We have been getting calls and messages recently from our home owner clients that are considering applying for “forbearance” on their mortgage.  Most people have found themselves unemployed or underemployed due to the Covid19 Coronavirus pandemic….but this could happen to anyone at any time.  Should you do it? Maybe. However, you really need to understand the details of it all. We will cover some important points below.

During this pandemic, if you are able to manage, you should do EVERYTHING you can to continue to pay your mortgage. We WILL rebound from this.  However, if that is not an option your choices would be to either begin the process of forbearance with your lender or if you don’t think forbearance is an option for you and you have some equity in your house, you may want to sell the house.

If you need help with your mortgage, the first call you should make is to your lender.

What is mortgage forbearance?

If you're facing a short-term financial hardship you might consider applying for a mortgage “forbearance”.  Most lenders offer mortgage forbearance when someone needs temporary assistance with a mortgage – but forbearance is often combined with a “reinstatement” or “repayment plan”.

If you decide to move forward with mortgage forbearance, your lender will temporarily reduce (or suspend) your mortgage payments for up to 6 months while you get back on your feet.

The reinstatement or repayment plan coincide with forbearance to make arrangements to pay off the missed or reduced mortgage payments when your financial situation has stabilized.

What is mortgage reinstatement?

 If you have the funds to repay missed mortgage payments, as well as any associated fees and late charges, a reinstatement can allow you to bring your loan current and avoid foreclosure. A reinstatement typically requires you to pay a lump sum by a specific date to become current.

What is a mortgage repayment plan?

 If you're a few months behind on your mortgage due to a short-term financial setback, but are now financially secure, you may be eligible for a repayment plan. This option will enable you to make up your missed payments and late fees, over a fixed amount of time by adding a portion of what is past due to your regular monthly payment. By the end of the repayment period you will have paid back the amount of your mortgage that was delinquent.

“Mortgage Forbearance” math – a good example

I saw an email today from a great lender that I know - Kristy Osborne with Fairway Mortgage.  It included this example which really brings this whole thing home.  

Mom and Dad have a mortgage. It's currently $1,500 per month.

Dad gets laid off, calls the mortgage servicer, and asks for forbearance.

In one phone call, he gets 6 months "off" from paying.

Seven months later, Dad is finally back to work, and hasn't been able to save any money during the forbearance.

Forbearance is lifted and the mortgage servicer says, "That will be $9,000 + $1,500, which is now due". ($10,500)

Dad almost passes out and says, “WHY??"

Servicer: "That's the 6 months of forbearance plus the current month.”

(This is reinstatement, mentioned above)

Dad: "I can’t do that, can we work something out?"

Servicer: "Sure, we will spread out the $9,000 over 12 months."

Dad: "Phew....ok, good. What will that look like?"

Servicer: That will be $2250 a month for the next 12 months."

                              (This is the repayment plan, mentioned above)

Dad: " OH NO!!!  I can't afford that."

Servicer: "Sorry....."

Dad: "Can I refinance?"

Servicer: "No because the loan went into forbearance."

Dad: "What can I do?"

The answer is either reinstatement, a repayment plan, or foreclosure. 

Forbearance is not forgiveness.

Use it as a last resort.

We would appreciate it if you could share this info.  We need to keep putting this message out there, because we are still getting a lot of questions from home owners (and we are not the only ones getting those calls).

Please understand the seriousness of this, and if you still have questions, call your mortgage company.  If you want to talk to a real estate professional in the DFW area, we are always here for you at 469-759-3899.  If you decide to sell your home, we will provide a free consultation (over the phone, via video conferencing, or in person when allowed).

If you would like to read more about this topic, please view this Freddie Mac guide to avoiding foreclosure  https://myhome.freddiemac.com/docs/pdf/avoiding_foreclosure.pdf

About the author:

Melissa Hailey is the Broker-Owner of North Texas Top Team, REALTORS in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.  Our Team helps home buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants move across North Texas and we connect clients to other great REALTORS across the country.  She is a real estate instructor and coach who loves to see others succeed.  She is a serial volunteer helping others in her community and in her industry.  Connect with her at https://www.northtexastopteam.com/melissa-hailey/

For the safety of you and others, The North Texas Top Team REALTORS have implemented the following guidelines due to the global Coronavirus pandemic and Covid-19:

For Home Sellers:

·        We ask that you provide hand soap and paper towels at the kitchen sink.

·        We ask that you be absent from the home during showings.

·        If possible, please turn on the lights and leave interior doors and closet doors slightly open to reduce transmission of germs on high-touch areas.

