After the many changes due to Covid – 19 in the past few weeks, the real estate sector has settled on a new way to provide real estate services while keeping the health and safety of everybody top of mind.
BC has declared the real estate industry a non-health essential service, which means that people involved in the buying and selling process, such as realtors, lawyers, appraisers, building inspectors and photographers, can continue to do their job. However, physical distancing remains paramount.
This means that if you don’t need to buy or sell right now, you are encouraged to wait. Everybody’s situation is different, so do call me to discuss. It also means:
No open houses. 3D renderings such as Matterport 3D and virtual open houses are strongly encouraged by the BC Real Estate Association. This emphasis on a better online presentation makes it easier for buyers to review properties from the comfort of their own home and weed out the ones that are not serious contenders.
Declaration about Covid-19. When visiting a home, buyers and sellers are asked to declare to their realtor, or to initial a form, stating that they do not currently have any of the symptoms of Covid-19, or have travelled outside of the country within the past 14 days.
Controlled in-person viewings. The listing realtor may be at the home to ensure all doors are open and lights on and that buyers don’t touch anything. Buyers and realtors are encouraged to wear protective gear such as gloves, face mask or scarf, booties for their shoes, to use hand sanitizer before entering (often provided by the seller but not always), and to touch as little as possible inside the home.
Also keep in mind that the real estate process can take more time. There may be delays in getting a mortgage, appraisers may not always have access to a house, a meeting with your lawyer can be more difficult to arrange. If a property is tenanted, the tenants may be reluctant to give access, and there are simply less properties on the market now, so less inventory to choose from.
In short, Covid-19 has added more complexity to buying and selling homes. Have patience, call me if you want to discuss or just to say hi, I enjoy hearing from you!