5 ways to keep your real estate search moving forward

With the pandemic changing our economy day by day and hour by hour, I wanted to give you an update on the housing market - things are still moving along. Realtors are still hard at work helping their clients buy or sell their homes. We have been given detailed guidelines from the National Association of Realtors on how to adapt to the changing world around us.

And over the past few weeks we have seen new inventory come onto the market, prices change, and transactions close. So...although we may be stuck at home, if you find the perfect property and are ready to move forward, then you certainly can. If you were in the beginning stages of your purchase and due to coronavirus-related circumstances are unable to make the move now - there are still things you can do from home to position yourself to move forward when the time is right. Here are five ways to move your real estate search forward: 

1. Schedule a free buyer's consultation / During a buyer's consultation we will go over your property needs and details like: timeframe, location, and price. I will also give you a basic rundown of what the real estate market looks like here on Hawaii Island. A consultation can be done over the phone or via a video conferencing program like Zoom or Google Hangout. 2. Determine your housing needs / Now that we all are spending our days at home, you may start to notice new things about your home that you really like, or things that you really don't like. Take time to envision what you would change about your home and what you would keep the same. Think realistically and prioritize! What are things that you NEED versus things that youWANT. What are practical amenities that are most important to you and your family, and what are amenities that would be more of a bonus? Doing this will paint a clearer picture of what your next home will look like.

3. Sign up for listing e-alerts / Once you have prioritized your needs and know what you are looking for, it's time to get set up on a listing e-alert for you. E-alerts are one of the best ways to keep informed with what is happening in the local real estate market. The e-alert will be personalized and matched to fit your property needs...so you will only receive listing updates that are relevant to you. I prefer to send out e-alerts either weekly or bi-weekly depending on how often you want to be notified.

4. Request a virtual tour / You may come across a property that checks all, or most, of your "must have" boxes. If so, it may be time to schedule a virtual showing! You can email, text, or schedule a virtual showing through my website here. A lot of properties already have video tours, or 3-D virtual tour's already set up, for more information read my blog post on virtual showings.

5. Talk to a lender / If you have not done so already, now is a good time to find a lender and talk with them about your financial position. Interest rates remain low as of right now, and mortgage lenders can discuss with you; current rates, what you may be able to qualify for, and when the time is right - begin the pre-approval process. Need a few lender contacts? Contact me and I will help connect you with a lender! I hope this is helpful information and if you have any questions - please do not hesitate to reach out.