We look forward to connecting with you.
We look forward to connecting with you.
Bernal Heights Agency of Vivre Real Estate
Selling homes online is a growing trend that shows no sign of slowing down, especially after the lessons learned during the current global Covid-19 pandemic.
In fact, there is every chance that virtual home sales could become the new normal because they offer so many advantages to all parties involved in the process.
Imagine the potential for buyers, sellers, and real estate agents to connect from anywhere in the world and view any property they desire.
With modern technology, you could even view and buy a home from your phone while sitting on a beach in a different country! Maybe that’s not quite your style, but the tech is here, and for some it’s happening.
Read on to learn about the many benefits of online home sales.
People are more aware than ever of the dangers of viruses and germs that can linger in the air and on surfaces.
When multiple viewers are walking through every room in a house for weeks on end, this can increase the risk of contamination. As of this time of writing, the USA is seeing drastically lowered levels of widespread disease. However, many people remain more “germaphobic” than they were before 2020.
By utilizing virtual home tours, thousands of people can simultaneously view the same property without leaving the comfort of their own homes. Not only does this mean the sellers and other buyers come in contact with fewer people (and germs… and messy fingerprints), but it also means far more potential buyers can get a good look at the listing.
This is safer and more efficient for buyers and sellers, and it means a real estate agent is not in contact with so many people each and every day.
Traditional home showing methods are time-consuming for everyone involved. There is the need to schedule appointments to suit all parties, drive to the location, show the property, and then drive back again. Talk about inefficient!
There is also the potential for people to get stuck in traffic, run late because of a previous engagement, or even forget to attend the meeting altogether. These things happen. But when viewing online first, a buyer can get a pretty good feel for a listing without ever leaving the comfort of their couch.
With virtual property tours, no one loses time if a buyer fails or forgets to view a listing online.
Virtual home tours make everything more efficient, including the costs involved with showing a home. Of course, driving to a home for sale means paying for gas. For the real estate team, it means paying wages or just spending time for the showing agent to attend. It’s much cheaper to click on a web link and communicate via video chat.
Efficiency is multiplied by the fact that agents can show the same home to many viewers at the same time. By increasing staff efficiency, this can mean more time spent by agents on the more complicated parts of real estate, like research, strategy and negotiations.
Home sellers often appreciate virtual tours because they prevent the need for frequent cleaning or coordinating with agents if they still live in the home.
Once a real estate agent has a virtual tour produced, the seller can live comfortably without having to worry about making too much of a mess, just tidying up before showings with serious buyers.
From a real estate agent's point of view, showing homes virtually is an excellent way to display the property in its best light.
Professional photographers and videographers can create multimedia content showing the home from every conceivable angle, and ensure the production is perfect before showing it to viewers.
For buyers, the advancements in virtual tech mean it is easy to navigate through each room, take your time, and go back to look at areas of particular interest.
Search engines use algorithms to determine the quality of content on your web pages and then rank your site accordingly.
Video, photo and 3D tour content may help your property webpage appear higher in the search engine results. When it comes to SEO (search engine optimization), the more content the better!
Search engines take all this into account when deciding where you should be in their results.
If your property or your agent’s website rank high in the search results, it may attract more visitors and interest from potential homebuyers.
It's easy for local people to attend a house showing in person, but what about those living further away? Perhaps a buyer is moving to a new city and wants to purchase a house in advance, or maybe they are seeking a holiday home.
With working-from-home becoming more and more commonplace, it’s becoming increasingly common for homebuyers to search all over the country for their new home, rather than just in their immediate vicinity.
With virtual home tours, people can get a great look at a property from any location in the world using their computer or mobile device. This is a great way to make properties more accessible to as many people as possible, from untethered workers to foreign investors and beyond.
When people consider purchasing a property, their decision may depend on the home improvements they would make if they were to buy. This often involves calling tradespeople or architects and arranging to meet them at the house.
Additionally, it means meeting the real estate agent at the property. But with online viewings, anyone can see the home from every angle and discuss possible renovations over the web.
It may not be possible to make definitive decisions without an in-person appointment, but it will certainly give you a head start without involving too many trips and meetings.
Whether they are looking for a family home or a personal residence just for themselves, homebuyers usually want a second opinion from friends or family members. Buying a home is a big decision, so it makes sense to involve the people you care about!
With online viewings, homebuyers can share the same virtual tour content with their family and friends. And everyone can view the home as many times as they want, from anywhere they are located. It’s a big benefit to collaborate and share information online, and that benefit reaches real estate through virtual tours.
We specialize in getting the highest value and best results for our clients. That means using virtual tours for both our buyer clients and our seller clients’ listings to make the process as efficient and attractive as possible!
