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Real estate sales increase in Iowa amid COVID-19 pandemic Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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OTHERS ALREADY MADE BY THE COMPANY. IOWANS HAVEN’T STOPPED BUYING HOMES AMID THE PANDEMIC AND METRO REAL ESTATE SALES ACTUALLY JUMPED FROM LAST YEAR’S NUMBERS. BUT, AS KCCI’S BEAU BOWMAN EXPLAINS, REALTORS ARE HAVING TO GET CREATIVE IN ORDER TO STILL SHOW HOUSES. BEAU: THE DES MOINES AREA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS REPORTS SALES ARE UP 60% IN THE METRO. THE HOUSES IN DES MOINES UP FOR SALE LIKE THIS ONE WON’T BE FOR LONG. >> LAST MONTH WAS A RECORD MONTH FOR ME. BEAU: FOR SOME DES MOINES REAL ESTATE AGENTS LIKE ALEN AGIC, BUSINESS HAS BEEN BOOMING DURING THE PANDEMIC. >> A LOT OF REAL ESTATE CAN BE DONE VIRTUALLY. BEAU: BUT REALTORS HAVE HAD TO GET CREATIVE WITH HOW THEY SHOW OFF THEIR HOUSES. AGIC SAYS HE’S DOING VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSES, AND IN A FEW CASES, PEOPLE EVEN BOUGHT A HOUSE WITHOUT SEEING THEM IN PERSON. >> VIDEO AND PICTURES, YOU CAN REALLY GET A LOT DONE AND SEE IF IT IS THE RIGHT FIT. >> THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKING AND THEY ARE SERIOUS BUYERS. BEAU: TERRY ADAMS A REALTOR WITH KELLER WILLIAMS GREATER DES MOINES SAYS THE BUYERS IN THE MARKET RIGHT NOW HAVE TO MOVE, WHETHER THEIR JOBS ARE CHANGING, OR THEY ARE MOVING TO BE CLOSER TO FAMILY OR THEY JUST NEED MORE SPACE WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY WORKING FROM HOME. ADAMS SAYS BUYERS ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF BEING STUCK AT HOME BY TAKING ALL THESE VIRTUAL TOURS OF HOUSES ON THE MARKET. >> PEOPLE ARE HOME SHOPPERS, THEY ARE LOOKING FROM HOME ON THE COMPUTER COME ONLINE. THEY ARE SEEING IT AT HOME FIRST, AND THAT IS HOW THEY ARE FINDING OUT IF THEY ARE SERIOUS ENOUGH TO LOOK AT IT IN PERSON. BEAU: A LOT OF BUYERS ARE STILL LOOKING AT HOUSES IN PERSON, SO REALTORS ARE CLEANING DOOR KNOBS AND LIGHT SWITCHES AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT COULD BE TOUCHED IN BETWEEN SHOWINGS. BUT ADAMS EXPECTS THE VIRTUAL TOURS TO BECOME MORE AND MORE POPULAR. >> I ALMOST THINK IT IS THE WAY OF THE FUTURE, THAT IS HOW I AM SELLING HOMES. BEAU: BOTH ADAMS AND AGIC SAY THE PRICES ON THE HOMES HAVE STAYED RELATIVELY STEADY. IN DES MOINES, B