How to Clean Your Electronics Properly

How to Clean Your Electronics Properly: The CDC recommends disinfecting electronics daily, and more Americans are heeding the call.

Home Prices Still Rising, Albeit at Slower Pace

Home Prices Still Rising, Albeit at Slower Pace: Real estate remains a bright spot, even as the COVID-19 pandemic hammers the economy.

5 Housing Market Trends as of April 2020

5 Housing Market Trends as of April 2020: NAR’s April 2020 Realtors® Confidence Index (RCI) Survey shows the effect of coronavirus social distancing measures on the housing market. Here are five trends based on the data.

30-Year Mortgage Rate Hits New Record Low

30-Year Mortgage Rate Hits New Record Low: For the third time in as many months, borrowing costs for a 30-year loan sink to their lowest level ever.

Most Consumers Aren’t Afraid to Return to the Market

Most Consumers Aren’t Afraid to Return to the Market: Home buyers and sellers are depending on their real estate agents for information and reassurance about conducting transactions during the pandemic, according to a new survey.

New-Home Sales Post Unexpected Increase

New-Home Sales Post Unexpected Increase: “The April data for new home sales show the potential for housing to lead any recovery for the overall economy,” says the chairman of the builder’s trade group.

Fannie, Freddie Launch Resources on COVID-19 Relief Options

Fannie, Freddie Launch Resources on COVID-19 Relief Options: The GSEs have launched sites with information about financial recourse for struggling homeowners and renters.

More First-Time Home Buyers Are Entering the Market

More First-Time Home Buyers Are Entering the Market: A shift in the mix of home buyers is occurring during the pandemic.

Consumers Worry About Pandemic Financial Options

Consumers Worry About Pandemic Financial Options: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says it received a record number of consumer complaints in March and April.

Could Your Home Office Be Dangerous?

Could Your Home Office Be Dangerous?: Use this checklist to keep your remote workspace safe.

Prices Strong Despite Lockdowns Hindering April Sales

Prices Strong Despite Lockdowns Hindering April Sales: Record low mortgage rates will likely be a key factor in driving housing demand as state economies gradually reopen. Read more from NAR’s latest housing report.

Mortgage Applications Continue Surprising Rebound

Mortgage Applications Continue Surprising Rebound: After five consecutive weeks of increases, purchase applications are now just 1.5% lower than a year ago.

Bidding Wars in a Pandemic?

Bidding Wars in a Pandemic?: Find out where tight inventories are still prompting stiff competition among buyers.

Sheltering-in-Place Inspires Homeowners to Take on Remodels

Sheltering-in-Place Inspires Homeowners to Take on Remodels: After spending more time in their homes, consumers want to change it up. Here are the projects they’re prioritizing.

Sheltering-in-Place Inspires Homeowners to Take on Remodels

Sheltering-in-Place Inspires Homeowners to Take on Remodels: After spending more time in their homes, consumers want to change it up. Here are the projects they’re prioritizing.

Your Local Market Report - Tigard- Portland

Mortgage Rates Remain Near Record Low for 6th Week

Mortgage Rates Remain Near Record Low for 6th Week: “While demand is improving, inventory is low and declining with no signs of a turnaround yet,” says Freddie Mac’s chief economist.

For Some, 30-Year Rates at 2.5% Are Possible

For Some, 30-Year Rates at 2.5% Are Possible: Home buyers with stellar credit are getting mortgage rates much lower than even the record low national averages.

Tips for Bringing a Pro Into Your Bubble

 May 18, 2020 LaTasha Beal

While everyone is home trying to stay healthy, there are a lot of people who have taken to trying to do things around the house on their own. This has helped homeowners keep busy when they have little else to do. Unfortunately, there are some jobs that are just too big for a DIY; for these jobs, you’ll need to bring someone in to tackle the issue.

This can be anxiety-inducing if you’re still trying to practice proper social distancing and avoiding contact with others. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce your risks when bringing someone into your home. Not only will these steps keep you safe, but they will also protect the worker who has to come in to do the job.

