BLOG #1 | APRIL 2022

Can a Seller Require Prospective Buyers to be Fully Vaccinated to View the Property?

 

Sellers are in the driver’s seat when it comes to deciding what they will and will not accept, especially when it comes to their health.

While we navigate the pandemic and its nuances still, many sellers wonder if they can require buyers to be fully vaccinated to view their property.

The truth is that the seller can set any rules he/she wants since it is their house. If a seller doesn’t feel comfortable having someone that isn’t fully vaccinated walk through their home, that is their prerogative.

But the question becomes, does this hurt the seller’s chances of selling the home?

While it might decrease the available pool of buyers because not everyone is vaccinated or even if they are, many aren’t willing to share those details there are ways around it.

 

Virtual Showings

One of the best ways around having people in your home when you aren’t comfortable with it is to have virtual showings. There are many ways to do this.

• Create a video

You or your real estate agent can create a video showing off the features of the property. You can list the video on your home listing so potential buyers can get a closer view of the property to decide if it’s something they want to pursue.

• Offer virtual showings

You can go on a virtual showing with your real estate agent by going on FaceTime or another video chat program that allows you to see the real estate agent in the home. You can view the home in real time and even ask questions as you tour the home from the comfort of your own home.

 

Sanitize the Home After a Viewing

If you end up with an interested buyer who is not vaccinated but who poses as the best buyer with the highest bid and best qualifying factors, you may want to find ways to make it possible for the buyer to view the home, especially if he/she saw it virtually already.

Hiring a professional sanitation company can put your mind at ease and keep the home safe. Professional sanitation companies can eliminate 99.9% of the germs brought into the home and if proper screening is done beforehand, such as temperature checks and questions about exposure and/or symptoms the risk should be minimal.

You could also require masks and gloves to be worn in the home at all times to further reduce the risk.

 

Final Thoughts

It’s a risky world we live in still and if you aren’t comfortable with non-vaccinated individuals coming into your home, you might have to think of some alternatives.

If you’re looking for help showing your home in a safe manner, contact me today. Together we can work out a plan to ensure that you and your family feel safe while we still do everything we can to sell your home as fast and for as much money as possible.