At Sterling, we know COVID-19 has meant that many people have put shopping for a new home on the back burner. However, there are still families who either need to buy right now or who had already begun the homebuying process before this crisis began. Now, they’re wondering how they’re going to buy a home where their family can stay safe.
We’ve got you covered.
During these unprecedented times, the health and safety of our customers and staff has been of utmost concern to us at Sterling and we have an Action Plan we’ve implemented.
So while you aren’t able to just pop into our show homes to check things out, we are taking steps to ensure that those who need to make a purchase can safely do so.
Learn more about how Sterling is changing the home buying process with safety in mind.
General Updates
Our sales centres are open by private appointment only. You can still tour homes and talk to a representative, but you have to make an appointment. We’ll cover the specifics of your options in just a minute, but you should start by knowing that you won’t have to risk being around a lot of strangers as you buy your home.
You’ll also find that there’s plenty of hand sanitizer at all locations. Use this frequently to stay healthy, but you’ll also want to avoid touching your face and wear a mask if possible.
We’re also taking care to completely sanitize all of our Showhomes regularly, and will always sanitize between each showing.
We’ll need your help to keep things safe, however.
We know that under normal home viewing circumstances, you’d want to do things like open all of the cabinets and peek in closets. But during this time, the more surfaces you touch, the more you put yourself and others at risk. Which is why we’re asking visitors to adopt this behaviour. We appreciate your understanding.
Finally, be mindful of your own health. Please don’t schedule an appointment if you’ve had contact with someone who has shown signs of sickness over the past two weeks.
If you have any symptoms of coronavirus, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath, please stay home. In the past, it was normal to take some medicine and power through the day when you were feeling unwell, but the risks are just too high now. You don’t want to put other people at risk.
Virtual Tours and Appointments
One of the best ways to get started with your purchase is to take virtual tours of homes. These are not just looking at pictures. The camera technology allows you to really feel like you’re inside the home, walking around. You can adjust the angle of the pictures and zoom in on different areas. It’s almost like being there in person!
Additionally, you can set up a virtual appointment with one of our sales reps. They’ll be able to answer any questions you might have about a particular home or about Sterling’s homes in general. We’ve even implemented virtual document signing features, so when it comes time to actually buy your home, it can all be done online.
Self-Guided Tours Via Lock Box
Of course, we understand that you’ll want to see a home in person before you make a final purchase. One of the ways that you can do this is by taking a self-guided tour via lock box. Once you arrive at the home you want to see, we’ll text you the code for the lock box. You open it up, get the key, and tour the home on your own. We can answer any questions you have by phone or text.
Pre-Arranged Self-Guided Tour
If you don’t want to worry about opening the lock box, you can also pre-arrange a self-guided tour. In this option, we’ll come to the home to unlock it a few minutes before you’re scheduled to arrive. Then, our sales rep will head back out to their car nearby. When you finish the tour, we’ll lock it up again.
1 on 1 Personal Show Home Tour (with Social Distancing)
We are also able to offer you a more traditional home tour. In this case, we’ll have a sales rep available to take you on a tour of the home. However, for everyone’s safety, the rep will make sure to maintain the recommended amount of distance. You’ll have the space and time you need to tour the home, but there will be a person there to answer the questions you have.
No matter what touring method you choose, we ask you to be mindful of the health and safety of everyone involved by following our new guidelines about contact.
These are definitely unprecedented times, but we’ll be able to get through them by working together and moving forward. You can count on us to give you the safest home buying experience possible with plenty of options so you can choose what’s most comfortable to you.
At Sterling Homes, our mission is to provide the opportunity for affordable homeownership without compromise.
Over the last 70 years, Sterling Edmonton has quickly become one of Edmonton’s most popular builders. We bring more than seven decades worth of exceptional customer service, superior design and unparalleled craftsmanship to the greater Edmonton area. As a member of the Qualico Group, Sterling Homes focuses on greater Edmonton’s finest family communities, while being able to offer some of the region’s most family friendly prices thanks to volume purchasing power for materials, trades and land.
This has not only made Sterling one of Edmonton’s bestselling, move-up builders, but also one of the industry’s most respected home providers. It is through our uncompromising commitment to our customers that we proudly deliver the Sterling Advantage – that’s why each and every home we build includes a 10-year home warranty, a completion guarantee and new home warranty excellence rating. Our Advantage is our pledge that, when you build your dream home with Sterling, we will deliver a timely, well-built home you’re sure to enjoy for years to come.