Schedule and Screen

When scheduling a service call, don’t be afraid to ask whether anyone at the company has been sick recently. While it won’t guarantee that the service person isn’t ill, knowing whether there have been sick employees in recent weeks can give you at least an idea of how well the company is managing social distancing and keeping its employees safe. There’s a good chance that you’ll have to answer similar questions, so the company shouldn’t have any problems with the questions that you ask.

Open Everything

Before the service call arrives, open any doors, cabinets or other barriers between the worker and what they’ll be working on. If there’s a wall panel or other basic covering that needs to be removed, go ahead and take that off too, provided that you can do so safely. The goal is to eliminate as many possible points of contact that the service person would otherwise have to touch or open. Once they arrive, explain what you’ve done and ask them to let you close everything back up. This will let them come in, do the job and leave without touching every door, panel or similar objects in your house.

Keep Your Distance

Social distancing is very important when someone new is coming into the home. Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet between yourself and the worker, and try to avoid being in the same room once they’ve started their work. Greet them and see if they have any questions once they arrive, then find ways to busy yourself elsewhere. You can check in periodically to make sure that they don’t need anything, but be sure to do so from a distance. It may be helpful to wear a mask while they’re in the home as well, which they should be doing already.

No-Contact Payment

If possible, opt for a no-contact payment option or request that an invoice be mailed to you. If you’re able to pay online, this is likely your best option; you can make a payment from your computer or smart device without having to hand anyone your credit or debit card. If online payments aren’t an option, you may be able to pay over the phone or through some other no-contact method.

If you aren’t able to use a card for your payment, there are still no-contact options available. If you’re paying with cash, put the money in an envelope and place it somewhere that the person making the service call can easily pick it up. The ideal way to do this is to have part of the envelope hanging over the edge of a table or other piece of furniture so that they can pick it up without actually touching your furniture. This is also a situation where writing a check can come in handy, as you can simply fill it out and then leave it to be collected without having to bother with an envelope.

Clean Before and After

Before the service worker arrives, take the time to wipe down the area they’ll be working in with sanitizing wipes. This will present a clean, safe environment for them to work in that they will surely appreciate. Once the work is finished and they’re gone, go over everything again and clean up to remove any germs that might have traveled in with them.

Stay Calm

While this is a stressful time, it’s important to reassure yourself that it’s possible to have a service call while also staying safe. Keeping your distance and reducing possible points of contact will go a long way toward keeping yourself and your family healthy. You wouldn’t be calling in someone if it weren’t necessary right now, so treat the situation with the respect that it deserves, and you should be fine.

How the Pandemic Is Changing Appraisals

How the Pandemic Is Changing Appraisals: While most appraisers are still conducting interior inspections, they’re often putting new safety measures in place. From the virtual 2020 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings, April 27-May 15

How to Support Your “Non-Essential” Home Pros

 May 14, 2020 LaTasha Beal

There has been a lot of focus in recent weeks on “essential” workers in our economy. In most places, this includes at least portions of the construction industry as well as a few other types of home pros. Unfortunately, this can leave some of our favorite professionals temporarily shut down due to local restrictions. This is a scary time for some of these pros, as the extended shutdown puts significant strain on both their personal livelihoods and their businesses.

Fortunately, there are ways that you can help support those home pros who don’t meet the criteria for being “essential” service providers. Bear in mind that these are just a few suggestions, and there may be other options available depending on where you live. Additional options may become available as well as areas begin rolling out their reopening plans.

Remote and Limited Services

While it’s not applicable for all professionals, some non-essential pros may still be able to offer remote or no-contact limited services. This typically won’t include all the services that those professionals offered, but it does give customers a way to continue supporting the business even during the shutdown. Even professionals who do not currently offer remote or limited services may begin offering such options as states move toward reopening, so if your favorite pros don’t offer these services yet they may soon.

Advanced Scheduling

Even if your favorite non-essential pros aren’t open for business yet, you can still make plans for reopening. Contact your favorite pros and see if they have advanced scheduling options available. This can let you beat the rush and set a date to start or resume using their services as soon as possible after reopening. Even if you can’t schedule a date just yet, you may be able to find out when scheduling will resume so that you can get a jump start on booking them.