For Home Buyers:

·        We will wear a mask when showing you homes.

·        We ask that you wear a mask when viewing homes.

·        We ask that only the decision makers be present for initial showings on properties.

·        We will provide links to virtual tours of properties prior to viewing homes in person (when available).

·        We will provide a virtual showing if requested. Virtual showings entail our agent touring the home while video chatting with you.

For Agents, Buyers, and Sellers:

·        If you or someone living in your house has been diagnosed with, or exposed to someone with a confirmed case of, Covid-19 then we ask that you follow the CDC recommendation of self-quarantine for 14-days.  We can begin showings again after that time.

·        All efforts to facilitate the transaction virtually will be taken when possible or desired.  This could include:

o   Virtual client consultations via Zoom

o   E-Signatures for contract documents

o   Emailed documents

o   Remote closings (per the title company policies)

At Open Houses:

·        Visitors must sign-in and take the pen with you as a parting gift.

·        No more than 8 people inside the house at one time.

·        No more than 2 groups of families inside the house at a time.

·        All visitors should wear a mask while inside.

·        Please use some hand sanitizer on your way in/out the door.

·        Our agents will also use disinfectant spray or wipes to clean high-touch surfaces during the open house, as needed.

These guidelines may be amended or changed to reflect any new developments, or any further guidance from the CDC or governmental entities.

Virtual home tours have become a hot topic in real estate lately due to the stay-at-home orders stemming from the Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic.We believe that virtual tours of homes are going to continue to be a hot topic in real estate for the foreseeable future. Not only will the Virtual Home Tours remain relevant now due to social distancing, but the benefits of evaluating properties from the comfort of your own home will continue to be valuable as we move into the future.  The most important thing you need to know is that not all virtual tours are created equal. In fact, this term has been used loosely for years in the real estate industry. For the purpose of this guide, we’re going to talk about a virtual tour led by your real estate agent, as we believe that this is the most thorough way to evaluate a home. However, before we begin, let’s look at the other types of “tours” available so that you understand the difference.

Slideshow of photos (usually set to music)

You may have heard a real estate agent refer to this as a virtual tour.However, this is not a “tour” of the home at all.Usually the photos are the same ones used to market the home in the MLS and on-line.This might be better described as a Visual Tour of the home.With 1-click a consumer can see all of the photos of the home visually as they scroll across the screen. Most home buyers would not consider this to be a “tour” of the house.

Video walk through (may be recorded on a cell phone or could be professionally done)

A real estate agent may also consider having an actual video made of a property.This could be done by the agent on their cell phone, or it could be done by a professional video/photographer.It may or may not have music or voice-over information.It may or may not include drone video footage.Think of this more like a commercial for the house.A home buyer should be able to get a good feel for the layout/floorplan of the house, however you do not have the ability to control the view of the rooms like you can through a dollhouse/Matterport tour.Many home buyers say that this does help them visualize more information about the house, and they believe this is a great tool to help them prepare for viewing a home in person.

360-degree photo tour– (3-D tour or Matterport tour)

This is actually a great tool that some real estate professionals use to provide a better feeling for the floor plan.When the photographer takes the photos they actually create a 3-D model of the floorplan and as a consumer you have the ability to click through the home to view various rooms.As you are moving through the rooms online, you have the ability to look up or down. You get a full 360-degree view of the home.This provides more of an immersive look at the house. Home buyers are able to piece together the floor plan and how the rooms are laid out.Most home buyers say that this does help them visualize more information about the house, and they believe this is a great tool to help them prepare for viewing a home in person.

Virtual Home Tour (interactive video tour of a home with your agent)

This would be your best option for getting a realistic Virtual Home Tour at this time.  

It’s best to think about virtual home tours in the same way you think about viewing a home in person. When touring a home in person, you normally set time aside to go out with your agent – you will want to do the same thing in a Virtual Home Tour.  Our goal is to create an experience that is as close to an in-person showing as possible when touring homes over video. 

At the specified time, your agent will arrive at the house and begin a video conference with you.Once you are all present on the video call, the agent can begin to show you the home.You may want to view the front exterior (including the neighboring homes, the view of the street). As you enter the home you will be able to ask questions and have a conversation with your agent about the things you see.If you want to look inside of a closet, your agent can do that.If you have a question about the layout, your agent can help explain more details as they walk through the home.This is THE BEST way for a home buyer to virtually tour the home they are considering purchasing.

Our agents have the ability to help you take a virtual home tour. Call 469-759-3899 to learn more or schedule an appointment.

