COVID-19 changes real estate market rules

When Carol and Tim Reasonover recently decided to buy a new home in Sun City Lincoln Hills, they had to meet state COVID-19 related requirements before touring homes. The couple also had to make the house they are selling safe for potential buyers to see. According to the California Department of Realtors, "The property must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Commonly used surfaces such as counters, door and cabinet handles, key lock boxes, keypads, toilets, sinks, light switches, etc., must be cleaned and disinfected before and after each showing." While the state department determined that the responsibility falls on the brokers and agents, homeowners, such as the Reasonovers, are often willing to do the work themselves. "It's just another step to get someone ready to come in," Reasonover said. On the flip side as a buyer, Reasonover had to sign a form stating she and her husband were healthy and did not have COVID-19 or signs of it before they could personally see houses for sale. Compared to losing a home to fire in Paradise one-and-a-half years ago, the Reasonovers said, the extra work was not a burden. The new rules also state that properties must have hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes and face masks available. "Prior to or immediately upon entry, all visitors must use hand sanitizer or wash their hands with soap and water before touring or inspecting the property," according to the eighth step on the California Board of Realtors website at https://www.carcovidupdates.org/faq-showings. "Also, doors and other areas of ingress and egress must be opened to minimize clients touching surfaces." All of the sanitizing rules are supposed to be posted at a property's entrance. Sharon Worman, a Lincoln resident and Realtor for 35 years, said some of her home-selling clients leave cabinet doors open to enable potential buyers to see what's inside and to eliminate the need for touching handles. Worman will wipe handles and knobs after her clients touch them and will contact homeowners after her clients leave the residence so they can return home as quickly as possible. Open houses or walk-in tours are now prohibited by the state and local authorities for health-related purposes. Realtors and brokers have been told to control the number of visitors at a house at one time by scheduling appointments or using a digital sign-in process. While some agents have been violating the ban on open houses, the Placer County Association of Realtors continues to tell its members to adhere to the rules. "We are not in a policing role but do share information with our members and leave it up to the brokerage firms," said association President Ashley Haney, a Loomis resident. Now, more than ever, digital viewing has become an essential real estate tool and has helped those involved stay healthy, according to Haney. "It is crucial that real estate professionals invest in professional photos for virtual tours to get their first impression," Haney said. "Once the potential buyers see the photos, they decide whether they want to view a home and a tour will determine whether they want to move forward to purchase it." At this point, Haney said, no one knows when the rules will change again regarding real estate buying and selling requirements. However, she said, Realtors have been grateful to be listed as essential businesses because they were not originally listed in that category. "It was nerve-wracking," Haney said. "First, they said we could only sell vacant homes and we had to work with state and local authorities to prove that we could follow rules to make viewing all homes safe," Haney said. The good news for sellers, Haney added, has been that inventory continues to be low in Placer County and that reasonably-priced homes have been selling with multiple buyers making offers. She added that not only has that been financially rewarding for the county's economy but also for the Placer County Association of Realtors' members, which include Realtors and affiliates such as appraisers and title companies. "While it has been more inconvenient to do our jobs, Realtors are willing to do what it takes because we want to keep working and protect our clients and the community," Haney said.