Gift Certificates and Prepayments

An option to support your favorite pros that provides them with much-needed funding during the shutdown while letting you prepare for reopening is gift certificates or other prepayments. By buying gift certificates now, you can use them at your leisure once things are reopened. And since you can give gift certificates to others, this also makes a great way to offer your favorite services to friends, family and others. If your favorite pros don’t offer gift certificates, they may be able to provide you with options to prepay for specific services.

Word of Mouth

Even if you aren’t able to schedule services in advance or buy gift certificates, there are still ways for you to help your favorite professionals. Follow them on social media and share their updates about their reopening, tell others about the services that they offer, and otherwise work to provide important word-of-mouth advertising. This will help to ensure that the pros have plenty of business waiting for them once they are able to reopen. If they begin providing limited or other services as part of a gradual rollout, your word of mouth can help to spread the word about this rollout plan so that their reopening goes smoothly.

Support Local Professionals

As you can see, there are a number of options available when it comes to supporting professionals in your community who aren’t able to open up just yet. This sort of support is essential not only for the professionals themselves but also for your community in general. Supporting local businesses is an important part of helping your local economy recover after the shutdown. Do your best to keep up with the options that are available to you for supporting various professionals, helping the pros in your community prepare for reopening and rebuild their business. This will help to ensure that they are able to recover and thrive in the days and months ahead.

Watch for Home Sales Rebound as Economy Opens Up

Watch for Home Sales Rebound as Economy Opens Up: As states relax COVID-19 restrictions, stable home prices and job creation could be positive spurs for both buyers and sellers. From the virtual 2020 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings, April 27-May 15

U.S. Lawmakers: We Need REALTORS® to Help Us Recover

U.S. Lawmakers: We Need REALTORS® to Help Us Recover: The real estate community is an invaluable ally in supporting policies that protect homeowners’ financial investment as the country seeks an economic comeback after the pandemic, said General Session speakers. From the virtual 2020 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings, April 27-May 15

Fannie, Freddie Allow Payment Deferral Post-Forbearance

Fannie, Freddie Allow Payment Deferral Post-Forbearance: The mortgage financing giants spell out borrowers’ options for making up missed housing payments due to the pandemic.

Sellers Holding Eager Buyers Back as States Reopen

Sellers Holding Eager Buyers Back as States Reopen: Home buyers are reemerging, requesting to view homes in person, but sellers are spooked by the risks of contracting COVID-19.

NAR: Healthy Q1 Home Price Gains Won’t Slow Down

NAR: Healthy Q1 Home Price Gains Won’t Slow Down: Strong housing demand and low inventory will keep prices from collapsing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, says Chief Economist Lawrence Yun.

Ranked: Top Cities With the Most Millennial Homebuyers

Ranked: Top Cities With the Most Millennial Homebuyers: According to a recent study conducted by ImproveNet, millennials make up approximately 11 percent of homeowners in cities with populations over 150,000.

Considering a DIY Interior Paint Job?

 May 11, 2020 LaTasha Beal

There are a lot of people tackling DIY projects at the moment. Some of these are necessary projects that people are doing themselves to avoid bringing strangers into their homes. Others are simply a way to pass the time and shake off some boredom. Regardless of the reason, you might find yourself considering some interior painting.
This can be a great idea, especially if you find yourself going a bit stir-crazy while you wait for everything to reopen. That said, it’s important that you don’t rush into a DIY painting project since that can lead to results that are less than optimal. Here are a few things to think about to help ensure that your painting project turns out well.

Measure First

A can of paint only goes so far, so it’s important to know just how much paint you need before you buy it. Since most paint colors are mixed, there’s no guarantee that paint mixed at different times will look exactly the same even if it’s all supposed to be the same color. A can of paint covers an average of 400 square feet, though this can differ based on the paint type and other factors. To begin, measure the width and height of each wall and multiply to get their area. Be sure add the area of any ceilings if you’re painting them as well. Once you know exactly how much surface area you need to cover, you can check the coverage of the specific paint you’re getting and buy accordingly.

