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77 rely on his usual funding source to buy more properties. "I want to get in a cash position where I am using my own money to buy." Still, Hallman said he plans to start buying again once he's sold a couple of his properties and has the capital for more purchases. "I'm willing to buy, but the price has got to be right," he said, noting that he resells mostly to owner-occupant buyers, and he expects them to be looking for lower price points given the market turmoil. "If there are not enough buyers, prices are going to go down. … I've got to factor in if buyers aren't going to pay as much." INDIVIDUAL INVESTORS: STILL RIDING THE WAVE e recent market turmoil didn't deter Goodwin, the Houston-based real estate investor, from closing on his second investment property in late March. It helped that he was able to bid on and buy the property remotely. "I was able to do everything remotely: due diligence, bid, purchase, and successful closing on the property following the easy-step process provided by Auction.com," he said. "After my winning bid, Auction.com staff communicated with friendly prompts leading me to an efficient transfer of funds and quick closing." Social distance-friendly technology such as online auctions and remote buying are empowering investors of all shapes and sizes to buy even in the unprecedented market conditions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. SHIFT TO ONLINE AUCTIONS Proprietary Auction.com data shows investor interest has quickly shifted away from in-person foreclosure auctions—which have effectively been halted nationwide due to the coronavirus pandemic—and toward online auctions. An Auction.com buyer survey conducted between April 3 and April 10, after much of the country had gone into lockdown, found that online REO auction was the most preferred property acquisition method for 61% of survey respondents, beating out off-market (18%), in-person foreclosure auction (15%), and the Multiple Listing Service (12%). ose post-lockdown survey results represented a dramatic shift from preferred property acquisition methods identified in the pre-lockdown survey conducted in mid- February. In that survey, 29% of respondents identified online REO auction as their top acquisition method, second to in-person foreclosure auction (49%), but still beating out the MLS (12%) and off-market (10%). "With what we're seeing now with the coronavirus, which will go away at some point, it makes sense to stay at home," said a Portland- based real estate investor who said he buys rental properties remotely in Las Vegas and Albuquerque via online auction. at investor said he's slowly built up a portfolio of about 30 rental properties over the past 10 years, and he doesn't expect the economic shock caused by the coronavirus pandemic to derail his conservative investing strategy. As a result [of COVID-19], many investors have shifted their focus in the short term to online REO auctions, but investors are also readying for the expected flood of foreclosure auctions that will hit as the moratoriums and courthouse closures are lifted.