Now that you know the differences in viewing properties “virtually”, let’s see if this might be a good fit for you.Please know that starting your Virtual Home Tour doesn’t begin at the time of the showing.If you are going to shop for homes virtually – you will want to start at the beginning:

How do I get started? Deciding to view homes virtually.

You are ready to buy a home, but are not able to view them in person.This could be because you are moving across the country, or it could be due to our current Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic.When you come across a home you think might be a fit, you ask your REALTOR to show you homes virtually.In order for you to take full advantage of virtual showings in your decision making process, both you and your agent will need to go through the following steps.

1. Get pre-approved

Regardless of how you intend to tour homes, this is always our starting point.Most home buyers think that the process will be time-consuming, or that they are not prepared to take this step.However, this step is of utmost importance.In a matter of minutes, you can complete a pre-approval process with a lender.This will give you peace of mind that the homes you are considering meet your budget.

2. Determine your search criteria – and understand the “why” behind it

You will want to decide which items are most important to you in your next home, but more importantly, WHY are they important.Ideally, you want to have a list of 3-5 “must-haves,” or things that you cannot live without. The key to narrowing down what’s most important starts with your motivation. Ask yourself, why are you moving in the first place? What will buying a new home help you to achieve? When you connect your criteria to something that powerful, you will be surprised how quickly you find clarity. 

Your agent will be a valuable resource in this stage. Their role here is to confirm your criteria, ensuring that together you are digging down to what matters most to you. They are the sounding board for your home search ideas and will be there to tell you if the ideal home you are imagining is realistic given the area you are looking in.

Regardless of whether you will viewing homes in person or via video, this step sets the stage for the rest of your home buying process. 

3. Select your favorites 

When viewing homes online before your tour of homes, you will want to be hyper-realistic about whether or not the homes you are saving on-line as your favorites are actually a good fit.  For example, if one of the top items in your search criteria is a large back yard for your dog, but you find a listing on-line that has a fabulous media room and the most gorgeous finishes, yet the home doesn’t have much of a yard, you need to stop and review your criteria.Ask yourself, “Is what has drawn me to this home more important than the criteria I’ve created?” You may also ask yourself, “Do I need to revisit my must-haves?” Of course, there is no right or wrong answer, but you want to think through the process.You should also discuss any changes to your wants/needs with your agent. 

One thing we encourage our home buyers to do (when viewing homes in-person or virtually) is to only keep the top 2 homes in their sight.We do that by ranking homes as you view them.After seeing the first 2 homes, we determine which one would be the best fit if there were no other homes available.Then with each new home toured, we compare the newest home viewed with the current number 1 choice on the list.

4. Narrow your search – gather more facts

Once you have a few homes you really like on-line, it’s time for your agent to help you learn as much as possible about the homes. This could include viewing any other video or walk through tours provided.This should also include review of any disclosures, list of updates, or previous repair receipts that could be available. Your REALTOR may also contact the listing agent to ask any further questions before setting an appointment. If you have specific questions regarding the home, now is the time to bring those to your agent’s attention.

5. Schedule a live virtual tour

It’s best to think about virtual home tours in the same way you think about touring a home in person. You normally set time aside to go out with your agent, so it’s best to create an experience that is as close to this as possible when touring homes over video.  The ultimate goal is to simulate viewing the home through your eyes. The most important result of virtual home tours is that you can see the property in a way that gives you confidence in making a decision, and being there live is a great way to ensure that.  

Keep in mind that when you walk through a home in person, you instinctively take in the home through all of your senses. If the home features certain smells, you pick up on it immediately. If the floor dips in an area, you feel it. If there is a busy road nearby, you might hear noise in person. Knowing this upfront, and having an agent who understands this, is what separates great virtual home tours from bad ones. Your agent is truly your eyes, ears, nose, etc. This explains why those discussions your agent in advance are so important.It is critical for them to have a clear understanding of what you are looking for when you walk through a house. 

6. Schedule a second showing if needed 

After reviewing all of the information in advance, doing all of your due-diligence, and participating in the Virtual Home Tour with your REALTOR, you may still be unsure about making an offer.You should schedule a second showing with your agent to see the house.If you are able to attend in-person, this is the best option.However, if you are unable to attend in person for any reason, ask your agent to schedule another Virtual Home Tour.Many times, if all of the steps above have been done thoroughly, you won’t need to schedule a second showing.However, if there are any questions at all – it’s best for you to work with your agent to see the home again.Please know that seeing a home a second time is not an inconvenience at all….however, knowing that you missed out on a home you loved is heartbreaking.

