The home selling process typically involves some who may need access to your home in order for the home Buyer to complete their purchase of your home.
This foot traffic can have certain rules in place; similar to what you put forth when a Buyer may need to access.
Home inspectors will need access to your home to fully inspect it before a home Buyer is ready to finalize and close on the purchase of your home. Your home’s access could be limited to the home inspector only. Home inspectors can wear facial masks, along with shoe covers and gloves, as discussed above. When the inspector has completed his/her inspection, they’ll then call the home Buyer to go over their findings verbally and then as is customary, provide a full inspection report. If you want to allow access to one or two of the home Buyers, that could be an option too.
Home appraisers that need to access homes to complete their assignment from the Buyer’s Lender will have to access in order to complete an appraisal, determining your home’s value.
Use of Remote online notaries for social distancing closings
Remote notaries were signed into law January 1, 2020. Allows Real Estate transactions to be completed entirely digitally.
The SECURE Notarization Act addresses fraud and security involvement. It requires multi factor authentication, tamper evident technology and real time audiovisual technology that is used so the notary and any signer are able to observe and hear one another at the same time.
A notary seal, signature or a certificate is generated, located, then saved electronically.
Permitting a notary and signer to be in different physical locations safely executing electronic, closing documents is currently allowed in 23 states.
You’ll sign and notarize your Real Estate documents online with the Webcam notary, opposed to the traditional notary where your identification would need to be presented in person, typically with your driver’s license to verify you are who you say you are for the closing.
Remote notaries is not an automatic for all notaries, as some notaries may not be authorized to complete an online notary. In addition, not all Lenders will allow for a remote notary closing. Therefore, it’s important to find out up front with the home Buyer’s Lender if they indeed allow for the use of a remote notary.
In the event, a remote notary is not allowed, there are still ways in which to limit your presence at a home sale closing with the following 2 options:
As the home Seller, you can sign all of your documents with only the Closing Agent being present. The home Buyer’s will sign all of their closing documents separate from your meeting with the closing Agent, limiting the presence of multiple persons. You could even accomplish this in the fresh outdoor air if you prefer, keeping you out of an office confinement. This option is most often available here in southeast Florida where we most often have beautiful weather. The joys of being a Florida resident here in Boca Raton, Florida. Smile.
The Closing Agent can either email or overnight mail you all of your closing documents and you can make arrangements to meet with a notary to have any and all documents that require a notarized signature. You’d sign all of the closing documents, obtain the notary required docs and then you will return all of these original documents via overnight mail to the office of the Closing Agent.
Final thoughts
Instituting a plan, such as discussed above, can certainly provide you with suitable social distancing options to get your home sold. It’s up to you, in what you choose to do when selling a home. All of these options and guidelines will be dependent upon your unique situation, where you live and government recommendations and/or orders that may be in place for your home town. If you’re wanting to sell a home in Boca Raton, sell a home in Coral Springs, another southeast Florida city or just about anywhere here in our great nation, you’ll look to your local ordinances to determine the route you’ll take. It’s all possible. Know your mind can be set at ease when you have a trusted Real Estate pro on your side guiding you through this new home selling process, when the time comes to sell a home in times of social distancing.
Perhaps, these times will bring in new ways of selling a home simply because you like the digital, virtual approach to home selling. Maybe it will just become easier to sell a home virtually. Ever think of that as being a new norm?! Hmmm, maybe…even without any viruses.