Silicon Valley Realtors welcomed the easing of some Shelter-in-Place restrictions announced last week by the six Bay Area counties of San Mateo, Santa Clara, San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin. Included in the latest announcement are some relaxed services for real estate.
In the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors service area, San Mateo and Santa Clara county public health orders allow services that enable necessary real estate transactions i.e., rentals, leases, and home sales, including, but not limited to, real estate agents, escrow agents, notaries, and title companies, "provided that appointments and other real estate viewings must only occur virtually or, if a virtual viewing is not feasible, by appointment with no more than two visitors at a time residing within the same household or living unit and one individual showing the unit (except that in-person visits are not allowed when an occupant is present in a residence);"
"Previously, private showings and walk-throughs were not allowed, but now, the orders mirror prior direction for limited photography/videography, inspections, and necessary work to close a transaction. These activities are limited to no more than three people at a property at one time," explained Mary Kay Groth, president of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors. "Realtors and their clients need to abide by the rule that in-person showings can only be conducted when occupants of the home are not present at the property. Showings must still maintain a maximum of only two visitors from the same household."
Groth continues to remind agents that open houses are not allowed, only mail and electronic distribution of flyers are allowed, virtual showings are highly encouraged, and if a virtual viewing is not feasible, then an in-person viewing of the property may be done by appointment only.
"At SILVAR, our priority is to keep our members and their clients safe. During the in-person showing of the property, all social distancing protocols must be practiced, and protective measures, such as the wearing of gloves, cloth face coverings, and not touching of surfaces and maintaining a distance of six feet between each other must be followed," stressed Groth.
Realtor meetings continue virtually at the local, state and national levels. At the California Association of Realtors spring business meetings held virtually last week, C.A.R. CEO Joel Singer reported to association executives that the state Realtor group projects a 6 percent drop in membership to 196,200 from a budgeted membership count of 205,400 members. C.A.R. anticipates an additional drop of about 11 percent in 2021. Singer said membership numbers are greater than member earnings, with too many members chasing after too few deals.
As for the state association, at this point Singer said there is no interest in face-to-face meetings. C.A.R. has placed a moratorium on business travel through September 1. Most live events will be replaced by virtual meetings.
"The damage that has been done to the economy is substantial," said Singer. He expects unemployment to be in the double digits this year and the demand for broker offices and commercial office space to decline.
Members of SILVAR will be hearing more about the impact of COVID-19 on California's housing market and how the pandemic will shape the future market environment from C.A.R. senior vice president and chief economist Leslie Appleton-Young later in the week.
"We look forward to analysis by our experts. Finding a balance between loosening of the rules
and moving forward to implement these rules is part of the challenge," said Groth. "Everyone is anxious for business as usual, but we all understand that the health and safety of the community is more important."
The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
Variations of this article have appeared in local area newspapers.
For further information, please email or call the SILVAR office at (408) 200-0100.