Open House Guidance

On October 6th, the Governor announced that limited open houses are now permitted in Phase 1.5, Phase 2, and Phase 3 counties.

In order to hold an open house, the firm and broker must take measures to ensure that occupancy is restricted to the gathering size permitted by the current county phase and all other required protocols are followed (face coverings, social distancing, sanitation, etc.)

For Phase 1.5 and Phase 2 counties – no more than five (5) people, in addition to the broker, may be in the property at any one time. For Phase 3 counties – no more than ten (10) people, in addition to the broker, may be in the property at any one time.

Brokers must strictly adhere to the occupancy restrictions for open houses. Firms should develop processes that brokers follow to ensure compliance, including the following:

  • Post signs at the property (e.g. on the open house signs, at the front door, inside the property etc.) alerting the public to the occupancy restriction and reminding the public to wear face coverings and social distance.
  • Brokers need to carefully monitor the number of persons on site at any one time and not admit more than the allowed number of persons into the property.
  • Brokers need to constantly monitor the front door and potentially lock the door from time to time to prohibit additional persons from entering.
  • Firms may consider assigning two brokers to an open house – one to stand outside and monitor the number of persons admitted to the property, and the other to be inside the property.
  • Brokers must enforce the face covering requirement.
  • Persons waiting to enter the property must social distance and wear face coverings.
  • Clean and disinfect all surfaces, before and after the open house, and have sanitizer placed around the property.
  • Because contact tracing in the event of an outbreak is important, brokers should maintain contact information for all attending an open house.
  • Please keep in mind that the firm and broker hosting an open house are at risk of criminal and civil liability for failure to fully comply with the required protocols.

Washington REALTORS® has created the following signs and a sign-up sheet that brokers can use for open houses.

  • Sign alerting the public to the occupancy restriction for Phase 1.5 and 2 and Phase 3 counties.
  • Sign reminding the public to wear face coverings and social distance.
  • A sign-in sheet including contact information for all attending an open house.

DOWNLOAD THE REVISED FAQ GUIDANCE

DOWNLOAD OPEN HOUSE SIGNAGE

 

SOURCE

/by

Get Out the Vote! #RealtorsVote

Are you registered to vote? Is your voter registration information up to date? On November 3rd, make sure #RealtorsVote and support candidates who understand the issues important to the industry and issues that promote homeownership.

Why Should #RealtorsVote?

On Election Day, you’re not just voting on presidential candidates. Your vote will determine:

33 U.S. Senate Seats
435 U.S. House of Representatives Seats
20 Gubernatorial and Lieutenant Gubernatorial Seats
128 State Executive Office Seats across 28 states
95 Statewide Ballot Measures

LYVAR 2020 Candidate Endorsements

LYVAR is proud to announce the endorsements of the following candidates for the 2020 Election!

  • Bruce Chandler – State House – 15th Legislative District
  • Jeremie Dufault – State House – 15th Legislative District

Among the criteria LYVAR looks for in a candidate for elected office is an understanding of the relationship between the real estate industry and our economy and a passion for policies that will aid in the prosperous development of both businesses and communities. LYVAR is confident these candidates will work hard to ensure property rights remain a top priority and that they will continue to support efforts for homeownership and economic growth in our area.

Get Involved

Get Out the Vote

Below REALTOR® Party Director, Pete Kopf, discusses the importance of getting out the vote this November, voter safety options, and the role REALTORS® can play as community leaders:

/by

How to Handle Bidding Wars Legally

Ultra-competitive housing markets have fueled bidding wars as buyers frantically compete for a limited number of homes for-sale. Real estate professionals are finding themselves helping their home-buying clients navigate multiple offer situations. But they must be careful to avoid misunderstandings and reduce the risk of discrimination in the process, too.

“Real estate professionals can help avoid complaints and fair housing issues while helping both the buyer and seller understand their options,” Deanne Rymarowicz, associate counsel at NAR, says in a new “Window to the Law” video posted at NAR.realtor.

Rymarowicz highlights three principles for real estate professionals to follow when navigating multiple offer situations:

Be mindful of your legal and ethical duties. Your state likely has laws and regulations regarding timeframes for presenting offers and what needs to be disclosed to the other party in a multiple offer situation. Some states, for example, prohibit revealing the terms of a buyer’s offer without the buyer’s consent. The REALTOR® Code of Ethics also speaks to handling multiple offer situations, such as requiring that REALTORS® “protect and promote the interest of their client” in multiple offer situations.

Watch for potential fair housing red flags. “Buyer love letters”—letters, videos, and photos given to the seller from the buyer expressing their desire for a home—could possibly lead to some fair housing violations. “These ‘love letters’ often innocently include personal information that reveals a prohibited basis for discrimination, such as ‘we can see our family celebrating Christmas around the fireplace’ or the ‘wide hallways will accommodate my wheelchair,” Rymarowicz says in the video. Fair housing centers on eliminating discriminating and “love letters” could potentially cause an implicit bias. “Accepting an offer based on anything other than the price, terms, and merits of the offer might violate fair housing law,” Rymarowicz says.

Let the client make the decision. Educate your client about multiple offers and strategies for responses. “You may even offer suggestion and advice based on your knowledge and experience,” Rymarowicz says. But ultimately, “it’s up to the client to decide what offers and counteroffers to negotiate, reject, and ultimately accept.”

SOURCE

/by