Imagine trying to sell a home without being able to step foot in it. That is the task real estate agents were up against over the past couple of months during the shutdown that kept agents and potential buyers from entering homes.
Realtors were not even allowed to go to a house to take pictures or put a “For Sale” sign up in the yard.
Things have eased up since Centre County moved from the red to the yellow phase of reopening and area real estate agents have been working hard to find better ways to help their clients.
“My people have been working diligently behind the scenes, just doing everything virtually, making sure that buyers can see the homes even if it is with the seller virtually walking them through,” said Liz Piazza, broker of record and sales manager at Kissinger, Bigatel & Brower Realtors in State College.
“We adapted by having our sellers conduct virtual showings via Zoom for the buyers to get the feel of the home. So, the listing agent would schedule a Zoom virtual tour with the buyer agent, the buyers, the seller and the listing agent themselves, all on at the same time. It’s not near the same as a buyer physically walking through a home and the yard or outdoor space, seeing the neighborhood, etc.
‘We did use some strategies to show the area like with Google Maps Street View; but, yet again, those views aren’t always current and certainly aren’t the same as being there, hearing if there is road noise, noticing smells, or other outdoor nuances.”
But this was the only way to show a home after the state mandated that agents and prospective buyers were not allowed into them.
“Everything has to be done virtually,” said Bob Langton of Keller Williams Realty in State College. “Working with buyers, we view pictures or videos either together or via Zoom. Sellers have had to create their own video tours. We have had live virtual tours with the buyer, the buyer’s agents, myself and my seller, all at the same time. Office meetings are online. Keller Williams has been offering various training courses online and I completed my continuing education to renew my license online. I’ve become pretty proficient with Zoom.”
Langton cited a client that had an investment property they decided to sell in mid-March.
“We had an investor that was familiar with the property and we were able to come to an agreement between the two parties,” Langton said. “Everything was done online. The attorney is able to email the deed to the sellers so they can have them notarized. The title company can prepare all the documentation for the closing, which is now scheduled for May 15.”
Bob Langton, a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty, has adapted to COVID-19 by showing homes virtually with digital videos. Submitted photo
Another obstacle to overcome was for people moving into the area from another state. Shutdown rules were not uniform nationwide, and that caused some headaches.
“We have people coming from different states where their home is sold and they have to get out of it,” Piazza said. “But they can’t get into one here where they need to be at Penn State. Those moving to buy a house in another state were unable to finish the sale of their homes here in Pennsylvania, which kept them from having the proceeds to make the final sale in another state.”
Realtors had to learn the “ins and outs” of Zoom and also how to manage everything virtually. Piazza said those nuances were “heartbreaking.”
As Centre County moved from the red phase to the yellow phase on May 8, real estate agents were allowed back in homes they were trying to sell, but plenty of restrictions remain in place. Masks, gloves and booties are required and only two people are allowed in a home at the same time. Langton said that if the buyers are a couple, then he would “go through the house with the husband and wife separately.”
He said during the showing, it is preferred to have all lights on and inside doors open so nobody has to touch anything. Showings are scheduled far enough apart to give the seller time to wipe down all surfaces and buyers are asked if they’ve had COVID-19, currently have a fever, or are sick. Buyers are also asked which county they are coming from as another precaution.
All this has had an impact on the real estate market in Centre County, which was strong before the pandemic. Piazza said that even with the shutdown, the market has still out-performed last year to this date because of a strong January and February.
“It is totally crazy, but we were off to such a great start. January and February were way ahead of last year, so that sustained us,” said Piazza.
Langton said the number of homes that have come onto the market over the past two months is down from 2019.
“The market usually picks up after spring break; however, this year the market slowed after spring break before coming to a halt in March,” he said. “Although the numbers are down, the prices are still holding. Unlike the financial and real estate crisis in 2008, this slowdown doesn’t have anything to do with the real estate market, where we saw prices drop not as much in Centre County as the rest of the country.”
Langton said he feels overall that the Centre County market will be strong as things move forward.
“Although we may not sell as many homes as last year, the activity (new listings) has already picked up since May 8,” he said. “I know people who have accepted positions at Penn State and are still moving to the area. Things are just delayed. I have a client looking to buy a second home in State College and even if there isn’t a football season or a limited one, people still want to be in State College. If Realtors can make their buyers and sellers comfortable with the process, our market will move forward.”
Piazza said the big indicator for the real estate market and the local economy in general will be what happens with Penn State this fall.
“This local economy, that was protected last time when the housing situation caused the crisis in 2008, we were insulated well because of Penn State University. This time, that might not be the same, because if Penn State doesn’t open up for the fall — though I’m optimistic that they will — but if they don’t, then everything will domino,” said Piazza. “I do think our local economy, if Penn State opens, will be in pretty good shape because those jobs would resume. We would have employment and we would have people buying properties or moving up.”
Langton said he feels that many people in cities may be looking to move to less crowded spaces when the pandemic ends.
“I spoke to agents in Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., and they said there is interest in people moving out of the city to smaller towns because the numbers on COVID-19 show that the rural populations have fewer cases,” he said. “A big factor behind this is companies have adapted and allowed people to work from home. I don’t know if it’s a trend yet, although I hope it will bring more people to our area if they can work from home.”
For many, that means being in homes that they feel are safe and comfortable. Real estate agents will continue to adapt to help their clients find what they are looking for as life moves forward. Video tours aren’t going anywhere and protective measures might be here to stay, but people will always need homes and nothing is better than in-person interactions.
“I know we have quite a bit of pent-up buyer demand. We need more sellers as our inventory isn’t nearly what it should be for May, not even close. Moving forward, we will need to continue to exercise safety precautions, yet still buy and sell with our clients,” said Piazza. “Housing is so important to people and in-person showings, inspections, appraisals, final walk-throughs, etc., cannot be replaced by a virtual world.”