Purchasing the home

Remember, when you are buying a home your REALTOR is there as a trusted resource for you.They are your advocate, and they are there to help you through the entire process.Not only can you view homes virtually, you can complete the contract paperwork remotely through electronic signatures, and many of the purchase documents can be emailed to you securely.However, we understand that viewing the home in person is an important step.Our goal is to provide you with all of the tools and options to help make your move go as smoothly as possible.

During these current times of uncertainty, and stay at home orders, you should consult with your agent or check your county's website to learn more about the shelter in place policy in your area.  As we continue to navigate this “new normal” world we live in, you may see more mentions of virtual home tours ramping up, keep one thing in mind — they aren't created equal.

• Want to know more about the home buying process?
• Have questions about how the mortgage rates are changing?
• Need to talk to someone about your specific situation?

Give our agents at a call at 469-759-3899 for a free and confidential discussion about real estate. We have been helping change lives, one home at a time, for 15 years.

If you have found yourself working from home during the “shelter in place” or “stay at home” orders, you may find yourself in uncharted territory.  If you have found yourself working from home while your kids are home from school, you may feel like you are in an impossible situation.  Every possible distraction is there to keep you from being productive at work.

In fact, while the following information is helpful to all people working from home, this is especially important for working parents of small children.  Even if they are old enough to keep themselves entertained for hours, kids don’t understand why you are not able to play with them or take them to do things since you are home. 

Below are some helpful tools and tricks that will help you be more productive at work as you continue down your new path.

1.    If you haven’t read our blog post about managing your day while working at home, then you may want to start there.  However the following tips for productivity are in addition to what is mentioned in our previous post.

2.    Keeping your routine when starting your day.  Wake up at your normal time and go through your normal activities you were doing when you had to commute to the office.  If you have small kids at home, wake up a little earlier than normal so that you can get your routine done before the kids wake up. 

3.    Plan your work, then work your plan.  If you don’t have a tool to do that, I recommend you use a spreadsheet or calendar to plan out your day.  Our team uses the My Perfect Week scheduler, but you can create something specific to your needs.  You may also want to just use a calendar or to-do list.  Whatever you do, make sure to time block your day so you can know what you need to be doing and when.  Over the weekend, spend about 15 minutes planning out the upcoming week. You will be surprised how much more effectively you can work when you have a plan.

4.    Work split shift – If you have young kids at home you may need to break your 8-hour work day into shifts.  Try working for a few hours in the morning, then plan to spend some time with your kids.  Tell them in advance that you need to work a few more hours during nap time, and when they wake up spend time with the kids.  Then work a few hours in the evening after dinner, or maybe even after the kids go to bed.

5.    Use an alarm (or timer) throughout the day.  Setting an alarm or timer is a great way to not only keep yourself on track, but it’s also a great way to teach your kids about time and/or time management.  You can use these throughout the day to keep yourself on track.

6.    Technology is an awesome tool for working from home.  Take advantage of these tips to manage your workflow.

Schedule Email – most email programs have the ability to write an email and schedule it to send later. This is a great way to be productive at night after the kids are asleep. Just work on items for the following day and schedule your emails to go out in the morning.  Personally, I use GMAIL which has a schedule send function, but you could also try a Chrome add-on like Boomerang.

Schedule Text Messages – If you are an Android user like me, you will be excited to know that you can do the same thing with your text messages.  Write them now, and schedule that text to send later.  (Sorry iPhone users, this one is not for you).   Here is how it works:  Compose the text, click the plus (+) sign to the left of your message (if you don’t see it, you may have an arrow (>) to open the menu), once you click the plus (+) sign, you get several options and one of them should say “schedule message”.  Click that and then choose the day/time you want the text to be sent.

Text from your laptop – Again, this is for my Adroid users (sorry iPhone users).  If you are doing a lot of texting, you may want to look into using a program like MightyText.  They have a free version and a paid version with more options.  You can sync your texts from your phone to your laptop, you can easily print a text message conversation, and if you type faster on a keyboard than on a phone this product could make multiple texts much faster for you.

Zoom video calls – If you need to have meetings but can’t leave your house, consider using Zoom.  You can set up a free account which works well for small groups and short meetings.  If you will need a lot of people or longer meetings, you may want to upgrade to their paid plans.

Evernote – Using a note pad and pen are great when you are going into the office everyday.  However, using Evernote let’s you have access to your note pad all day, every day, no matter where you are.  You can set up a free account that works on 2 devices.  If you want to sync your notes across more devices, you can upgrade to their paid plan.