Make a Single Trip

Even though some areas are opening things up again, that doesn’t mean you can stop respecting social distancing rules. Figure out exactly what you need and make a list so that you can buy it in a single trip. Wear a mask, avoid getting too close to anyone else and go get your supplies at a time when the store isn’t crowded.

Prep Your Rooms

Don’t underestimate the importance of prepping your rooms. Fill any holes, sand rough surfaces and take the time to clean everything. If possible, wash the surfaces you’re going to paint with soap and water a day or two before you plan to start painting. Even if you aren’t painting them, you should also clean the ceiling, baseboards and any other surfaces so that any cobwebs, dust and dirt on them doesn’t mess up your freshly painted surfaces. Remove any outlet covers, light switch panels and anything else that’s attached to the walls. Once the room is ready, be sure and use an appropriate primer to coat everything you’re going to paint before you start painting.

Paint in the Proper Order

You might be tempted to jump right in and start working on the walls. Doing so can actually make things more difficult in the long run, though. If you’re painting your baseboards, start with them first. Move on to window and door frames, then the ceiling. Once these are all painted, give them plenty of time to dry, then put easy-release painter’s tape over the painted surfaces. After everything is taped up, you can then paint the walls and not have to worry about getting paint on those areas you’ve already painted. Any paint that got on the walls while you were painting your trim and ceilings will be painted over with your wall paint.

Working With Tape

Putting down painter’s tape is easy but pulling it up can be very frustrating. A lot of people don’t think about the fact that paint from the walls will overlap onto the tape, so pulling the tape off can take paint with it, leaving an uneven edge on the paint. Before pulling, take a utility knife and cut the paint right at the edge of your trim or taped surface. Pull the tape at a 45-degree angle behind where you’re cutting, ensuring a nice crisp edge to your painting. Just make sure that the paint has dried for at least a day so that it’s not still soft or gummy.

Give Yourself Time

When you start painting, allow yourself at least a few days per room. You’ll need time to prep the surfaces you’re going to paint, time for the primer to dry and then additional time for the paint itself to dry. If you’re doing multiple coats, that time will be even longer. It will all pay off in the end, though, with the extra time resulting in a more professional look with even coverage and nice clean edges. Once everything’s dried you can start replacing anything you removed, but give yourself at least a few more days before trying to clean the newly-painted surfaces.

Realtors® Report That 77% of Potential Home Sellers are Preparing to Sell Following End of Stay-At-Home Orders

Realtors® Report That 77% of Potential Home Sellers are Preparing to Sell Following End of Stay-At-Home Orders: Home sellers are gearing up to list their properties with the reopening of the economy, with half completing do-it-yourself home improvement projects.

Where is Unemployment Slowing Faster During the Pandemic?

Where is Unemployment Slowing Faster During the Pandemic?: This post takes a deeper look at unemployment insurance claims and provides some additional insights into the labor market for each state.

March 2020 Pending Home Sales

March 2020 Pending Home Sales: March’s pending home sales pace dropped 20.8% last month and fell 16.3% from a year ago.

March 2020 Pending Home Sales

March 2020 Pending Home Sales: March’s pending home sales pace dropped 20.8% last month and fell 16.3% from a year ago.

Signs of Slowing Unemployment; U.S. Jobless Claims Decline for Four Weeks in a Row

Signs of Slowing Unemployment; U.S. Jobless Claims Decline for Four Weeks in a Row: Although millions of people lost their job due to the growing spread of the coronavirus, a surge of companies is hiring additional employees to accommodate increased demands.

Mortgage Rates Hover Near All-Time Lows

Mortgage Rates Hover Near All-Time Lows: Borrowing costs have stayed at or near record lows for five consecutive weeks.

Mortgage Rates Hover Near All-Time Lows

Mortgage Rates Hover Near All-Time Lows: Borrowing costs have stayed at or near record lows for five consecutive weeks.

