You may have received an email from HomeTraq that mentions "No Obligation" or "No Solicitation." These principles are intended to protect you, as the buyer, to ensure you can get the best deal on a home as possible.
Good news! The housing market is still active! Agents and brokers alike are finding new and creative ways to accommodate social distancing. A lot of what you've been reading about the impact of COVID-19 is negative, so we wanted to start shining some positive light and commend our network of agents and brokers for their hard work. The good news? There could be some long-term benefits from the innovations made to the home-buying process that can carry over into the post-COVID era!
Good news! The housing market is still active, and agents and brokers are finding new and creative ways to accommodate social distancing! A lot of what you read about the impact of COVID-19 is negative, so we wanted to shine some positive light and commend our network of agents and brokers for their hard work. The good news? There could be some long-term benefits from the innovations made to the home-buying process that can carry over into the post-COVID era!
To make a home more readily available to prospective buyers, many sellers put the house on a secure SUPRA lock box. This allows the home to be included in MLS scheduling platform(s) to easily offer available times for showings, avoiding the potential hassle involved with multiple showing requests. Additionally, many home-sellers have all but eliminated “by appointment only” requests as it creates an additional scheduling barrier.
Insist that your agent uses the SUPRA Electronic Key for access - This is the most common form of access for all agents. You and your agent will then have documentation of every agent that shows the house with a buyer, as each entry is logged.
Manual combination boxes: While these are relatively easy to use and cheap, they require communication to provide the combination lock number. This becomes a barrier to an immediate response. Furthermore, accessibility cannot be controlled. You don't know who, what, or when someone has entered the home. Buyers and agents can access the home repeatedly, with or without your knowledge, and can be easily provided to others for access. This can easily pose several risks that can easily be avoided by employing the SUPRA lock box system.
HomeTraq provides the superior home-shopping experience, at no cost to you. Simply find a property, take a live video tour, and make an offer. No obligations, no commitments. 
As a seller, you'll want to know exactly how the agent will sell your home. Is a direct mail campaign appropriate? Why or why not? Where and how often do they advertise? What kind of photography do they offer? Do they market online? What steps will they take to prepare your home for sale?
Open Houses - Have your agent or their associates hold an open house as often as possible, but definitely from time to time. These bring in prospects that are not yet willing to commit to an agent, but are interested. However, do understand that open houses are mostly to attract buyers for the agent, and doesn't necessarily get the house sold. It definitely doesn't hurt, as it could lead to buyer or a referral to another prospective buyer.
An open house provides a buyer with the opportunity to gather quite a bit of information on a home in a short amount of time. The listing agent often will be present and ready to answer questions, which will allow a buyer to get his or her full attention. The information needed to make an informed purchase might come immediately rather than waiting for a buyer's agent to get back to them.
Broker/Agent Open Houses - Have your agent promote the new listing to the broker/agent network. Getting them there can be as valuable as having the right buyer walk into your home, as they may already have a buyer looking for your exact house!
Interviewing potential real estate agents before deciding on whom to hire is a good idea. It’s in your best interest to ask them some or all of the following questions to gauge their knowledge and fit with your needs. Take a look below, and let us know if there are any other questions you’ve found valuable when interviewing agents.
Though your search for homes may start online, it won’t end there. You can do a lot of research on your own. The National Association of Realtors reported that 68% of home buyers found the home they ended up buying on their phone last year, but once you find your perfect home, you will need the help of an expert when it comes to actually securing it. A buyer’s agent can help you navigate through the home-buying process. When it comes to making an offer, your agent will negotiate on your behalf so you don’t pay a penny more than you have to.
