The British Columbia Real Estate Association, the Real Estate Council of British Columbia, the Office of the Superintendent of Real Estate and WorkSafeBC announced new guidelines to resume physical home showings by realtors
It’s not business as usual, it’s not a return to normal, the real estate industry says, but open houses are coming back to B.C.’s (British Columbia, Canada) real estate sector.
The British Columbia Real Estate Association, the Real Estate Council of British Columbia, the Office of the Superintendent of Real Estate and WorkSafeBC announced new guidelines Wednesday to resume physical home showings by realtors.
Darlene Hyde, CEO of the real estate association, said it could represent a long-term change for open houses, which were on hold for pandemic safety reasons.
I think we’re going to be in this stage … for a long time. Until we have vaccines in our arms, said Hyde. I call it the twilight zone: not quite normal, not quite lockdown.
Hyde said open houses going forward won’t be the open houses of old, with looky-loos able to randomly wander in to have a peek.
Instead, prospective buyers will have to pre-register, keep physically distant from others, wear a mask and leave their contact info so contact tracing can be done.
The guidelines, however, are just that, Hyde said. They aren’t legally mandated but instead are “strongly encouraged.”
The Vancouver Tenants Union, which advocates for renters’ rights, said the return of open houses is not welcome because it could lead to currently occupied rental homes that are up for sale being viewed by dozens of people.
Vulnerable tenants who are immuno-compromised or living with disabilities and self-isolating will have their health put in danger, wrote union committee member Mazdak Gharibnavaz in an email to CBC News.
Not only will the continuation of open houses lead to the eventual eviction of current tenants, it will also serve as yet another tool for landlords to harass and intimidate tenants into leaving sooner.
Hyde says she expects all realtors will keep to the guidelines with the “hyper-sensitive” awareness of pandemic risks and public health guidelines.
Realtors are very eager to serve their clients but they’re equally cognizant of the public health requirements and want to keep their clients safe, she said.
