Everything to Know About Moving During COVID-19

COVID-19 has disrupted a lot of normalcy for the entire world. We’ve all had to adjust many routines and ways of life to stay safe and in line with government orders.

As we properly navigate these changes, many people considering or in the process of moving have their own unique set of concerns related to Covid-19.

The Luxury Living team is here to answer all your questions about moving to Chicago during the Covid-19 stay at home order.

Can I move during Covid

The first question many people are asking is, ‘can we move during this time?’

While the process may look a bit different, the good news is that yes, you can still move.

There are certain guidelines real estate professionals need to abide by when working with clients. This is because we still need to practice social distancing and help keep the movement within Chicago and the surrounding areas to a minimum. 

While our team is more restricted when it comes to in-person showings and listings, technology has enabled alternative ways to view properties,

Whether you are looking to rent or buy, we listen to our client’s wants and needs. Then we send a follow-up email with the plan of what we are going to do and a timeline. 

Remote Apartment Tours in Chicago

Thanks to technology, it is possible to view potential homes without ever having to step foot out of your house.

Since mid-march, Luxury Living has begun offering remote tours to allow clients to experience 3-D tours of a majority of listings from the comfort of their own home. 

Our experienced brokers are available to walk you through the video tours in real-time so we can answer your questions and point out the benefits and features of each listing. When permitted, we can Facetime you from the listing as well. There also may be some instances where we can still physically tour a property, but those are determined on a case by case basis.

Here is a list of all of our properties currently offering remote tours:

Wolf Point East (River North)

Logan Apartments (Logan Square)

Norweta (Lincoln Park)

River City (South Loop)

Seven10 West (River West)

West Loop Portfolio (Madison Throop Place, Ashland Place, Twelve 17, Adams Laflin Place)

How to Evaluate a Remote Tour 

So if you can’t see your potential apartment in person, how do you best evaluate it through a remote tour?

Here are a few things that you can still pay attention to virtually:

1. Appliances: During a remote tour, pay attention to the appliances included in the apartment. What does the kitchen offer? Do you see a washer and dryer in the unit? 
2. Furnishings: Whether the apartment you’re viewing is rented fully furnished or not, it’s helpful to see a residence already set up with furniture. It allows you to get a better feel for the space and its functionality. Observe how much furniture the apartment fits and how much wall space is available.
3. Floor plan– Virtual tours also offer prospective tenants insight into the design of the apartment. Check to see if the floor plan is more traditional with formally defined spaces, or more of an open-concept apartment. Keep in mind that buildings often offer multiple floor plans with different layouts.
4. Flooring: Through a remote tour, you’ll be able to gauge what type of flooring is throughout the apartment, which makes a huge impact on the property’s look and feel. While it may be difficult to distinguish the specific flooring materials, these details should be available online. Check to see if the flooring is consistent throughout each room.
5. Amenities- Many apartment buildings offer virtual tours or videos of common facilities throughout the building. Be sure to take advantage of these digital resources to get a feel for all of the shared space that the apartment offers residents.
6. Views: Use technology to scope out the views that the apartment you’re considering offers. Google Earth provides 360-degree street views so you can get a better feel for the area where the building is situated.

New Tour Options

You can also still schedule a consultation with our real estate professionals through our one-on-one discovery video chats. Each property has different tour options including remote, self-guided, and in-person tours.

If selecting to tour by self-guided or in-person, Luxury Living Chicago is taking the following safety precautions. Social distancing and masks will be required at all times during in-person tours at the property.

Things to do at Home 

To help you make the most of your time social distancing at home, consider these activities while at home:

• Redecorate your apartment: You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how a simple redecoration can change the entire look and feel of your place. While you may be stuck at home, you may as well try and switch up the scenery in the meantime.
• Organize your Space: How often do we have the desire to clean up and reorder our home, but a lack of time gets in the way? If this is the case for you, take advantage of this extra time at the house and get a little Spring cleaning done.
• Try an At-Home Workout: Gyms may be closed, but there are plenty of virtual workouts to choose from online and on tv. If there weather permits, you can even get a social distanced walk or run in.
• Pick up a New Hobby: Try using your spare time to try something new. Learn a new language or a new instrument. Find fun arts and crafts to bring out your inner creativity, or consider a good puzzle or book to begin. 

Our lives may look a bit different right now, but don’t let the Stay at Home order halt your life. 

If you have any more questions or would like to begin your house hunting from home, connect with one of our licensed team members today!

*This post has been updated to reflect updated information as Chicago moves into Phase 4 of reopening.