How much risk are you willing to take to buy a home during the pandemic?

Today, homebuyers are faced with a doubleedged quandary: Tour a home for sale in person and increase your chances of acquiring the coronavirus, or shop completely virtually and run the risk of buyer’s regret because you couldn’t see the house up close. Either choice involves compromises and significant potential consequences.

So to what extent will people take either risk these days? New research paints a fascinating picture.

According to the results of a recent survey by Helitech, more than 37% of shoppers would hazard COVID-19 exposure to acquire their preferred home; 1 in 3 would be willing to purchase without first viewing the home in person; and approximately 53% were continuing their house hunting during the coronavirus crisis.

Meanwhile, 36% of respondents to a Zillow survey reveal they are more inclined to purchase a property entirely online during COVID-19, with 30% indicating that they would do likewise after the pandemic subsides. And 3 out of 4 polled by Zillow said they would desire the option of touring a home remotely using video or virtual technology if they were currently shopping for a home.

Kris Lindahl, the owner of Kris Lindahl Real Estate in Minneapolis, is surprised that nearly

2 in 5 people would risk coronavirus contact to find their ideal home.

“There are so many tools that can be used now to avoid or limit exposure. People looking to buy a home shouldn’t feel like they have to risk their health to do so,” Lindahl says. “With 3D tours, recorded or live online tours, and platforms like Zoom and Facetime, the homebuying experience has gone virtual. And we’re finding a growing number of clients who love the convenience of being able to do everything online, down to the paperwork.”

Adrienne Allen, a Las Vegas-based broker with the tech-based real estate company Homie, says it’s amazing what prospective purchasers are willing to do to claim their desired home nowadays.

“Buyers continue to buy homes despite the pandemic, and even more people are putting offers on properties they haven’t seen. A few years ago, that was a real rarity,” Allen notes.

Indeed, home sales remain hot, and available inventory continues to be limited due to high demand from buyers — despite coronavirus restrictions in many markets that prevent shoppers from walking through homes and meeting with agents in person as they did in the past.

One of the big reasons is mortgage interest rates that continue to hover near historic lows.

“Lower interest rates mean that a homebuyer can afford a higherpriced property for the same monthly mortgage payment. Hence, many buyers have an incentive to act quickly and try to claim or outbid others on a property, before rates rise and opportunities get snatched,” explains Lauren Anastasio, a certified financial planner with Sofi, a San Franciscoheadquartered personal finance company.

Buyer interest has also been stoked by the fact that many employers have embraced long-term or permanent remote work arrangements, motivating people to consider moving to more desirable locations.

“Many city dwellers lately have decided to flock to the suburbs or moved to more suburban areas where homeownership is more affordable than it had been living in high-cost-of-living cities,” Anastasio adds.

While it’s certainly possible to find the right property for sale without risking your health, prepare to rely more on technology and trust your gut.

“You’ll have to be willing to purchase the home without doing a physical tour, relying heavily on virtual tours and property photos as well as information provided by the listing agent,” Allen says. “Otherwise, you’ll have to take on a little risk by wearing masks, booties, maintaining social distancing and limiting what you touch inside a home during a physical tour — if allowed.”

Lindahl recommends trying to get through as much of the process as you can online before you decide to tour a home in person or not.

“Make sure you’re working with an agent who can help you with this process. Ask the agent how comfortable they are with online tools and how much of the work can be done virtually,” Lindahl suggests. “Don’t be afraid to ask the agent what safety procedures they are taking.”

Remember: Your health should be your No. 1 priority.

“Those who are at higher risk and are nervous about shopping virtually may want to wait to buy a home until after the pandemic,” Allen says.