All WA Regions Now in Phase 2

Gov. Jay Inslee announced all regions may progress to Phase 2 of the Healthy Washington reopening plan.

For the purposes of real estate, this means that the following activities are allowed:

For in-person open houses in Phase 2, brokers must ensure that no more than ten (10) people are on site, including the broker, and that all other required protocols are followed (face coverings, social distancing, sanitation, etc.)

As a reminder, all other in-person activities such as previews or showings must be by appointment, and a total of no more than five (5) people, in addition to the broker, are permitted at the property at any one time, and those people adhere to strict social distancing guidelines.

For in-person 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 a sign-in sheet that includes 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.

Please reference the Washington REALTORS® COVID-19 Real Estate FAQ Guidance for more information on protocols and requirements.

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REMINDER: Open Houses Are Still Not Allowed

“Healthy Washington — Roadmap to Recovery,” a COVID-19 phased recovery plan, began on January 11th. Our region is still in Phase 1 and the following restrictions are currently in place:

  • All real estate open houses are not permitted in Phase 1. Please keep the following in mind for all showings:
    • Firms should develop processes that brokers follow to ensure compliance, including the following:
    • Post signs at the property (e.g. 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 a house during a showing – 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 showing, and have sanitizer placed around the property.
    • Because contact tracing in the event of an outbreak is important, brokers should maintain a sign-in sheet that includes contact information for all attending a showing.
  • Professional services (including real estate offices) should work from home. If you are unable to work from home, those services will be limited to 25% of building occupancy and closed to the general public. Clients must make appointments for in-person services.
  • Please note that private home showings are still permitted by appointment only with no more than five (5) people, in addition to the broker, on site with strict social distancing.

Please keep in mind that the firm and broker hosting a showing are at risk of criminal and civil liability for failure to fully comply with the required protocols.

You can find Washington REALTORS®’ most recent COVID-19 Real Estate FAQ Guidance here. Visit their COVID-19 Resource Page for more information and resources.

Find more information on “Healthy Washington — Roadmap to Recovery” here

Find the most current “Roadmap to Recovery” Metrics here

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Washington REALTORS® Legislative Days 2021

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Washington REALTORS® members and staff were unable to make the traditional in-person trek to the Washington State Capitol Building for their hill visits this year. They adapted and hosted a virtual legislative event instead on Jan. 18-21, 2021. With the event being virtual, it was more accessible than ever!

If you weren’t able to attend, Washington REALTORS® recorded a few of this year’s sessions and they can be viewed below!

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CELEBRATION
Bryan Greene, Vice President of Policy Advocacy at NAR, will talk about the role of Martin Luther King, Jr. in effectively advancing legislation, such as the 1964 Civil Rights Act, 1965 Voting Rights Act and 1968 Fair Housing Act (which was a memorial to him passed seven days after his death). In this respect, he is one of the greatest legislative advocates in the history of this nation, insofar as these federal laws have had a transformative effect on American society: in public accommodations, political rights and social rights. Bryan discusses how we continue to advance his work on fair housing, realizing his larger Dream for society in bringing the American Dream to everyone and building strong communities that welcome everyone.

WR VIRTUAL INSTALLATION BANQUET
Washington REALTORS® installed their 2021 Officers and Leadership, including their incoming President Tom Hormel!

HILL DAY GENERAL SESSION
Washington REALTORS® had several guest speakers, including a few Legislators, discuss the importance of, and access to, affordable housing, removing racial covenants, and more.

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