A great idea or the worst idea ever? The jury is still out but this has been an exciting experience for us. We initially moved to Dublin from Connecticut in November 1996 with a 2-year-old and a baby due six weeks later. We chose our neighborhood because the homes were lovely and filled with children of all ages. Our cul-de-sac evolved into a gathering place where our kids played street hockey and learned to ride their bikes and skateboards. We had Halloween parties in the street during trick or treat, badminton tournaments and progressive dinner parties. Our little ones walked to the corner to catch the bus to elementary school and years later they walked home from the high school.
After 23 years of good times and six months of COVID-19, we were ready for a change of scenery and some new projects. So, during “unprecedented times” with an “uncertain future,” we embarked on house hunting wearing our PPE (personal protective equipment) and social distancing from our realtor, Alli Close. We fell in love with a home three miles north of our current location and made an offer almost immediately.
These days there are many decisions to weigh when considering listing your house or searching for a new place to lay your head. Home buying can add another layer of anxiety to an already crazy time, so consider whether you are prepared emotionally. Moving is extremely stressful and the fear of the unknown is quite real. Many people get wrapped up in the grief of leaving neighbors and places behind instead of focusing on creating new memories and experiencing new adventures.
If you or someone you live with is immunocompromised, then this isn’t the best time to buy or sell. Besides the stream of prospective buyers walking through your home, there are also inspectors, radon testers, photographers, realtors and many
others who need to make sure everything is working in top form. That’s not just inconvenient, it’s possibly dangerous as well.
Most cities are not holding open houses due to the pandemic and the need for social distancing. The more common procedure is to have your realtor sign up for a scheduled block of time where you can view the home without other buyers around. You may be asked to wear a mask, gloves, booties over your shoes and to sign a waiver saying that you don’t have any symptoms. Children are generally not allowed at the moment as it is difficult to keep them from touching everything. Prospective buyers are encouraged to first watch videos and 3-D tours of the homes that are available. That helps narrow down the likes and dislikes and streamlines the purchasing process. Many realtors have found this operation to be helpful.
“It saves on time as now the buyer only wants to walk through the homes they are most serious about,” says Alli Close.
Once you feel emotionally ready to proceed with house hunting, you should also check that you are financially prepared. This could be a great time to buy with mortgage rates below 3 percent but the lending business is also being more stringent. You might need a bigger down payment and higher credit score to land your dream home. Lenders need to ensure that borrowers can make their mortgage payments amid historic amounts of layoffs. Be prepared to act quickly when debating a purchase in today’s market. The low housing inventory and higher prices mean that homes are flying off the market and buyers should anticipate offering
over the asking price and possibly entering into a bidding war. If you are fortunate enough to have the winning bid, be patient and expect that loans, inspections and appraisals won’t happen as quickly as normal.
We decided that the positives of moving outweighed the negatives and we embraced spring cleaning. We decluttered the house to sell and came across gems like our preschoolers’ handmade cards declaring their love for mommy and daddy and fabulous photos of our family of four that grew to be a family of five. We will never forget the 23 years of precious memories on our cul-de-sac and the wonderful people who shared them. The reality is that we are not leaving anyone behind, rather we are bringing all of you with us, expanding our friend group as we embrace our new community and merge our old life with our new.
Colleen D’Angelo is a freelance writer who lives in Dublin with her husband, three children and several small animals. She enjoys playing tennis, walking the Dublin bike paths and traveling. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