Public Spaces and Social Distancing

 May 7, 2020 LaTasha Beal

It goes without saying that no one expected 2020 to turn out the way that it has. The last several weeks have been especially difficult, with businesses shutting down and people needing to stay at home. Though the measures seemed extreme, they were necessary as a way for people to protect both themselves and others in their community.

This isolation is finally starting to wind down, with many areas either reopening businesses or releasing a roadmap for reopening. This doesn’t mean that everything is immediately going back to normal, however. There are still some risks associated with going out in public, especially in certain parts of the country. Here are some things to keep in mind to help you stay safe even as restrictions are lifted.

Social Distancing Is Still a Thing

One big thing to be aware of is that just because more places are opening doesn’t mean you can ignore social distancing guidelines. When out in public areas, you still want at least six feet between you and those around you. To help you navigate this, many stores and other places open to the public are placing tape, stickers or signs out to show you how far six feet is. Even if those indicators are not present, you can estimate six feet by picturing how much room you take up holding your arms out to your sides; if you’re close enough that you could touch another person’s hand or arm if you both had your arms stretched out, then you’re a bit too close.

Avoid Crowded Public Spaces

Just because a place is open for business doesn’t mean that you have to visit it right now. Many businesses or other public venues that were previously closed will have a sudden rush of people who have been waiting to visit. This can be bad, as crowds make it difficult to maintain proper social distancing. Wait for things to clear out a bit or choose a time early in the morning to avoid the crowds and keep yourself and others safe.

Use Curbside Purchasing

You may have already used some curbside pickup options while buying supplies during the lockdown period. As more stores open, many of them will offer curbside options as well. Most will use curbside pickup for online purchases, but some places such as pharmacies, vets and specialty stores may let you call in orders directly from the parking lot. The rules for curbside pickup vary based on the specific store you’re visiting, but for the most part you simply pull into a specially marked space and give the store a call. Let them know that you’re there to pick up an order and give both the identifier for the space you’re parked in and your name or order number. They’ll deliver the order to you with minimal contact.

Real Estate Concerns

The real estate market has been hit by the COVID-19 outbreak, with many buyers and sellers being hesitant to physically interact with each other. As things open back up and the economy starts to improve, we’ll likely see more open houses and showings. Care should still be taken to ensure that social distancing guidelines are followed at all times. Doors, windows and any other barriers should be opened by the homeowner beforehand to reduce or eliminate the need for contact with surfaces inside of the home.

Home Improvement Options

While everything was in lockdown, a lot of people put off home improvements and other non-essential activities that might bring new people into the home. Many turned instead to DIY projects, and they’re still a great idea even as things start to return to something closer to normal. With that said, you might be ready to bring in a contractor for your home improvement project. Just make sure to maintain distance away from any workers and check with the contractor to make sure that everyone will wear a mask or other facial covering while in your home.

Getting Out of the House

While we may not be out of the woods yet, this doesn’t mean that you can’t get out of the house if you do so safely. To help prevent the spread of disease while outside, wear a mask and maintain your distance from others. It’s ok if things still feel a bit weird, and you’re more than welcome to ease back into things at a pace that you’re comfortable with. Just remember that there are a lot of outdoor activities in parks and other public areas that let you stay away from crowds while still getting out of the house. Even if it’s just a brief trip, you might be amazed at how much good getting out can do after weeks of seeing the same four walls.

What Property Managers Can Do If Tenants Can’t Pay

What Property Managers Can Do If Tenants Can’t Pay: In many areas of the country, landlords are prohibited from evicting tenants who are experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Take these steps if you’re losing rental income. From the virtual 2020 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings, April 27-May 15

Homeowners Are Preparing to List After the Pandemic

Homeowners Are Preparing to List After the Pandemic: A new NAR survey shows that about 77% of potential sellers are readying for a move once stay-at-home orders are lifted.

Another Strong Week for Mortgage Applications

Another Strong Week for Mortgage Applications: Amid record-low mortgage rates, applications for home purchases increased 7% this week, following a 12% uptick last week, the Mortgage Bankers Association reports.

