When COVID-19 hit South Carolina in March of 2020 it was evident that things in the real estate world would be changing. Everyone was uncertain what would happen, but understood that "Business, as Usual", would be..."Unusual". We have already done Facetime Showings for overseas buyers and video walkthroughs with remote sellers to see the condition of their properties they were selling, so we were prepared with the basics. But there was another level of change that we would be encountering. We are very progressive real estate agents and love innovation and new technology. It is also important that we understand our clients' needs and keep them comfortable and safe during COVID. Here are a few things that we've done to help our buyers and sellers.
Digital Signing
We started doing this long ago for the convenience of out of town buyers and sellers. We use DocuSign as a digital signature so that you won't need to be present and meet in person to sign Documents about your transaction. DocuSign has digital authentication to make sure that your signatures are secure and are accepted by many vendors. So it is likely that your loan officer, real estate agent, insurance agent, etc. will accept a digital signature. However, recording information will need to be signed with, "wet ink", so this will require you to be present at the settlement/closing or make arrangements for your legal documents to be notarized and overnighted to the closing attorney.
Drive-By Closings
We were probably the first agents in Columbia to do a Drive-By closing. When the news outlets reported that we were facing a global pandemic we had clients that were taking the Coronavirus with extreme caution. So we arranged for our Columbia real estate attorney to work with our buyer by allowing him to drive up to the curb, sign all of the legal documents to purchase, and drive away as a new property owner. This was a huge step for us and laid the tracks for how things could be accomplished in the future. In the past, if a buyer wasn't present at closing, that buyer would have to mail all of the documents to the closing attorney and wire the funds to the closing attorney before settlement.
Virtual Tours
We were more excited about this than anything else. For years, we've been looking for a VR360 tour that would be affordable and easy to use. A VR360 tour is a panoramic photo taken from different places on the property and posted in a way that you can see the property in a spherical view. iPhone and Facebook began using the "Pano" feature and it slowly started to take off. There is also a VR360 video feature, but most internet connections are too weak to allow viewing without buffering. So the VR360 Photograph is ideal for real estate. Take a look at our Lake Wateree Real Estate listing that uses a VR360 technology.
Wiring Funds
We DO NOT handle any wiring of funds but our company has implemented extensive measures so that wire fraud is less likely to occur. It is important to take additional steps when wiring money. We recommend calling the recipient from their official business listing page and request instructions. What often happens is that the scammer will spoof an email address and give wiring instructions to their masked account. And in seconds, that money is going to an unknown source. Be cautious when wiring money and ask us about this throughout the process.
Social Distancing
To be politically correct, we now refer to this as "physical distancing." We still engage in socializing, probably more so than ever before. But respecting other's personal space is important to us, and our company. In May 2020 our office manager required that anyone that enters our office to wear a mask and to limit the meeting space as little time as possible. Until this is under control, many of us have been working from our homes and try to distance ourselves. When showing houses, we also have taken a few additional steps to help keep things clean. We avoid touching light switches, doorknobs, and wear masks when walking into a property. It's very much respecting other's space as much as respecting our clients'.
Video Conferencing
Our office meetings and training programs have reached an entirely new level. We are still communicating with our colleagues regularly. It has become the "new normal" to have a Zoom conference call rather than a traditional office meeting... where everyone sits about the room and discusses current events. Our real estate brokerage is one of the most recognized brands in the world and we have agents across the country that are sitting in on our meetings and contributing to our business. Not only are the top agents in Columbia giving advice, but we are also getting top agents in the country that are sharing new tools to help us streamline our business.
If you are interested in knowing more about what we do, please feel free to reach out and ask us specific questions. We are available 7 days a week.