Blog - Month: March 2020
Month: March 2020
How COVID-19 Is Impacting Home Sales in Northeast Ohio
At this point in time, the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States is impacting nearly every dimension of daily life — restaurants and stores are closed, small businesses are hurting and people are avoiding public settings and staying home. So, how has all this impacted the real estate business? Spring is usually a hot market for home sales in Northeast Ohio, especially with 2020’s low inventory and super-low mortgage rates. However, the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to slow the projected home sales for the Greater Cleveland area. Even with home sales halting with the rest of public life, realtors are adapting and the availability of credit will still be irresistible for many homebuyers. It’s not all doom and gloom for real estate this spring, and here are some specific ways the housing market is changing and adapting. Virtual Open Houses and Tours Strict social distancing is proving to be an effective measure to slow the spread of the virus in Ohio, so some realtors are choosing to go the digital route for home tours and open houses. Virtual open houses can be as simple as a group video call over FaceTime, but some realtors are going all-in with 3-D imaging for self-guided tours. For those who are still offering on-site tours, they are almost exclusively one-to-one, and social distance and frequent handwashing are encouraged. Even Lower Interest Rates Mortgage interest was already extremely low heading into Sp
How to Disinfect Your Home in Northeast Ohio
A three-part guide to keeping the surfaces in your home sanitary and disinfected. Self quarantine. Social distance. Covid-19. Across the U.S., we’re in a health crisis that may last a while, and these are all important steps recommended by the CDC to help keep you, your family and your neighbors healthy. It’s a good idea to stay in your house right now while the virus runs its course, and while you’re at spending some extra time alone at home, it’s very important that you keep your house germ free. The CDC outlines recommendations on how to disinfect your home in case you may have brought this highly-contagious virus home, and we’re going to outline those steps here, too. Below are three tips and best practices to disinfect your home. Routine Cleaning Right now, you’ll want to clean off high-touch surfaces daily — especially if someone in your house is still working outside the home. For example… Tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets and sinks are all high-touch surfaces that always carry a petri dish of microbes, including bacteria and viruses. You can use regular household cleaners and EPA-registered disinfectants. Can’t find any disinfectants at the store right now? It’s possible to make disinfectant sprays at home, too. We’ll tell you how to make those next. How to Make Your Own Disinfectant If you’re str