Everything to Know About Buying a House During Coronavirus

Can I buy a home during the coronavirus pandemic?

Yes, you can still buy a house safely during the coronavirus pandemic. Depending on local public safety orders, though, your options for visiting homes may be restricted. Redfin offers several virtual options to tour and buy a home. We recommend staying up to date on the latest coronavirus housing market news and talking with a local Redfin agent to learn more about how to safely buy a home in your area.

Is now a good time to buy a home?

As always, whether now is a good time to buy a home depends on your individual situation. A good place to start is determining your budget with a tool like our Home Affordability Calculator. You'll also want to review current mortgage rates and how many homes are currently for sale in the area you're interested in buying that also meet your criteria. If you find a home you love and you are financially prepared, now could be a great time to buy a home. You can learn more by talking with a local Redfin Agent about your home buying goals or attending one of our free home buying webinars!

Can I tour a home if there is a shelter-in-place order in effect?

It depends on the specific order. Some shelter-in-place orders allow for limited in-person showings, others only allow agents to visit properties and video chat with clients, and others prohibit showings all together. We recommend reaching out to a local Redfin Agent to learn what home visit options are available in your area.

How can I tour homes virtually?

There are three ways you can tour a home virtually.

• 3D Walkthroughs allow you to see the inside of any Redfin-listed home with three-dimensional, interactive scans. 3D Walkthroughs also make it easy for potential buyers to explore every angle of a home for sale at any time, day or night. Watch it in action
• Live Video-Chat Tours allow you to tour a home in real-time without stepping foot outside your house. Your agent will be your boots on the ground at the home of your choosing, guiding the tour over your preferred video-chat method. Your Redfin Agent will answer >a href='/blog/questions-to-ask-when-touring-a-house-on-video-chat/'>any questions you have, such as if there’s enough natural light or if a cabinet opens properly. Check it out here.
• Live Video Open Houses allow you to virtually tour a home alongside other prospective buyers via a live video conference. A Redfin Agent will be at the home in person, guiding potential buyers through every detail of the property and answering questions along the way.
• Learn more about how to safely tour homes during the Coronavirus pandemic

What can I do if I’m ready to buy now?

If you’re ready to buy a house, you can speak with a Redfin Agent to get started. They can help you navigate this challenging time and will be your advocate throughout the process.

Can I make an offer and close on a home digitally?

There are a number of states where you can close electronically (eclose) on a home. If your state allows you to buy a home completely online then you can close digitally. If your state does not allow you to digitally close on a home, you can take a hybrid approach by performing most of the transaction electronically and signing a few documents in person with a notary. Learn more about eclosing.