During your time at home – your work doesn’t have to suffer.  Be thankful that you have a job that allows for you to work from home.  Use technology and time blocking to ensure that you can keep things moving.  You might just find that you want to keep using these tools even after you are able to go back to the office again.

About the author:

Melissa Hailey is the Broker-Owner of North Texas Top Team, REALTORS in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.  Our Team helps home buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants move across North Texas and we connect clients to other great REALTORS across the country.  She is a real estate instructor and coach who loves to see others succeed.  She is a serial volunteer helping others in her community and in her industry.  Connect with her at https://www.northtexastopteam.com/melissa-hailey/

During the shelter-in-place orders in North Texas, the REALTORS and staff at North Texas Top Team are staying busy.  Our office is open!  We have had a virtual office for many years – so our Team has not had to make many changes to our office structure.  Working with clients has changed.  We are not hosting open houses. Showing homes has changed, and we have solutions available for people to view homes remotely/virtually. 

As we are staying busy, some of what we are doing is helping clients, while other things we are doing is to help our families and our communities.  Here is a glimpse into the life of a REALTOR during the Stay at Home orders due to the Covid-19 Coronavirus:

Jami Mumley
Jami has been a busy lady!  Work-wise, she has been following up with past & current clients to see how they are doing and if there is anything they need.  “I’ve also been doing buying consultations via Zoom and am working on some continuing education online.” 

Not only has she been working, she has been active in helping her community.  “We’ve been ordering

 take-out a couple of times a week from local restaurants and I volunteered to help distribute food at Feed Lake Highlands last week.”   She is also posting on social media about local businesses and sharing ways for others in the community to support them.

As a triathlete, Jami has been running at White Rock Lake and riding her bike on the trainer in the garage. Partly to stay in shape, and partly to keep her sanity.

Taylor Redfearn
Taylor has been getting a lot of projects completed around her house.  Her main focus has been to stay positive during all of the changes that Covid-19 has brought to our world.  She knows that adapting to a "new normal" is never easy, but making the best of the situation definitely helps. “I try not to dwell on what we are missing out on by staying home, but rather all the things I get to do by staying home. I've been able to start a garden that I've been meaning to do for two years. I've cleaned out every closet in our home and even started putting our guest bedroom together. It feels like this is a break from normal life so we can focus on ourselves and our families.”  Her positive outlook on life is helping her to adjust to the new normal.

Melissa Hailey
Melissa says she has been hanging out with family more.  Melissa and Stanley have 6 kids and 2 grandkids.  Part of their Coronavirus Stay at Home orders have been spent watching the 2 grandkids while Alice finished some on-line school work.  “We went outside, we played games, we had a dance party, we baked cupcakes, and we learned all about Noggin kids shows.”  

Melissa has also been getting a lot of work done.  She has created video walk through tours for listings, negotiated contracts, and even listed 2 new homes.  Not only that, she has spent time teaching REALTORS across North Texas via Zoom in several classes.  She said “Teaching adult learners for 8 hours a day is much easier when you have energy in the classroom. Zoom is great, but I don’t usually use that many power point slides.”

Corbin Jackson
Corbin says he has been helping others. He has been motivated and working hard. “I would say just making sure our clients are taken care of by asking if they need anything specific that I could deliver to them.”

He is also cooking more.  He and his girlfriend are trying new recipes and enjoying more at home date nights.

We hope that you (and your family) are adjusting well to your “new normal.”  We hope that you are healthy and that you have found new ways to stay connected to friends and family.  If you have a need, reach out and let us know.  Our agents are happy to help support your family, your neighborhood, your local business.  We are in this together!

As we have been sheltering in place for a couple of weeks, I wanted to share 6 positive things I have observed.

I am glad I work remotely/virtually. Our office has not had a brick/mortar location for years. My home office was set up and ready before Covid-19 arrived. Technology is great. We have been using Zoom calls, electronic signatures, and cloud storage for years.  Our agents are poised to be able to help without any technology learning curve.

I am thankful for what I do for a living. I help people find the right home.  Everyone needs a place to shelter in.  What REALTORS do is so important so that people have the safety of home.

I am grateful that we are still able to work during this time of the Covid-19 Coronavirus health concerns. From connecting with clients/friends, to providing health and safety tips for your home, and from supporting local businesses, to giving tips about working from home – we don’t just help people buy and sell houses. We help build great communities.

I am lucky.  While one of our kids has lost a job, she lives at home and isn’t in danger of not being able to pay bills. All of my other kids are still able to work remotely or are considered an essential worker.

I am blessed.  None of my kids or immediate family is sick. While I do know people personally who are in the hospital or who are recovering at home from this terrible virus, my immediate family is healthy.  I am thankful and blessed.

