-Safe Open House in 2021

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Running an open house is not as easy as it used to be. The real estate world has been shook-up by the Covid-19 pandemic as much as any other industry. It’s necessary to plan for precautions when you’re expecting many people to come through the front door. Whether the open house is going to be brokers-only to spread the word, or open to select brokers with their clients tagging along, it’s useful to take necessary steps to keep everyone safe. Here is how to offer open houses with Covid-19 still out there.

Covid-Safe Open House in 2021
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Limit the Number of People at One Time

Rather than having a completely open house, schedule the visitors by appointment. This way, too many people won’t arrive at the same time clogging up the entranceway and the internal viewing areas. Do advise the people visiting of the reason behind the appointments and that being punctual is required. It will avoid any ruffled feathers and allow people to reprioritize to ensure they get there on time.

Provide a Hand Sanitizing Option

Not everybody walks around with a hand sanitizer in their pocket. So, ensure that you offer the option. Because people will want to point, touch, and check out different areas of the house, it will be best if their hands are clean first. Opening all the internal doors to limit the need to touch the door handles isn’t a bad idea either. Get a portable hand washing station and situate it right at the entrance. Each visitor can be confirmed, ticked off the list, and once they’ve washed their hands, allowed to take the tour.

Offer Virtual Staging and Walkthroughs

By offering a combination of virtual staging and video walkthroughs, many potential buyers can see enough from a distance to never need to attend an open house. With high-quality video these days, buyers can get an extremely detailed look at the property before ever stepping foot there. Unlike photos, videos provide a better sense of size and scale to determine if the bedrooms are too small or the backyard too limiting. Taking these steps can reduce the number of potential visitors to an open house to keep it manageable.

Require Face Masks at All Times

While it may feel a little odd indoors, requiring visiting brokers or potential buyers to wear a face mask at all times is prudent. Some showings will be for properties that are currently vacant. Others will still be occupied. In either case, avoiding the spread of germs during a visit ensures the space will be safe for realtors, current occupants, and other visitors in the coming days. Anyone unwilling to wear a mask or unable to do so for medical reasons will need not feel left out. They can use the virtual showing options and videos instead.

While open houses are more difficult to do now, they’re still an excellent promotion tool. When run carefully, using safety precautions, and limiting who can attend, it’s possible to show a listing and generate considerable interest.

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