Buying and Selling Real Estate During the Covid-19 Pandemic

by Maribeth Lynch

Thrive Owner/Broker Maribeth Lynch and Gary Kelley of RE/MAX Executive Realty discuss personal best practices for showing and listing real estate in Massachusetts during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Such uncertain times for so many of us. Real estate professionals have been trying to ascertain whether we are/are not essential workers. The answer is just as unclear. We at Thrive Real Estate believe it is our duty to serve our buyer and seller clients by providing them with updated information as well as offer our time and assistance. We have quite a few sellers who want to sell during this time. We support their decisions and have established a set of criteria under which we work. Here are a few of those guidelines:

1) Most showings are conducted by a Buyers Agent who will be escorting the potential buyer through the house. Our first best practice is to have a conversation with the agents to establish that the buyer is MOTIVATED and PRE APPROVED. During these unprecedented times, the last thing we want our seller to have to endure are “tire kickers”. So all of our showings are taking place with the understanding that the buyer can act to buy the house, can afford the house and has a pre approval letter in hand.

2) We are providing all the tools needed for the safety of anyone who enters the house. This means we have rubber gloves and sanitary wipes available to be used throughout the showing.

3) We are leaving lots of doors ajar so there is no need to manually open the door. It’s really all about using common sense. The “look don’t touch” mentality.

Despite the COVID19 outbreak, our office is BUSY. We are spending time answering questions about the real estate market and helping people plan ahead for their purchases or sales of their homes.

We have conducted virtual walk throughs of homes to help with staging and organizing. Most homes will need a bit of organizing/staging, we find most homes need about 2-4 weeks to be prepared to enter the market. We also need time to get our photographer in and also get any contractors in to complete the finishing touches.

We have quite a few homes under agreement and are working with our attorneys and support staff to ensure these homes have all they need to successfully close. The rules are changing daily with regard to home inspections, mortgage underwriting procedures, smoke detector inspections, appraisals and many other things. We are staying on top of the ever changing market and are happy to share what we know with anyone with questions.

Now is a GREAT time to consider selling or buying. But, you want to hire an experienced firm with local resources to help you be successful. We at Thrive Real Estate Specialists have the time and experience to make your home buying/selling experience pleasant!

Stay safe, stay distant and stay immersed in day-to-day activities that bring your joy and keep you occupied with positive thoughts!

“Anthony’s advice and assurances during these times helped us achieve another record-breaking year, states Maribeth Lynch, Founder of Thrive Real Estate and Lamacchia Realty REALTOR®.

“When the opportunity to merge with Lamacchia arose, the timing was perfect. We knew both our clients and agents would benefit from this partnership, allowing everyone to THRIVE. Having gotten to know the leadership team at Lamacchia has made our decision to merge with them an easy one. Our values are very much aligned, and we know that offering their robust marketing and training will benefit both our clients as well as our beloved agents.”

Along with Maribeth and Rick, five REALTORS® will join Lamacchia Realty, including Briana Willander, Ashley Davidson, Whitney Andrews, Mike Andrews, and Tracey Calo. REALTORS® of Thrive are like-minded professionals who work in unison and pride themselves on local knowledge and creative problem-solving, all for the benefit of clients.
As the broker-owner of Thrive Real Estate Specialists, Maribeth has been and will continue to be devoted to serving both her clients and her community with integrity, sincerity, and a can-do attitude. Her firm welcomes opportunities to give back and be charitable in meaningful ways and Maribeth believes in the importance of service. The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women selected her as a 2022 recipient of The Commonwealth Heroes Award, and she was a 2021 recipient of the Gratitude Project Award from the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®.

“We are so happy to have Maribeth, Rick, and the rest of the Thrive group joining forces with the company, states Jackie Louh, Chief Operating Officer, Lamacchia Realty. “Maribeth is a well-known and respected Broker in Worcester County, and we are honored that she chose Lamacchia. We are excited to grow even more in that area and Maribeth is the perfect person to help us do just that!”

