Selling a Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Selling can be stressful at the best of times but selling a home during the COVID-19 pandemic puts even more pressure on sellers and REALTORS®. So why do it? Some people may have to sell their homes at this time. Perhaps their job is transferring them to another city or they’ve already purchased a new home and need to sell the old one. Maybe they’ve lost their job and want to waste no time in downsizing their property to something more financially manageable. Whatever the reason, real estate sales continue.

Has COVID-19 had an impact on real estate sales? 

The good news is that so far it hasn’t impacted sales all that much. Over the past couple of weeks homes have been selling quickly, many with multiple offers. There are no tire-kickers out shopping for homes at the moment - those who are looking, are serious buyers. 

Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash

Are REALTORS® allowed to work during COVID-19?

In Ontario, real estate has been declared an essential service in order that people who must buy, sell or close can continue to do so. REALTORS® are allowed to work but with restrictions recommended by the real estate boards and professional organizations. The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board has strongly recommended that there be no open houses and that REALTORS® refrain from conducting face-to-face business. Some brokerages, including my own Royal LePage Ltd., are taking this one step further and are forbidding REALTORS® to hold open houses or to knock on doors to drum up business. Additionally Royal LePage has put new protocols in place to protect the safety of sellers, buyers and REALTORS® .

How Do REALTORS® do business under these circumstances?

Technology can be used to conduct most business activities. Sellers and REALTORS® can meet using video conferencing and use electronic documents and signatures to do paperwork. Virtual home tours can take the place of traditional open houses and showings using photos, video or VR technology. In some cases technologies such as Facebook Live can be used for real-time tours.

How will my safety be protected if buyers want to view my for-sale home in person? 

I can only speak for myself. Selling a home during the COVID-19 pandemic poses some unique challenges but I promise you that I will do whatever I can to both protect you and sell your home.

• I will only allow showings of your home with your express permission. 
• I will limit showings to only pre-qualified buyers with a serious interest in your home – those who have either made an offer conditional upon a physical viewing or who want to make an offer. 
• I will insist that they have exhausted all virtual methods to view your home and I will minimize the number of people in attendance for the showing. 
• I will have the buyers and their REALTOR® sign a declaration stating that they are not ill or have been exposed to someone ill, haven’t traveled out of the country or been in contact with someone who has, or been exposed to COVID-19 over the past 14 days. 
• I will ask you to open all doors and closets and leave all lights on to minimize buyers having to touch anything while in your home, and to clean and disinfect surfaces such as door knobs, light switches and the lockbox before and after the showing pursuant to public health recommendations.

Sellers should look to all REALTORS® to take concrete steps to help reduce the risk of transmission when selling a home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What about other professional services? Are they allowed to work? 

Banks, lawyers, home appraisers and the land title registry have been declared essential services although most are changing work practices to adhere to social distancing protocols.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help.