The whole world is adapting in these new and unfamiliar times, and the real estate market is among the many forced to change to meet needs in innovative ways. Technology has become key in the task of keeping the industry moving. Utilizing emerging tools like video phone conferencing for virtual consultations, online home searches, virtual tours for house hunters, electronic document signing for home closings. Today, we focus on virtual home showings and how they benefit both the buyer and the seller.

Sellers

Virtual home tours give sellers a terrific edge in the real estate market, all while maintaining physical distance between the seller’s home and the dozens of potential buyers who wish to see it. This has become increasingly important in this new era of COVID-19 restrictions on public meetings and concerns over public health. In addition to added hygiene benefits, sellers also have the advantage of showing their home in peak condition just a single time while the filming/photography process occurs. After that, their schedules aren’t impeded with scheduled showings, and their time isn’t spent with continuous cleaning, locking away pets, and leaving the home again and again to allow showings to take place. Sellers enjoy every benefit of physical showings, with fewer of the disruptions and hassles that go along with the more traditional method.

Buyers

For the buyer, virtual home showings allow the convenience of viewing potential homes from the comfort and safety of your own home, and on your own schedule, day or night. In addition to the detailed, many times 360 panning details of both the interior and exterior of a home, a buyer can also see views of the neighborhood surrounding a property. This streamlined process is efficient and enables a buyer to cover much more ground virtually than was previously feasible when physically visiting homes individually. As such, buyers can customize their searches, view, and narrow down options in a fraction of the time ever before possible.

Virtual home tours began as a novelty and convenience but have grown to become a staple in the home buying process. Below, we have two amazing properties virtual tours linked. If you are buying or selling, we hope you call us with any questions you have on virtual property tours and how they can help you with your home buying or selling strategy.

http://tour.corelistingmachine.com/tour/titan/?id=6125886&_seoAddress=42-N-Morris-Road-Payson-AZ-82216#.Xo5FIPlKjIU

http://tour.corelistingmachine.com/tour/titan/?id=6051228&_seoAddress=10889-N-Houston-Mesa-Road-Payson-AZ-81983#.XpnNQl5Kjcs

This is a time very different than most have ever experienced before. We have been asked by our President and by our governor to remain home, leaving only for essential functions. It has left many questions about what is essential, what is allowed, and what resources are available to figure it all out? We will use this post to try to give practical information to help the community answer some of these questions regarding local food establishments. Please be advised that this is a constantly changing situation, and information that may be true one moment, can change completely the next. If in doubt, be sure to give the business a call before heading out.

Grocery

Food is an essential service, and all local grocery stores remain open, although most have altered their hours of operation while the COVID-19 restrictions are in place. All stores have limits on highly sought after items such as paper goods, bottled water, and sanitizing products.

Bashas: (928) 474-7039.   As of 3/15/20, adjusted hours are daily from 6am-9pm.

Specialty services: Senior citizen (65+) shopping hour, Wednesdays 5am-6am.

Healthcare and first responder shopping hours: Tuesday & Thurs mornings,  30 minutes before normal           opening time.

Safeway: (928) 472-8208.  Store hours 6am-9pm.

Specialty services: Seniors, expectant mothers, immune compromised individual shopping hours,  Tuesday and           Thursday 6am-9am.

Pharmacy is offering FREE home medicine delivery through May 1^st.

Walmart: (928) 474-0029. Adjusted store hours are 7am-8:30.

Specialty services:  Senior citizen shopping hour, Tuesday 6am-7am.

Back to Basics: (928) 474-8935.  Store hours Mon-Thursday, 8am-5:30pm, Fri-Sat 9am-5pm, Closed Sunday.

Specialty services: Free rapid curbside pickup and free delivery available.

Restaurants

The presence of confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 has been found in all 15 counties in Arizona. Because of this, the entire state is now subject to Governor Ducey’s restrictions on restaurant services. All food establishments are closed to dine-in sit-down services. Restaurants may, however, offer pick-up, delivery, or drive-through services. Many local eateries are continuing to provide food services this way. Some establishments have chosen to close for business entirely for the duration of the restricted period. Here we have listed the restaurants NOT operating at this time.

Be sure to check local restaurants’ social media pages, websites, or contact them by phone for information on menus and service options. Quite a few of Payson’s restaurants may be closed for in-house dining but are still operating Delivery and Pick-Up.

Restaurants that are operating at this time may be offering delivery, even if their business model usually does not under normal circumstances. Additionally, local food delivery service Cruisin’ Delights serves several local restaurants and can be reached by downloading their phone app in the Apple or Google Play stores, or online at www.crusindelights.com.