First Team Real Estate agents Geoffrey and Lisa Thompson decided to list their Laguna Niguel home for sale this past May despite the coronavirus lockdown, and the results were even better than the couple expected. Selling for top dollar after receiving multiple offers, their recipe for success came down to quality digital marketing with an impressive team of photographers and videographers, and the perfect timing.
Experts on the local real estate market with a robust background in marketing, Geoffrey and Lisa knew their remodeled ocean view home needed the highest quality digital marketing available including photography, video, and a 3D virtual tour in order to sell for the highest price possible during the pandemic. But finding a vendor who was up for the challenge during quarantine wasn’t an easy task – until they met with the experts at PreviewFirst.
“I was looking for a quality product, delivered on time, for a fair price – and during lockdown, it wasn’t easy to find a vendor who could deliver all 3. That is until we spoke with the professionals at PreviewFIrst,” explains Geoffrey. “They were well-coordinated, had clear safety measures in place, and the talented staff delivered all of our assets ahead of schedule. I also knew I just had to have a drone shot showcasing our home’s ocean views and the videographer captured the shot perfectly on the first take, just like in Hollywood!”
Delivering a personalized website complete with drone video, high-quality photos, a 3D walkthrough and complete listing information, the Thompsons set themselves up for success on the market. In a recent study, Realtor.com asked what would make buyers more comfortable purchasing during coronavirus and the answer was all about having the right technology. With access to accurate listing data, quality photos, virtual and live video tours, 24% of people would be willing to buy a home without seeing it in person. And Geoffrey and Lisa did in fact receive several offers on their home, some sight unseen.
“We had 44 buyers schedule walk-through tours and that’s not even counting the virtual tours people were taking!” describes Geoffrey. “Lisa had absolutely everything our prospective buyers needed to tour the home safely including booties, masks, and the proper disclosure forms. The response was overwhelmingly positive and the offers came flowing in.”
Today’s Seller’s Market
Limited inventory and overwhelming buyer demand bolstered by record-low mortgage rates have been pushing home prices up and creating a seller’s market across Southern California.
This marks a particularly advantageous opportunity for current homeowners to cash out big when selling and secure a low mortgage rate to buy their dream home next. Or, like Geoffrey and Lisa, enjoy the stress-free lifestyle of renting until they’re ready to put their profits toward their next real estate investment.
“We knew that we wanted to downsize soon and I saw this as the opportune time to capture our equity before the moment passed,” explains Geoffrey. “It was a tough decision that we grappled with, but at the end of the day I went with my gut and what I knew to be true of the market – and the payoff was sweet. Selling during COVID-19 isn’t as easy as it normally is, but it is possible, and for us, it was definitely worth it.”
Each homeowner’s situation is unique, but one thing is certain, coronavirus hasn’t halted the real estate goals of individuals who are ready and willing to move onto the next stage in their life.
