Washington home builder moves buying process online due to coronavirus
VANCOUVER, Wash. — It's the busiest time of year for New Tradition Homes. Staff tell us that didn't change under the stay-at-home order.
They've sold 100 homes since that went into effect.
And they've done it entirely online. If you're looking to buy a house with New Tradition, it doesn't matter if you're across state lines in Oregon or across the country, you can tour homes and even design them using technology from the comfort of your home.
"It really eliminates the people taking time off of work, travel time, commuting, so it’s definitely a way of the future," realtor Kelly Wade said.
Marketing manager Laura Hanson said they've even sold homes during this time to people in their 80s, using tools like FaceTime for tours.
Hanson said she recognizes that this process isn't perfect, but that it could be the new normal.
"A home buying process is still very emotional and very personal. So it is a little hard for some people to not be able to touch, see, feel when they’re picking out their appliances, their tiles, their home," she said.
Hanson anticipates more buyers will use this method, even after the coronavirus outbreak.
"We’re going to see this shift in the way that people buy homes. I think that we’re kind of used to the Amazon experience of buying and maybe real estate home building was a little lacking in that," she said.
In addition to tours, Hanson said they've moved everything from contracts to design online.