Virtual services for real estate are big, and only getting bigger. But we always emphasize a personal touch and service tailored specifically to your needs, in order to make sure you are well informed and comfortable at every step.
If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in Bernal Heights or San Francisco, please feel free to reach out for a no-pressure consultation to discuss your options. We’re happy to help!
If you are thinking of buying a home, you have probably already begun your search. It’s easy these days, with up-to-date listing information available on a wide variety of websites. And it’s fun!
House hunting is one of the most exciting parts of real estate, and it draws a lot of interest on TV shows and in-person open houses. Viewing and touring potential new homes means thinking of possibilities and dreaming about your future.
As fun as it is, though, it’s easy to get caught up in the thrill of house hunting — the perfectly staged rooms, the must-have features, the pool or kitchen you always wanted. Focusing too much on the aesthetics and amenities can lead you to miss some warning signs about a property, and a poor decision can lead to years of regrets.
We're here to help you avoid making any costly mistakes in your home search. Read on for a quick guide on the red flags to spot when house hunting.
The vast majority of homebuyers start their search online to get a feel for the market and their options. It's a good way to get a glimpse of the types of homes available, their price, and which neighborhoods might suit you best. However, not all online listings are created equal.
For example, if a listing has few photos (or zero photos), it's probably not a good sign. Either the homeowner doesn't want to show you what's inside, or they don't care enough to make an effort. Either way, chances are slim that it’s the right home for you.
Don’t just think about what’s shown in the pictures. Consider what’s not being shown.
Next, while touring homes, keep an eye out for signs of water damage. This can include cracking and bubbling paint, discolored walls and ceilings, pooling water, and moldy/mildewy smells.
Signs of water damage can be especially concerning because they can indicate damage to drywall, flooring, and structural components of the house, all of which may be very costly to remediate and repair. Worst of all, water damage can also mean the presence of toxic mold hidden throughout the house.
Recent studies have shown that 84% of homes have some sort of pest presence. Typically, this means small, not-very-significant issues like the occasional bug or insect. However, if the home you visit while house hunting has obvious signs of a widespread infestation, you might want to think again.
Pest infestations can be tricky (and costly) to get rid of. Not to mention, most pests cause multiple forms of damage to a house. Termites chew through wood, rodents destroy materials and leave waste everywhere, etc.
As is the case with all these red flags, you might choose to simply move on and look at other homes. But if you really like some features of the home and think you can make it work, you can always negotiate a lower price, or ask the sellers to remedy the problem.
As you house hunt, work on your eye for spotting obvious DIY work. While there's nothing wrong with a homeowner learning new skills and saving money by completing DIY repairs and updates, you can never be sure of the quality of their work. Additionally, the owners may have failed to follow the proper permitting process for a job.
DIY repairs and renovations that violate the city coding laws could come back to haunt you, even if it was the previous owner who did them. More importantly, they may not be completely safe or sound.
Weird smells are never a good sign while house hunting. Cleaning is an important part of the listing process, so if a home for sale still has lingering odors, they may be hard to fix or foretell deeper problems.
As noted previously, musty smells could be an indication of mold and mildew. Additionally, questionable smells could point to pests, pet accidents that weren't properly cleaned up, rotting food lying somewhere and so on.
Similarly, if the home is covered in air fresheners, it might indicate lingering, foul smells. Of course, it could just be the seller and listing agent trying to make the home more inviting. But an excessive amount of scents could mean they're trying to mask an unpleasant odor.
When looking for a house to buy, it's always a good idea to hire a real estate agent. They can help you find the right house based on location, size, features, property size, etc.
However, if your real estate agent is also the listing agent for the house you're looking at, make sure that they have your best interests at heart. Agents are only people, after all. Most are good folks and they try to do right by their clients. But buying a home that’s also listed by your agent/agency can open things up to a conflict of interest.
When you buy that listing, the agent makes double the commission since they represent both parties. If you have a good agent, this is not typically a problem. But an unscrupulous agent might be willing to withhold information or negative details about the home that might otherwise deter you from placing an offer.
The bigger lesson here is to work with an agent you trust!
When house hunting, it's not just the interior of homes you should examine. You should also take a walk around the property to look for anything disconcerting.
For example, take a look at the landscaping around the foundation of the house. Does the ground slope away from the house, toward the house, or is it flat? Ideally, the foundation should slope down away from the house to ensure positive drainage.
Negative drainage will drain water back toward the foundation, which can cause water leaks in the basement/crawl space, damages to the foundation, etc. All of these problems can be expensive and frustrating to deal with.
The roof of a house is one of the most important components. It's the primary defense for your home against the elements.
That means your roof is also the part of your home most susceptible to incurring damage. Inevitably over time, the wind, rain, hail, snow, ice and sun can break down a roof.
