The New Normal: Selling During a Pandemic

Problem: The owner of a 950-square-feet two-bedroom Watertown condo on the Newton line called me in April, wanting to talk about putting his property on the market. It was the height of the pandemic, and the local real estate market was more or less shuttered. Should he give up on a spring sale, he asked? I assured him we could make it happen, despite the challenges.

Solution: I got to work researching the state guidelines on how to show a property safely.  For years, I have marketed properties with 3D online tours — they’ve become standard during the pandemic — so that was a simple first step for me. I ran two virtual open houses (one for brokers and one for buyers) using Zoom on my phone, walking through the unit and the common spaces. That was followed by two days of in-person open houses, assigning people 15-minute private blocks to tour the condo. I screened them beforehand for COVID-19 symptoms and made sure there was plenty of hand sanitizer and that everyone wore masks.

The Result: Our asking price was $474,900 and we ended up getting three offers. The condo sold for $485,000. This pandemic has been devastating on so many levels, but despite everything, the real estate market has remained robust.