After the Easter weekend and in the midst of Passover, we had a stormy Monday here in the Philadelphia area, but now the sun has come out late this afternoon, our landscapes seem greener than ever, at least for those of us in the suburbs. It’s one of the pleasures of time at home, seeing our yards come to life this spring, taking time to appreciate the bulbs and flowering trees and shrubs instead of catching a glimpse when we leave for work in the morning or arrive home as the sun sets.
Realtors Want to Return to Work, Safely
Realtors in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas are eager to get back to business in safe ways, not wanting to compromise anyone’s health but also wanting to bring properties on the market for their sellers who have been working hard to get their houses ready, for people who must move on from their current property for all the normal reasons. Helping people is what drives good realtors – some of the most successful agents had prior careers in teaching or nursing, so it’s almost in their DNA to take great care with clients. As of Monday, April 13, 2020, the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors is trying to build support for Senate bill 613, as amended, which would classify residential real estate as a life-sustaining profession. Agents and others still would conduct business with extreme caution and according to COVID-19 guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control.
Appraisals & Other Pre-Settlement Activities
On April 8, 2020, the State of Pennsylvania revised its guidance on property inspections, appraisals, final walk-throughs and title insurance activities. These activities may be conducted in person with no more than two people on site for residential real-estate resales transactions that were under agreement on or before March 18, 2020.
Properties under contract on or after March 19, 2020, may have only drive-by or desktop appraisals done. No in-person inspections, walk-throughs, appraisals or title insurance activity are allowed until the Emergency Disaster Declaration is lifted for Pennsylvania.
Closings Are Moving Right Along
Though some agents have had to do near-somersaults to keep deals going forward, closings are still taking place in Pennsylvania, though with no contact between the parties. According to Brendan Nolan of Tohickon Settlement Services, they have moved to a process involving all documents reviewed in advance over the phone. IDs are exchanged in advance, realtors and clients stay in cars and everyone brings their own pen. With these procedures, Tohickon Settlement Services, which handles closings for many real-estate transactions in the greater Philadelphia area, is compliant with the April 8 State memo.
Moving Forward, Together
We are hoping realtors in Pennsylvania soon may be allowed to conduct some fundamental activities to assist clients (following CDC guidelines). If you have been considering putting your home on the market, now is the time to start a conversation with an agent. With the help of Facetime, Zoom and other video connections, an agent can advise you on how to prepare your home for the market, on inventory and home prices in your area, and on a marketing plan for your property.
If you’re a buyer looking for your next home, reach out to an agent in the area you want to live in, and they can advise you on inventory in that market. If you’d prefer to browse properties on your own, create your portfolio and review new listings in your target areas via Kurfiss.com – create your account by returning to the main Kurfiss.com site and clicking on the icon in the upper right corner.
Stay well.
Kurfiss Sotheby's International Realty 