How Each Home Sale Adds to the Economy

How Each Home Sale Adds to the Economy: NAR calculated the total economic impact that real estate–related industries can have on state economies. See how your state fares in this interactive map.

Metros Ranked By Lowest APR Mortgage Offerings - Portland Made the List :)

Metros Ranked By Lowest APR Mortgage Offerings: Mortgage rates have fallen to record lows, and low APRs are helping potential home buyers net even more long-term savings. Find out where the greatest opportunities are.

Tigard Local Market Information

A Sign Buyer Confidence Is Shifting: Mortgage Applications Rise

A Sign Buyer Confidence Is Shifting: Mortgage Applications Rise: Reports indicate that home buyers are gradually returning to the market.

Many REALTORS® Report No Closing Delays

Many REALTORS® Report No Closing Delays: Despite the pandemic, more than a third of real estate professionals say their sales are still closing on time.

Talk Sustainability to Buyers, They Want to Hear It

Talk Sustainability to Buyers, They Want to Hear It: A new NAR survey shows that consumers care about how green home features can save them money while helping the environment.

Portland, Oregon - Local Market Report

Fed Says It's in No Hurry to Raise Rates

Fed Says It's in No Hurry to Raise Rates: The Federal Reserve voted Wednesday to keep its key benchmark rate near zero, which may ensure historically low interest rates stick around.

Homeownership Reached 8-Year High Before Coronavirus

Homeownership Reached 8-Year High Before Coronavirus: Some economists believe owning a home may become even more prized once the pandemic subsides.

Oregon Monthly Stats

Is Now a Good Time to Buy?

With social distancing being an important part of life at the moment and so many parts of the economy suffering the effects of state lockdowns, some are worried about how all of this will affect the housing market. This is especially a concern for those who were hoping to buy a new home and have seen their plans potentially derailed by the pandemic. Is this a good time to consider buying a new home, assuming that it’s even safe to do so?

Depending on where you live, the answer may be surprising.

It’s a Buyer’s Market in Some Markets (but not everywhere)

With the current state of the world, the demand for real estate has dropped significantly in some parts of the US and Canada. This has left many of those who have already listed homes for sale or who were planning to list over the summer in a position where there are far fewer people looking at their properties. For some sellers, this isn’t much of an issue; they can simply wait it out and stick to their previous plans. A lot of sellers don’t have that luxury, though. This creates a buyer’s market where a lot of sellers are willing to consider offers that they wouldn’t have in the past, giving potential buyers a lot more control in the home-buying process.

As the name suggests, it’s always good to buy in a buyer’s market. It isn’t necessarily a great time to list a home for sale, of course, since you’d likely have to settle for a lower offer than you were expecting if you want to move the property. This usually helps to balance out the market, with listing rates slowing down to meet demand until things pick back up again.

With all of that said, not every market is experiencing this pandemic the same way.  In fact, many markets remain a seller’s market due to low inventory, mortgage rates, or any number of other local demand characteristics.

Demand Is Staying Low in Most Markets

Most of the time, a buyer’s market is caused by shifts in the economy that have people trying to save money; an example of this would be a recession. These economic shifts temporarily reduce the number of people who are willing to take on large debts, creating a glut of sellers trying to entice a smaller pool of buyers. The buyer’s market typically fizzles out once the number of sellers shrinks or the economy stabilizes.

In the current buyer’s market, the economy certainly plays a factor. There is an external factor at play here as well, however: The physical distancing that COVID-19 requires has added additional worry about open houses and other forms of interpersonal contact that are traditional when buying or selling a house. There’s still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, including how long it will last, so with this external factor and the currently stunted economy we could see demand stay low for longer than you would expect in a buyer’s market situation.

Market Recovery

This isn’t to say that the market won’t recover, of course. Some states have already started reopening non-essential businesses and other parts of the economy, and other states have plans to start reopening soon. The economy will likely stay sluggish for a while, but reopening is the first part of recovery. Even the pandemic is becoming something less of a factor as people continue to practice social caution and science continues to work toward treatment and vaccine options. While market recovery may take longer than in the past, a recovery will happen, and the good deals that buyers can find now will become less common as things move forward.