If the roof needs to be replaced due to regular wear and tear, it won't be covered by most insurance companies. This means the seller is less likely to invest in roof repairs or a replacement before selling. The last thing you want to do is buy a house that needs thousands (or tens of thousands) of dollars in roof repairs.
We all know the importance of comparing house prices while house hunting. Comparable sales are the chief way that home values are determined by appraisers and other real estate pros.
When a sale price seems too good to be true, it probably is. In other words, a super cheap home is likely super cheap for a reason.
If the home sounds too good to be true, there's likely something fundamentally wrong. This is more common in homes that have been listed on the market for more than four or five months.
If you run into this situation, ask your Realtor to find out why the listing price is so low. Alternatively, you could place a contingent offer on the home based on the results of a home inspection. It will cost you some money to get answers, but at least you’ll know what you’re dealing with.
It’s exciting to house hunt and think of the possibilities in your new home! Just make sure you keep an eye out for the red flags listed in this article while house hunting. A home is a huge investment, and the last thing you want is for an oversight to come back and haunt you.
Whether you’ve been searching real estate listings for a while, or you’re just getting started or mulling your options, we’re here to help. Connect with us today to start the conversation and discuss your options to buy, or sell and buy, a home! We would love to help you achieve your goals and find a home that’ll make you happy for years to come.
Are you trying to make a new neighbor feel welcome and cared for in the community?
Moving to a new area can be disorienting and lonely, especially in this era of social distancing. Being there for your neighbor in this crucial time can build the foundation for a beautiful friendship, cordial conversation, and maybe a shared cup of flour or two.
So be a good neighbor! Given the busy real estate market these days, chances are you have or will have at least one new neighbor on the street sometime soon. Take a look through some of our favorite creative housewarming gift ideas that will help you welcome your new neighbor home.
Here's something that will bring joy (and a little extra oxygen) to your new neighbor's life. If you're concerned about the difficulty of taking care of a plant, try getting something that doesn't require a lot of maintenance, like a succulent.
Houseplants can have a lot of personality. Whether you go for something cute or elegant, this thoughtful housewarming gift could be the start of a great neighborly relationship.
If you like the ecological vibe of a plant gift but you want to go for something more practical, try gifting your neighbor an herb garden! These days, there are lots of handy little kits that can get your neighbor growing basil, mint, and whatever else they find tasty in no time.
This is a unique housewarming gift that tells your neighbor you're excited for their roots to grow in this new home. Plus, anyone who frequently cooks at home knows the extraordinary value of being able to step outside for fresh herbs!
Whether you’re a seasoned chef or simply doing your best, there’s nothing like a home-cooked meal to warm the heart. This doesn't have to be a full-on, 3-course, Michelin-star-quality meal if you're nervous! Try baking a batch of your favorite cookies (but avoid using nuts or other allergens, just in case). Moving to a new place can be disorienting and lonely, so a thoughtful food gift can go a long way. Nothing warms the heart like a freshly baked treat or meal.
Lots of people bring flowers to a housewarming, but where do those flowers go? If your neighbors are first-time homebuyers, they are probably still building up their basic supply of home items. A beautiful vase will help them fill out their cache of decor, and it lasts far longer than the flowers you gift inside it.
Try picking out a pretty clay or glass vessel for your blooming beauties. Your new neighbors will think of the kind gesture every time they see your gift of flowers, and every time they use the vase! It’s a gift that keeps on giving.
Ever used a garlic press? How about a tortilla warmer? Items like these are well-loved by the people who use them, but chances are your neighbor doesn't have one yet.
When people move to a new home, they're often thinking of the basic items they need in order to get started. By giving them some thoughtful specialty kitchenware, you can make their cooking experience that much more unique and efficient.
If you're worried about going the specialized route because you don't know your neighbors too well, here's something that almost everyone would love.
A good cast iron pan can upgrade the quality of every meal. Cast iron is durable and truly timeless, an heirloom gift that can be passed down through generations. And even if your neighbor already has one, it's nice to have another!
You might have to sneakily find out what kind of coffee your neighbor likes to make before you get them a coffee set. But the nice thing here is that you can scale the gift up or down.
For a casual gift, you might go with some high-quality beans and a grinder. And for something more generous, you can get your neighbor a nice coffeemaker. There are also “coffee of the month” subscriptions that you can gift to your neighbor, so they can try all kinds of coffee and discover something new.
Taking the time to pick out a thoughtful gift for your new neighbor says more than the gift itself could ever convey. After going through the homebuying process, then moving in and getting situated, then learning the neighborhood and meeting new people… it’s a lot to do all at once. By reaching out to a new neighbor, you will plant the seed of friendship and community right away, and you’ll brighten your neighbor’s day.
So be a good neighbor! And if you want to hear about our experience matching homebuyers and neighborhoods, reach out! We'd love to hear from you.