5 minute read
Steps to Buying a New Home Virtually
CAROL MORGAN, FOUNDER & PRESIDENT, DENIM MARKETING
Spring is the time to start searching for a new home, and finding a home today is easier than ever. If you are worried about being exposed to COVID-19 (coronavirus), and not yet ready to leave home, then don’t worry, it is easy to search for your dream home from the comfort of your current residence.
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The bulk of the new home search can be completed online before getting in the car and looking in person. Here are steps for getting started.
Hire an agent. Depending on your level of comfort with the homebuying process, you probably want to work with a buyer’s agent. Your agent will act as a sounding board while walking you through the process and answering questions.
Get prequalified for a home loan.
Knowing how much home you can comfortably afford is crucial. Understanding this can steer the search in the right direction and price point. Most mortgage companies and banks can complete this step 100% virtually.
Determine where you want to live.
Pick the city, county, and maybe even the neighborhood that fits your lifestyle and budget. This includes thinking about what community amenities are musthaves. Does your family want access to a neighborhood pool and walking trails? Or will your outdoor fireplace be enough of an amenity combined with the nature preserve down the street?
Narrow your search to a specific builder, community, and home.
Look at the home builder’s website and start selecting communities and floor plans. Review videos of communities and homes. Take time to dig into renderings and floor plans. Once you have narrowed the field to a few choices, review all interior selections and options to determine which ones you like and what is in your budget. Some builders offer extensive options, and others offer packages.
“Verify that they have options or don’t have options,” Kevin Weitzel, business development director for Outhouse (a virtual reality company), said. “Most builders with inventory homes can offer a realistic view of what they offer via virtual reality tours. If you are working with a custom builder, you need to know what those options are and the costs.”
Take a virtual tour. ‘Walk’ through the homes that interest you the most via Matterport or other virtual reality technology. As you walk through them online, think of how that feels to you and how the home flows, as well as how you’d live in it. Some builders offer interactive floor plans with space planning and the ability to add furniture. This is an excellent way to see if that king-sized bed fits or determine which room works best as a home office.
Use live chat. As you narrow your choices to the perfect home, reach out with your questions to each builder through the live chat on their website. Many builders employ an online sales counselor who knows the ins and outs of each community and is familiar with all the home plans. They can answer your questions about homes, schools, and nearby amenities, as well as tell you about any promotions or incentives that may apply.
Schedule a tour with the agent on site. Now that the search is narrowed to just a few homes, reach out to the respective community agent and schedule
a real-time, video walk-through. Before the meeting, make a list of questions to ask. As you work with the onsite agent, take communication into account. Is the onsite person easy to text, call, and communicate with? You will be working with them a lot, so make sure that the relationship is comfortable and that they will communicate via your preferred method.
Make an offer. Once you are comfortable with your dream home selection, work with your agent (or the builder’s onsite agent) to make an offer. Again, this is something that can be done 100% virtually.
Attend your virtual closing and
move in. Work with your agent and lender to make sure all forms are submitted, then close on your home and pick up the keys! Of course, picking up the keys and moving in are going to happen in-person, but the rest can happen online. Technology has enabled transactions that were once face-to-face, to happen virtually. u
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Carol Morgan, president real estate news blog. Her of Denim Marketing, is Atlanta Real Estate Forum one of those women who seems to do a million things effortlessly: she runs her own Radio podcast launched in 2011 and features the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry, as well successful marketing firm; as nonprofits, attractions and she has an award-winning things to do on the Around radio show; she’s written Atlanta edition. four books; she’s served as Carol served as one of chair of the National Home CAROL MORGAN, NAHB Chair Greg Ugalde’s Builders Association’s DENIM MARKETING advisors in 2019. She is Professional Women in Second Vice Chair of the Building Council; and she’s Associates Council and past Membership won multiple professional awards. She Chair and past chair of NAHB’s also manages a 20-acre farm; rides Professional Women in Building Council; dressage; and is a mom. And she makes Carol was awarded the prestigious 2016 it look easy! Woman of the Year from the Professional
Day-to-day, Carol focuses on Women in Building. She is a graduate of marketing strategy and integrating Oglethorpe University and the recipient public relations, social media, content of the 2008 Spirit of Oglethorpe Award, and creative to tell engaging stories for PRSA Georgia Chapter’s George clients that garner measurable traffic Goodwin Award, the Greater Atlanta and show ROI. Home Builders Association’s 2008
Carol is the author of four books, Associate of the Year and 2012 Council including her latest “Social Media Chair of the Year. Carol holds the MIRM Marketing for Your Business,” published (Masters in Residential Marketing), CAPS by Builder Books. She is the creator of the nationally-ranked and award-winning www.AtlantaRealEstateForum.com SM (Certified Aging in Place Specialist) and CSP (Certified Sales Professional) designations from NAHB.
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