By Sally Tansill, September 28, 2020
By Sally Tansill, September 28, 2020
Love in the time of Cholera, or rather, Listing in the time of Covid….definitely not as poetic.
Looking back on the beginning of 2020, the conversations I had with my client seems like something out of the Upside Down (for those fans of “Stranger Things”). Everything has been turned on its head since then and despite the obstacles thrown in our way finally we made it to the finish line.
Our listing journey began on March 13th, when we went live just as the reality of the pandemic was coming to our front door. As showings were being booked and requests made, my client grappled with the emotional weight of what risk exposure and the priorities for her family. We paused showings to give us some time to strategize and to add to the stress, we ended up with an over asking price verbal offer due to an accidental viewing due to a cancellation oversight.
The emotions ran high over that weekend, but I have tremendous admiration for my clients decision to pull the house from the market and put their health first. My client entertained the financial benefit of accepting an offer with the uncertainty of how long the lock down would last and where their family would land after the fact. Would anything be open? Would she be able to find movers?
After some months and more information about how COVID-19 was transmitted and how the real estate industry was protecting agents and clients, we decided to re-list at the end of August. The market conditions had changed significantly since March so after collaborating we settled on a higher price which matched the verbal offer they had received in March so it was a win for everyone involved.
We had a great weekend of showings and had an offer after three days. I am so happy that my clients were able to close with a really straightforward offer and clean terms after such a complicated listing experience. They are off to the east coast for a new start and I wish them all the best!