I know it's hard sometimes, but try to stay positive.  Having an attitude of gratitude can go a long way to helping you survive the crazy days.  

About the author:

Melissa Hailey is the Broker-Owner of North Texas Top Team, REALTORS in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.  Our Team helps home buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants move across North Texas and we connect clients to other great REALTORS across the country.  She is a real estate instructor and coach who loves to see others succeed.  She is a serial volunteer helping others in her community and in her industry.  Connect with her at https://www.northtexastopteam.com/melissa-hailey/

One of the unexpected upsides of having to shelter in place is my rediscovery of the joys within my own home—a sentiment that some of my friends and family say they've felt, too.  Here is what I have been doing with my extra time while I am under “stay at home” orders in North Texas.

Cooking more – and baking more

While I was already a work-from-home REALTOR, and I did cook dinner often, during the Covid19 crisis I have found myself cooking even more frequently.  I certainly live in an area that has plenty of restaurants with to-go food available, I have just been spending more time cooking full meals for my family.  I even made pancakes and also banana-carrot bread from scratch while I have been home.

New ways to exercise

I am not a person who works out every day, but I do spend time working out a few times per week.  With the gym closed and Camp Gladiator on their new normal of no more than 9 campers, I have started going on more walks.  I have taken the dog, my husband, my grand kids, my adult kids – if it’s nice outside, I think we should walk for exercise and as an excuse for leaving the house.  I have also watched several work out videos.  I even hosted a dance party in my living room with my toddler grandson.

Laundry

I can’t believe it’s all caught up. Enough said.

Learned some new skills

My office is still open and we are working.  While we have been working on our normal activities such as listing homes, processing contracts, negotiating repairs, working with title companies, and more – I have found some time to learn some new skills.  Not only did I learn some new skills, but I also taught a class to about 50 students for 2 full days via Zoom.  Usually, I teach REALTORS in a classroom setting.  However, due to the coronavirus we hosted the class online.

Spent time with family – celebrated birthdays

I am lucky and blessed to have my adult kids living nearby.  Just before the stay at home orders went into effect, my youngest daughter and her 2 sons came over so that I could help her watch the boys while she took some online training classes.  I spent time washing bottles, changing diapers, and playing with toys.  Additionally, March is a really busy birthday month in our family.  We celebrated my husband’s birthday last week with a friends singing happy birthday on the phone and on facetime. We made brownies for his birthday cake.  Next week we celebrate another birthday in our house with our youngest child. I have a chocolate cake mix in the pantry, but if that’s not on the menu then we will just make something else from scratch.

Played games

While my hubby doesn't enjoy games as much as I do, that hasn't stopped me.  I have played solitaire (with real cards). I have played Yahtzee with my hubby and daughter. When the grand kids were here I played Mastermind, Candy Land, and Twister.  Usually we spend our holiday time together as a family with all kinds of games....but since virtual Cards Against Humanity isn't an option, I will just make do with what I have. 

Granted, I will be thrilled once this coronavirus stay at home ban has been lifted—but until then, I will try to look at the silver lining and relish all the comforts and opportunities that staying at home has to offer.

About the author:

Melissa Hailey is the Broker-Owner of North Texas Top Team, REALTORS in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.  Our Team helps home buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants move across North Texas and we connect clients to other great REALTORS across the country.  She is a real estate instructor and coach who loves to see others succeed.  She is a serial volunteer helping others in her community and in her industry.  Connect with her at https://www.northtexastopteam.com/melissa-hailey/

Tips for working from home

During the current Covid-19 Coronavirus outbreak, many people that have the ability to work from home are now doing that.  Working from home is a BIG change from working in an office environment.  I know this because I made that adjustment from the corporate cube-farm world to working from home, and I have been working from home for 15 years now.  In fact, our entire office is a virtual office.  All of our REALTORS and employees work from home. We usually meet clients at coffee shops and houses.  That’s the beauty of being a REALTOR.  Right now we are also shifting our business to help our clients with less human interaction and more technology – just like so many other businesses.  Here are some tips for working from home that I learned through trial and error over the years.  I hope these help you as you transition to your work from home job.

Set your alarm – get up on time

Just because you work from home doesn’t mean you don’t have to get up and start your day before you are supposed to be at work.  Do NOT try to roll out of bed 10 minutes before you are supposed to “be at work”.

Follow your normal morning routine

Keep doing what you did when you went to the office.  If you got up and showered, ate breakfast, had coffee, got dressed and got the kids ready…..then you need to do all of those things before you go to work at home too.  While your commute just got shorter, you still need to be ready for your day before heading to the “office”.

