I have been running at pretty low volume in real estate for the past 18 months due to the demands of being a elder caretaker. Time has been very scarce. I knew that it was not fair to my clients who may be entrusting me with the largest purchases of their lives to take on more than I can handle and not deliver the exceptional quality they deserve. However, I have not just been stuck in the kitchen during the whole time. I have also been working part-time for the local school district for a few year which pays some bills.
But, ready or not, here I come! Now that things have leveled off and just as I began to devote more time to real estate ,the Coronavirus came to invade the planet. COVID-19 and the Coronavirus pandemic are forcing real estate agents to redesign almost every part of our jobs. It looks like a daunting task, but the tools that we need as real estate professionals have been there for many years.
Whenever I have found myself in a slump and people have asked me,
“What have you been up to?”
I reply, “Oh, not a lot. I am currently between successes.”
During this time that I have spent a lot of time inside the house on Benson Blvd. This has afforded me a lot of time to reflect. My job is to help people find homes. Being inside so much, I realize I am spending so much time with the very commodity I am selling. This gives me a lot of new perspectives. Every day I get a light bulb above my head about something I never thought of. This is great time to make sure I am not simply stuck between successes. It is a time to be a success during and after this stay at home order is over. I need to wake up at the the crack of dawn and be:
- Communicating with current clients
- Working my listing, constantly mining for new potential buyers for my seller’s property
- Constantly looking for new business
- Looking for ways to do my job better
- Yelling at my web host about why my website is not working better
- Researching my market so I can be more knowledgeable and prepared for my clients
Hey, guess what! I recently listed a great commercial building that I am keeping busy marketing and trying to find a good buyer for. Check it out here. See I told ya. I need to get that listing out there so you know it is for sale. My seller is depending on me. Warning, I am working 24/7!
https://www.st8line.com/property/218-220-west-stephensonfreeport-il-61032/
Working remotely is not a huge transition for me. After all, it is they way I have always needed to do it. The office is 20 miles from my home. Freeport, Illinois is my main market focus. But that said, I am extremely lucky to work for Morgan Realty. The support I receive is phenomenal and it is an outstanding organization. Well worth the drive.
Now, working from home does require a fair amount of equipment that needs to be working properly. There is scanning, printing, shredding and lot of work on the computer. Conveniences like Docusign or digital signatures by email, are pretty much the way to go if you need to reduce your contact with people during the pandemic. Before, it was just a slick tool that thrilled me when I got all my signatures back in the mail. Should I be fortunate enough to get myself to a closing soon, all parties might be doing settling in front of a screen in their basement. Truthfully, because I have been dormant , I have not had any. Consequently, I cannot speak from much experience yet. I do promise right here and now, if I am in a remote closing from home, that out of respect for my clients, I will wear long trousers during settlement.
So, people ask,
“How will I help people get matched to the properties that get us to settlement?”
To be honest, very much the same way we have always done it. Prior to showing any properties, Agents have always researched, qualified and matched suitable potential properties before stepping out the door. Agents can continue to show responsibly under this conditions caused by the pandemic. Many will continue to do so on behalf of buyers who believe they may have opportunity now, or sellers who simply cannot wait weeks or months to resume their sales plans.
Fortunately, advances in our technology make it easier than ever to check out properties online. With detailed descriptions, photos, video tours and floor plans, a buyer can learn a great deal about available properties on a laptop at home. You can be just simply gwudzing on the floor in your pajamas in your own living room and finding your dream home. Many people find their homes this way and some who were not even previously in the market for a property. I can pick up and get the information on any property you find on the web. There are many sites, such as Realtor.com, Homesnap or just going to my own agent website http://www.kevingoleary.com. I have search engine connected to the local Multiple Listing Service. This does not mean, Hey, Let’s snag your crib sight unseen. Not at all. But seeing it online first is how many buyers find the property that they will then physically inspect with their agent and may ultimately purchase.
Some people really have question marks above their heads whether I be showing properties in Freeport at all. Afterall, we are in a deadly pandemic and we are to stay at home to be safe. Real estate is one of the essential industries to support our lives during this emergency. There is a reason that real estate is still listed as an essential business by Governor Pritzker. We would all agree that shelter is certainly a necessity. Apartments need to be shown, leases need to be signed. Residential properties are for sale and buyers need to find their properties. Sellers financial security is tied up on that unsold property. We cannot stiff mortgage companies, landlords and others with financial interests by freezing the transfer of properties. Banks need to be available for deposits and withdrawals.
Now showing in the midst of a public health crisis, it is imperative for me as an agent to act responsibly under these very different Covid 19 conditions. By taking the the appropriate amount of care to include:
- social-distancing by staying 6 feet away
- fastidious washing with soap of hands before and after showing
- never going out without my trusty double ply cloth masks. (I love my masks. Camo for country showings, Urban scene for showings in the city and the Scream mask for my scarier properties.)
- Hand sanitizer bottles. Always one in the trunk of the Caddy and one in the cup holder.
- Throw away plastic gloves.
- Avoiding touching things that do not really need to be touched.
- Most important. Cannot be emphasized enough. Stay at home Stay away from people if feeling sick, sniffling, sneezing, hacking, coughing and what not.
We are no different. We need to work. Folks need a place to live or conduct their business. This pandemic will not last forever. We will overcome this together.
The Great Global Divide 