Buying A Bay Area Home During
Shelter In Place

The Bay Area's Shelter In Place has affected many aspects of life, including how homes are bought and sold. Unlocked has adapted our services to ensure we can still assist Bay Area homebuyers during the Shelter In Place.

With Shelter In Place directives currently in effect for all of the Bay Area, viewing properties has become more challenging. Open house showings are unlikely to return to the real estate market for some time. Still, new homes are being listed every week; many buyers remain active in the market; and homes are entering contract and closing as scheduled.

At Unlocked, we’re working hard to adapt to the changing conditions brought about by COVID-19 and to provide our buyers with exceptional service and insightful advice even during this challenging and ever-changing time.

Private Tours

With the absence of open houses, the only way to view homes is 'by appointment' private tours with your buyer's agent. To organize a private tour, please contact your Unlocked agent, who can coordinate the logistics with the listing agent at your desired time.

When arranging a private tour, we will ask buyers to:

• Sign the California Association of Realtors’ Coronavirus Property Entry Advisory and Declaration (PEAD) form, which we will send you via DocuSign
• Limit groups to no more than two adults from the same household
• Wear facemasks and gloves and practice “social distancing” during the visit
• Do not undertake tours if you are ill or have any possible COVID-related symptoms
• Provide their current mortgage pre-approval letter, which is often requested by the listing agent
• Comply with any other requirements made by the listing agent or sellers

Please contact us directly if you’d like to arrange a private tour of a Bay Area home.

The Escrow and Closing Process

Under applicable federal, state and Bay Area guidelines, activities required to facilitate a real estate transaction have been deemed "essential activities". As such, the escrow and closing process is proceeding (more or less) as usual, though a number of accommodations are being made in the industry to allow escrow and closing to occur entirely remotely.

Banks and mortgage lenders are conducting their lending operations normally, albeit some are working from home. Many appraisers are working normally as well, though in some cases lenders have provided exceptions to allow appraisers to rely on listing photos of homes rather than visiting the home in person.

Escrow and title officers are largely conducting business as usual, even while working from home. Signings of loan paperwork and closing documents (which normally would occur at an escrow office) are now being scheduled via mobile notary, who will observe social distancing practices. Bay Area county recorders offices are recording title deeds via eRecording systems and providing confirmations of title recording as usual.

While in some cases we have seen slight delays to closing timing due to COVID-related challenges, in almost all cases escrow and closing activities are proceeding as scheduled.

New Construction Properties

New constructions sales are proceeding normally during this time. Sales offices may have reduced hours, but new construction sales agents are available to schedule private tours of model homes or other available units at their communities by appointment. Builders have suspended requirements that buyers’ agents accompany them in person on their visits to the community, and all interaction and sales negotiations between buyers’ agents and new construction sales teams are now happening virtually. Construction activities are still continuing at most Bay Area new construction communities, and closings are occurring regularly, with minimal delays.