Listing data, detailed photos, and virtual and live-video tours will suffice for a growing number of consumers who are looking to buy a home; they don’t need to physically visit the property before making an offer, according to a new joint survey from realtor.com® and Toluna Insights.

Twenty-four percent of 1,300 consumers surveyed say they’d be willing to buy a home without seeing it in person, and 30% would be willing to rent one, the survey shows. Younger demographics appear to be the most comfortable using virtual tools in lieu of physical, in-person showings (29%). Further, 21% say that COVID-19 has made them more likely to move into a home sight unseen in the future.

The survey follows on the heels of findings this week from the National Association of REALTORS® that a quarter of REALTORS® and their clients have put a contract on a home without physically seeing the property. “Uncertainty around COVID-19 and limitations around social interactions and group gatherings, like open houses, have made buying and selling homes more difficult than ever,” says Nate Johnson, chief marketing officer at realtor.com®. “As real estate agents and consumers seek out ways to safely complete these transactions, we believe that technology will become an even more imperative part of how we search for, buy, and sell homes moving forward.”

Still, 47% of respondents say they prefer to see a home in person with a buyer’s agent before submitting an offer. But with social distancing guidelines in place, they are willing to adapt: 23% of that group say they prefer to go view the home alone, 13% prefer an online video tour, and 6% prefer their agent to show the home via video chat, the survey finds. Survey respondents indicate the following technology features are most helpful when deciding to buy a new home virtually:

• A virtual tour of the home (61%).
• Accurate and detailed listing information (58%).
• Accurate and detailed neighborhood information (53%).
• High-quality listing photos (51%).
• The ability for the agent or landlord to show the property via video chat (39%).

You’ll be more likely to stand out from your competitors with a positive message on social media, according to a Forbes.com column written by Ralph DiBugnara, president of Home Qualified, a digital resource for real estate. Practitioners have access to more social media tools than ever before as the market shifts during the coronavirus pandemic, and “how we advance our own personal businesses and brands, once this is over, will depend on the quality of what we invest in it with our message,” DiBugnara writes.

He points to several effective messages that could resonate with customers on social media, particularly if you can draw from your past experience as an agent who overcame a slowdown during the Great Recession. “Brand yourself by sharing that and how your recovery created income or growth in certain ways,” he notes. “Tell stories of success and growth.”

Spreading negative information, on the other hand, will push others away from your content, he notes.

He also urges real estate professionals to use social media to educate consumers on the market. Set up a news app to feed you information about what is happening in the market, and then report it back on social media using your own words. “Do not cause panic, but focus on the positive possibilities you are seeing—investment or growth opportunities that are coming,” he says.

Focus on your best platform for generating engagement, whether that is Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter. Then, be present, posting at least three times a week, DiBugnara says. He encourages real estate pros to set up systems so that when the economy starts to reopen and business picks up, you can maintain that system of being present and engaged on social media.

Mortgage financing giant Freddie Mac announced several changes on Wednesday to its COVID-19 protection options for tenants and landlords. Its program provides three months of forbearance for borrowers impacted by the pandemic. It also has a no-evictions policy for tenants during that forbearance period. Fannie Mae has announced similar protections.

Newly announced changes to Freddie Mac’s assistance is aimed at bringing it in line with CARES Act provisions, which were made after the GSE had first announced its protections in the early days of the outbreak.

Among the changes, tenants no longer have to demonstrate their nonpayment of rent is due to a COVID-19 related hardship.

Multifamily landlords who have properties financed with a Freddie Mac loan can defer their loan payments for 90 days by proving a hardship as an impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and by getting lender approval. In return, Freddie Mac is requiring landlords not to evict tenants for nonpayment during forbearance periods.

If a borrower enters forbearance, Freddie Mac restricts the ability to evict, give notice of, or start an eviction of a tenant for nonpayment during the forbearance period. Late fees, penalties, or other charges cannot be added on to the tenant for nonpayment of their rent while in the forbearance period, as required by the CARES Act.

The forbearance program has also been extended, under Freddie’s new guidance. The last day to enter the forbearance under the program was extended to Dec. 31, or the date that the federally declared emergency period ends, whichever comes first. Freddie Mac had previously set the program to expire on Aug. 1.

“Our forbearance program is helping borrowers and tenants who are facing hardship as a result of COVID-19,” says Deborah Jenkins, executive vice president and head of Multifamily for Freddie Mac. “The program has already proved to be an important source of relief for multifamily operators and residents who are struggling financially as a result of this national crisis.”

The program is available to borrowers across more than 27,000 properties that have Freddie Mac loans. About 4.2 million U.S. renters reside in those properties.

View the multifamily response from Fannie Mae.

National Association of REALTORS

Respondents who identified as unemployed or self-employed were the most likely to spend their stimulus money on essential purchases—like food or housing—whereas salaried or hourly employees were more likely to say they plan to spend more than half of their check on nonessential purchases.

The stimulus checks are part of a $2 trillion stimulus bill that could give Americans up to $1,200 in funds, with an extra $500 per dependent younger than 17.

Curious how much you may be receiving or if you’re eligible? Smartasset, a personal finance site, offers an online calculator to calculate what stimulus funds you may be eligible to receive.

The IRS extended more tax deadlines to cover individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and more, including deadline extensions for both 1031 like-kind exchanges and opportunity zone investments. Both programs are to help spur economic growth in communities. The National Association of REALTORS® advocated for both extensions.

Last month, the IRS had announced that taxpayers have until July 15 to file and pay 2019 federal income taxes. The original deadline was April 15.

On Thursday, the IRS said it expanded that relief to additional returns and tax payments. Individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and other noncorporate tax filers now have until July 15 to file their 2019 federal income tax returns and to pay any tax due.

One of the deadlines under the opportunity zone program has been extended. If an investor who sold a capital asset planned to roll over the gain into an opportunity fund, they may be able to extend the previous 180-day deadline if it fell between April 1 and July 15. Investors in those cases can make the investment on July 15, the IRS states.

Also, investors who were doing 1031 like-kind exchanges and had already taken the first step by selling the old property also received an extension to meet the requirements. If the 45-day or the 180-day deadline fell between April 1 and July 15, the deadline has been extended to July 15.

Further, sole proprietors who pay quarterly estimated taxes can postpone their second quarter payment from June 15 to July 15. The first quarter’s estimated tax payments had already been extended to July 15. Now, both payments are due at the same time, without penalty, the IRS said.

“During recent weeks, NAR strongly advocated for tax payment deadline extensions, including for 1031 like-kind exchanges and opportunity zone investments, as this pandemic left small businesses and independent contractors particularly vulnerable,” said Vince Malta, NAR’s president. “I want to commend the IRS for moving quickly to protect countless American workers and consumers.”

Visit IRS.gov for more information on the changes. The latest guidance was issued under Notice 2020-23.