Remember the good old days of home-seeking?
When we could scout out open homes between weekend sports and catch ups, without having to mute our microphones or awkwardly dodge bypassers in the street?
Well we’re now a big step closer to normality with the NSW government this week giving the green light to on-site auctions and open homes for both sales and rentals, commencing from this Saturday the 9th May.
Following six weeks of real estate shutdown restrictions in response to COVID-19, the relaxed measures are great news for house-hunting hopefuls looking to step foot in their potential new abode, without having to book a prior private inspection.
But with strict health guidelines still in place and COVID-19 still a substantial ongoing risk, we’ve gathered the most recent advice of NSW Health, Fair Trading and governing real estate bodies to ensure that you know what to expect – here they are.
Social distancing & hygiene
While some conditions are lifted, others will remain. Hygiene measures will continue with hand sanitiser mandatory, the 1.5m social distancing benchmark will be preserved as best as possible, and anyone experiencing symptoms of illness will not be permitted to attend an open or auction. Additionally, anyone viewing a property must ensure they do not touch any surfaces, all of which are cleaned prior to opening.
Contact details
To ramp up safety measures at open homes and auctions, the NSW government has communicated that detailed records be kept for those attending an open inspection or auction to minimise potential risks. With this in mind, it’s reasonable to expect only to enter a property upon leaving your contact details, as this will allow for contact tracing in the event of a confirmed COVID-19 case (which, with every effort, should be unlikely).
Controlled attendance
During an open or auction, the maximum number of people allowed to attend at once has been advised at 100 inside the property and 500 outside, with social distancing applied – at a minimum of one person per four square metres for indoor auctions and open homes (REINSW, 6 May). This may call for queues at some properties, such as in smaller spaces or during popular opens, in order for agents to stagger the number of people in attendance.
If confirmed coronavirus cases remain low and continue to decline, it’s also reasonable to expect these new measures to relax further. Prudential Real Estate will still be meeting requests for virtual or private inspections during this time – but if you have any questions, be sure to contact us today!
For a list of all current open homes at Prudential Real Estate, head to our webpage here.
Prudential Real Estate (02) 4628 0033 | campbelltown@prudential.com.au.