Buying Safe

If you do decide to shop for a home in the current market, make sure that you’re smart about it and stay safe. Maintain all physical distancing practices while looking at homes, even if there is only a seller or agent present. Ask whether no-contact options such as virtual tours or virtual closing with digital signage are options, and if touring the property request that any doors or other barriers be opened before you arrive to reduce contact. Wear a mask, bring hand sanitizer and take the same precautions that you would in any other social situation. This may seem excessive for viewing a home, but keep in mind that these practices not only protect you, but also protect the seller and agent as well.

Making Your DIY Shopping List

 April 30, 2020 LaTasha Beal

DIY projects are a great way to keep yourself busy during social distancing while also giving you a chance to hone certain skills or take care of a few things around the house. With some DIY projects you’ll already have everything you need at home, making it a simple matter of getting everything together and actually doing it. With other projects, though, you’ll have to venture out to pick up a few things. This can be stressful during a period of social distancing.  You need to be conscious of both exposing yourself or others to the virus, so it’s important that you follow CDC guidelines and guidance from your local government for your community.  You’re also going to want to make sure you’re ready with a list of everything you need before you head out the door.

The goal here is to make sure that you can get everything you need in as few trips as possible. After all, the fewer times you have to go out, the less chance there is for you to accidentally expose yourself or others to sickness. To that end, here are a few suggestions that can help you make your DIY shopping list and get everything you need in a single trip.

Build Your Project List

The first thing that you’ll need to do is figure out exactly what it is that you’re hoping to get accomplished. Think about more than just the project that you’re currently working on and look at your overall DIY slate. Not only can taking all of your projects into account help you cut back on trips for supplies, but it can also make it easier to see where supplies can be used for more than one project. You don’t have to list every single project that you might conceivably do, but at least create a list of the next few projects that you hope to tackle.

What Do You Have on Hand?

Figure out everything that you’ll need for the projects on your list, then start looking at what you already have available. Maybe you already have some lumber, wires or fasteners on hand; do you have enough to get through all of your projects? If you don’t have the exact materials that you’d planned on using for a project, do you have anything similar that could be substituted? Be sure and take things like paint, sealer and similar materials into account as well. Knowing what you already have will help you narrow down exactly what you do need, which will keep your costs down and make your shopping trip go faster as well.

What Do You Still Need?

Take into account everything that you’ll need to finish your projects, including any additional tools you’ll need to pick up and anything you’ll need for maintenance or decoration. Organize your list as best you can by items that should be located in the same area, reducing your back-and-forth time and keeping your contact with others in the store at a minimum. Be sure to check this list twice, as anything you miss will mean another trip to the store at some point.

Planning for Multiple Stops

One other thing to consider is that you may not be able to get everything that you need in a single stop. If this is the case, organize your list so that you group everything at each stop together. This means that if you need to hit the hardware store, all of your hardware purchases are in that part of the list. Any big-box specific purchases would be in another part of the list. Once you have these divisions in place, you can use the same tactic from above in regard to sub-grouping items that are in the same part of each store.

You should also use this time to plan other necessities for your trip as well. Make sure that you have a mask or other protection gear, hand sanitizer and anything else you might need and that you’ve made preparations for each stop. It’s also a good idea to come up with a timetable for your trip, figuring out what time everything opens so you can go as early as your schedule allows to avoid crowds. It’s important to be conscious of how social contact can potentially expose you to illness, as well as how you might inadvertently spread it to others; proper social distancing, protective gear and other preparations are as much a part of your preparations to shop as your list is.

Making Your Shopping List

One last thing to consider: While you may be used to keeping shopping lists on your phone or through a digital assistant, if you’re in an area where you really want to minimize potential contact with germs or other contagions then individual paper lists could be a better option. This reduces the possibility of your phone getting contaminated while you look at it or touch it, and the lists themselves can be disposed of once you’re done with them. It can also help with your organization since you’ll just have a single list to work from with each stop that you make.