COLORADO SPRINGS — Can you imagine signing on the dotted line to buy a home before even seeing it in person?
Well, one local broker says nowadays it's a lot more common than you think, especially with social distancing orders in place.
"Let's face it. Looking at a home beats any marketing online no matter what!" said Gayle Caldwell, managing broker for Era Shields Real Estate in Colorado Springs.
If you're looking to buy a home right now but want to keep your distance, at Era Shields Real Estate, you can still climb the stairs of a beautiful two story home, or even take a walk in the backyard, with just a swipe or click of a button.
"We've had to get creative in order to show a home," Caldwell explained. "We were restricted from doing any showings for about three weeks."
Under Governor Jared Polis's stay-at-home order, realtors were banned from showing off a new home on the market in person. As of April 27, those restrictions have now been lifted.
"You've got to be able to see it, smell it, touch it, in my opinion, before you make that kind of decision."
Caldwell says even with virtual tours the real estate market is still holding strong in Colorado Springs.
"It's a great time to buy a home because buyers aren't out there looking all at once, so you won't have much competition when trying to make an offer. "
Caldwell also says it's a good time to sell your home too. According to the Pikes Peak Association of Realtors, the average price of a home jumped seven percent from December 2019 to March 2020.
According to Caldwell, interests rates are very low. She recommends talking to a loan officer to see about refinancing.
