COVID-19, the pandemic, and global quarantine have resulted in a ton of changes across many industries. That includes the real estate industry and realtors have had to pivot to continue with the selling and buying of properties.
When the virus hit, many people were in the process of buying or selling a home, and failing to proceed would result in many people being left without a place to live. That means realtors quickly became an essential service for many people and their jobs became more important than ever.
One realtor in Toronto made some major changes to the way he operates in order to make sure his clients were safe and progress was made.
Juvan Mariathasan, the Founder of Toronto Condo Units, specializes in condos and offers a high level of expertise. Here are the changes he made to the way he operated when the pandemic hit, and why it was important to ensure the safety of his clients.
(1) Virtual Tours
The ability to offer virtual tours of available homes to clients looking to purchase was extremely convenient. Today’s technology allows me to offer up 360-degree virtual tours of every room in a way that provides you with a very real look at the property.
My new 360-degree camera was well worth the money after just a few showings and was a big part of the selling of a few properties during the pandemic. I quickly got used to scheduling virtual tours with clients in order to help them move their dream forward.
(2) Communication With Clients
One of the easiest – but most effective – changes I made was enhanced communication through new platforms.
I began texting more with clients, using new programs like Whatsapp to keep them up to date and got used to FaceTime and Zoom conferences. I emailed clients more than ever and answered calls out of business hours because I knew how important it was to my clients.
Communication is the key to client satisfaction and I made a real effort to be an even stronger communicator during the pandemic.
(3) Cleaning Of Properties
Enhanced cleaning protocols to all my properties was obviously something I did. Because I usually show and sell condos, there were many places I needed to consider when cleaning.
Before showings, I would take the time to sanitize any doorknobs, buttons, railings, and more. This was very important to me and I knew my clients would feel more at peace while viewing a property if they knew it was cleaned.
This is also something I will continue to do after things get back to normal.
(4) Digital Paperwork
Finalizing the deal is an intricate and important part of the process of buying a home that has serious legal ramifications. Luckily for everyone, a digital process is available and can be adapted by the realtor.
I took the time to learn about using digital paperwork and was able to quickly put it into effect with my clients.
How Are You Adapting to Life After the Pandemic?
Every industry has had to make changes after the pandemic hit and it looks like they will be around for a while now. If you are stagnant in the way you operate and are against making any changes to the way you work, then you could be left behind.
We all need to make changes until this is over, and many of us will keep some of the processes long after the pandemic is over. Things may never return to normal and we all need to be ready for that scary reality.
Look in the mirror and figure out what you can do to move forward, even during a pandemic.