Maribeth along with the REALTORS® at Thrive Real Estate has been involved with many organizations over the years, most recently: REALTOR® Association of Central Mass- Committee Chairman, Broker/Owner Task Force, REALTOR® Association of Central Massachusetts- Board of Directors 2025, Shrewsbury Zoning Board of Appeals, Chairman, Shrewsbury Town Center Association, Founding Member, Shrewsbury Yuletide/Light the Commons, Committee Member, among many more. In addition to being involved, they also advertise and support the College of the Holy Cross where Thrive is prominently displayed on scoreboards and other places.

Lamacchia Realty’s already very aggressive marketing campaign in the region will dramatically boost the company’s market reach and help add more top-rated REALTORS® to the Shrewsbury office. The marketing plan features billboards on Route 9 and other major roadways, social media posts, postcards, newspaper ads, and much more.

All home buyers, sellers, tenants, landlords, REALTORS®, and other brokerages in the area should know that it is business as usual at the company. There will be no interruptions in service to any clients anywhere. In the weeks to come Lamacchia’s management team and staff will work with Maribeth, Rick, and all the REALTORS® at Thrive who are now Lamacchia Realtors to slowly implement Lamacchia’s suite of lead products, services, training, technology, and more.

This marks Lamacchia Realty’s ninth acquisition in Massachusetts in the past year with the prior acquisitions in Pittsfield with Home Sweet Home Real Estate, Dalton with Berkshire Dream Home, Easton with Briarwood Real Estate, Auburn with Emerson Realtors, Springfield with Sears Real Estate, Falmouth with Foley Real Estate, Fall River with Right Choice Real Estate, and Seekonk with Keystone Property Group. Lamacchia Realty is excited to bring on even more REALTORS® in MetroWest and Central Massachusetts markets in the weeks and months to come.

As a full-service, value-based brokerage, Lamacchia Realty’s mission is to empower its staff, REALTORS®, and clients to achieve success. The company provides unmatched training, systems, and technology, equipping employees with the tools they need to thrive and grow in their roles. Lamacchia Realty takes great pride in its strong culture of support, which has contributed to an impressively high retention rate. Culture is at the heart of the company, with every staff member and agent playing an integral role in maintaining and enhancing it, helping them continue to grow!

Thrive Real Estate- logo on football scoreboard as official sponsor for Holy Cross
Thrive at the Holy Cross Football Field
Thrive at Holy Cross Hockey Rink
Thrive at Holy Cross Hockey Rink

Lamacchia Realty’s already very aggressive marketing campaign in the region will dramatically boost the company’s market reach and help add more top-rated REALTORS® to the Shrewsbury office. The marketing plan features billboards on Route 9 and other major roadways, social media posts, postcards, newspaper ads, and much more.

All home buyers, sellers, tenants, landlords, REALTORS®, and other brokerages in the area should know that it is business as usual at the company.  There will be no interruptions in service to any clients anywhere. In the weeks to come Lamacchia’s management team and staff will work with Maribeth, Rick, and all the REALTORS® at Thrive who are now Lamacchia Realtors to slowly implement Lamacchia’s suite of lead products, services, training, technology, and more.

This marks Lamacchia Realty’s ninth acquisition in Massachusetts in the past year with the prior acquisitions in Pittsfield with Home Sweet Home Real Estate, Dalton with Berkshire Dream Home, Easton with Briarwood Real Estate, Auburn with Emerson Realtors, Springfield with Sears Real Estate, Falmouth with Foley Real Estate, Fall River with Right Choice Real Estate, and Seekonk with Keystone Property Group. Lamacchia Realty is excited to bring on even more REALTORS® in MetroWest and Central Massachusetts markets in the weeks and months to come.

As a full-service, value-based brokerage, Lamacchia Realty’s mission is to empower its staff, REALTORS®, and clients to achieve success. The company provides unmatched training, systems, and technology, equipping employees with the tools they need to thrive and grow in their roles. Lamacchia Realty takes great pride in its strong culture of support, which has contributed to an impressively high retention rate. Culture is at the heart of the company, with every staff member and agent playing an integral role in maintaining and enhancing it, helping us continue to grow! 

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