Get dressed!

See the note above.  Get up, get dressed…THEN go to work.  Do not go to work in your pajamas.  Especially if you might be on a video conference call.  However, even if you don’t actually need to see anyone (or better yet, them see you) it will make you more productive just by getting dressed.  There is a funny joke on Facebook right now about changing out of your daytime pajamas into your night time pajamas.  The struggle is real.  However, IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU GET UP AND GET DRESSED.

** it should also go without saying, if you are in fact new to the world of Zoom, Facetime, Google Hangouts; please know that others on the call can see you.  Make sure you are dressed and do not do anything that you wouldn’t want others to see.**

Set up your office space

If you don't have a dedicated home office space, then it's time to get one.  It doesn't have to be a separate room (but that could be helpful if you have small kids, so you can shut the door if needed).  Even if you just move your dining table into a corner and use a cardboard box for your file cabinet - get a space and dedicate it to work for the next few weeks while you are in quarantine and working from home.  You may even want to add a wall calendar or other decor to make it seem more like a work space.

Set your work hours

It’s very easy to work all day, work through lunch, and also work into the evening.  Make sure you take a break during the day for lunch.  Get up and walk around the house or just stretch in the living room, eat lunch away from your desk, and then head back to work.  Make sure you have a time of day that you will turn it off (this is the hardest part for those of us who are self-employed).

Get some exercise

If your Fitbit usually says you get 10,000 steps walking around at your office, to/from your car, and to/from kids activities, keep a goal of still getting those steps in.  You will be sorely surprised to see how few steps you take from the bedroom to the study.  If you are in a place where the weather is good and you are allowed to walk outside, then take a stroll.  If you can’t go outside, consider working out in your living room.  There are free workout videos on Youtube, Amazon, and Netflix.  If you already work out but your gym is closed, then modify your routine to allow for working out from home.

Talk on the phone

If your job requires you to actually speak to people, that is great.  However, if you have the type of job that allows you to sit quietly with your computer most of the day, plan to call friends/family after work.  You still need to have that human interaction.  Without it you will start to feel more isolated.  It’s good for your sanity to actually speak and hear others talk to you.

I hope that you are finding ways to stay connected.  We are all adjusting, shifting, and learning to accept change.  Take care of yourself as you find your way into your new normal.  

Stay healthy.  Be well.  We are all in this together. 

About the author:

Melissa Hailey is the Broker-Owner of North Texas Top Team, REALTORS in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.  Our Team helps home buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants move across North Texas and we connect clients to other great REALTORS across the country.  She is a real estate instructor and coach who loves to see others succeed.  She is a serial volunteer helping others in her community and in her industry.  Connect with her at https://www.northtexastopteam.com/melissa-hailey/

Home ownership is such a huge part of the American Dream.  It offers stability, comfort, expression of yourself….but as most of us are finding out now, most importantly it offers shelter.  A place where we can stay safe.  A place where we can heal and find hope.  This is why we do what we do as REALTORS. That’s who we R.  We give people a place to call home…a place of shelter.

However, sheltering in place is not without its challenges.  Let’s look at some of the challenges (some more serious, some more lighthearted) that we are facing together at this time.

Full time with kids…indoors
Most working parents were not prepared to be thrust into the world of home-schooling and entertaining on a full-time basis.  Some have found relief with sidewalk chalk, bike rides, board games, or even baking with the kids.  Others have adjusted to on-line school with zoom classes - complete with homework. 

Parents of toddlers or parents who were already home schooling are not necessarily at an advantage here.  Many times, those parents rely on home school group events and activities or educational field trips.  With the limits of social distancing and the closure of field trip locations, these parents are also frustrated and learning a new normal.

What are we going to eat? 
Some families are now finding themselves in a live-action episode of the gameshow Chopped on the Food Network.  Afternoon conversations may be “What can I make for dinner tonight using 1 can of tuna, a jar of spaghetti sauce, and a box of macaroni and cheese?” 

Other families however are really struggling to get by.  Maybe one or more of the household earners has lost a job due to the virus.  Maybe when they run out of those cans of tuna and boxed macaroni and cheese they will just be out of food. 

Check with your local food pantries.  Some have plenty to share, while others can use more help than ever during this time.  If you find yourself in this situation and you have small kids, you may also want to check with the area school district.  Some are providing free meals for their students.  If you are in a position to help those in need – this is a great place to get involved and volunteer if you are healthy.

