As of Tuesday afternoon, May 19, 2020, real estate is back in business across Pennsylvania after two months of shut down. The best news – showings are on! All real estate professionals are now able to work within health and safety guidelines, including realtors, home inspectors, appraisers, and office staff. Here’s what you need to know about the guidelines as they will affect all buyers and sellers.
1. Masks are required.
2. Verbal health screening for all parties within 24 hours of meeting/showing.
3. Maximum of 3 persons for showings (i.e. realtor and 2 clients) with appropriate social distancing.
4. Showings must be scheduled at least 30 minutes apart.
5. Any surfaces that were contacted must be sanitized.
6. Utilize separate transportation to showings, meetings, etc.
7. All meetings/showings by appointment only and records kept, including participants’ contact information.
8. Additional release form(s) related to Covid-19 may be required. (Currently being reviewed and updated by Pennsylvania Association of Realtors.)
9. Anything that can be done by real estate professionals via telework must continue to be done remotely.
10. Marketing is encouraged to be virtual and, of course, no open houses.
Keep in mind that the guidelines are constantly evolving. As updates occur I will keep you informed. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. But for now, let’s get your real estate needs taken care of!
Selling Your Home Starts Long Before the For Sale Sign Goes Up
There are a lot of questions between thinking about moving and actually putting a For Sale sign in the yard. Where will you go? What is your current home worth? How much equity do you have? Should you make repairs or updates before selling? Do you buy your next home first or sell this one first? These are exactly the conversations I like to have with homeowners well before they’re ready to list. Because in my experience, a successful home sale starts long before the For Sale sign goes up.