Who wants to watch more TV?
At first it sounds great – I can binge watch all of my favorite shows.  Then after days of sitting on the couch, you start to realize that there isn’t anything else you want to watch.  (or you just realize you only got 700 steps in for 3 days in a row).  Generally, we find that most people can only take so much time sitting on the couch doing nothing. 

Let’s get on-line and see what everyone else is doing
While I haven’t checked the stats, my guess is that Facebook is seeing an unprecedented number of people spending time on their site.  Not to mention all other social media channels.  People are not meant to be alone, and spending time with others (even if it’s online) is something that we crave.

Honey-do lists have no excuses
Have you been putting off those little tasks?  You know the ones.  Those projects that you really didn’t want to do…so you always found something else to be more important.  Well, NOW is the time to get those done!  No excuses.

Your sanity – keep it in check
Anytime you lose your freedom, it wreaks a little havoc on your sanity.  When you are prohibited from going out, or when someone tells you that you cannot go see your friends/family/neighbors you may be OK for a short time, but after prolonged quarantine it really does hit you emotionally.  Make sure that you are keeping active (even if that means doing yoga videos in your living room).  Make sure that you are staying hydrated.  Make sure that you are talking to your loved ones on the phone – they need to hear your voice as much as you need to hear theirs.  Talk about your feelings. Be empathic to others who may be in a different place mentally than you are.  Be a good listener. 

We know that you are having challenges during this time – we all are.  We are facing these things with you and we want you to know you are not alone.  We hope that you are staying healthy and safe.  We want to help when we can.  As much as this time is challenging, make sure you are staying plugged in to what is happening (as things are changing rapidly). Wherever you call home, we are glad that you have that place of shelter.  That’s what we do.  That’s who we R.

About the author:

Melissa Hailey is the Broker-Owner of North Texas Top Team, REATORS in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.  Our Team helps home buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants move across North Texas and we connect clients to other great REALTORS  across the country.  She is a real estate instructor and coach who loves to see others succeed.  She is a serial volunteer helping others in her community and in her industry.  Connect with her at https://www.northtexastopteam.com/melissa-hailey/

Everybody Wants Me

As the real estate market moved from a buyer’s market to a seller’s market in North Texas, things were heating up quickly in real estate.  The economy was turning around, companies were hiring and relocating to the DFW area, and there was a shortage of homes for sale.  This caused our real estate market to become a seller’s market….and not just a seller’s market, a HOT SELLER’S MARKET.

Just at the start of this seller’s market cycle, we listed a property in Plano for a couple who was moving out of the Metroplex to live closer to their kids and grandkids.  Ron and Lucy had lived in their house since before the recession, and they had good equity in their home. We reviewed the comparable sales with them, and determined a fair listing price.  Literally within hours of being on the market, they had plenty of showings and were receiving offers to buy their home.  Some people sent offers without even seeing the house in person. 

While Ron and Lucy were excited to have so much interest in their home, however, it was quite overwhelming to have so many people want your house….and want it now!  It was like being a movie star and being surrounding by the paparazzi!!  It was such a whirlwind of activity. 

Ron and Lucy picked the best offer within the first 24 hours and started the process of selling their home.  However, 2 days later, the buyer backed out of the contract.  While Ron and Lucy had plenty of other offers to choose from, we decided to put the house back on the market for showings.  Again, there were a ton of buyers looking, and many sent offers.  Sometimes with a letter to the seller pleading as to why the seller should take their offer instead of someone else.

After several conversations about the speed that things were happening, we decided to slow the process down by telling all buyers that we would consider all offers on a specific date (a couple of days away).  That way the frantic pace of people rushing to get inside the home, and rushing to send an offer would slow down….plus the sellers needed some time to think.  After all, buying or selling a home is a big process with a huge financial impact.

Once the offer deadline arrived, we met and discussed the offers.  We had 43 offers to choose from.  That is a lot to sort through.  The sellers made a choice based on a combination of sales price, time frame to move out, strength of the buyer’s financing versus cash purchasers, and end use of the property (deciding between a buyer who intended to live there or a real estate investor).   

They decided to sell to someone who planned to live in the home for many years to come.  Once under contract, things went smoothly.  The home inspection was ordered and the buyer didn’t ask for any repairs. The appraisal was done and while it didn’t appraise for the sales price, the buyer paid more money out of pocket to ensure the sale went through.  The title work and loan documents were complete.  On closing day, the sellers had their moving truck ready for their next adventure, living near their kids and grandkids.

The moral of the story is that sometimes, while it’s nice to be wanted and to be the most popular person, you have to slow things down so that you can think clearly and make the best choice for you.