Open houses are back!
The California Dept. of Public Health recently updated its guidance on open houses for rental properties and sales listings. Details and changes to real estate showings can be found at the following link: COVID-19.ca.gov website.
C.A.R. will be providing more details regarding this guidance, but the following is the information currently on the California State official website:
Shown properties, like open houses – effective immediately
In-person showings of properties, like open houses, are permitted and must follow the indoor gatherings capacity limits in the CDPH gatherings guidance. Check the Attendance section of the gatherings guidance for the capacity limits for each tier.
People who feel sick or have COVID-19 symptoms are not permitted to attend. Physical distancing between different households must be maintained, and hand sanitizer should be made available. Face coverings are required. See the CDPH guidance for the use of face coverings for complete details and exceptions. All other restrictions in the real estate guidance remain in place.
What this means for prospective tenants
Because rentals are in such high demand, we will be utilizing open house style showings as often as possible. This allows us to show the home more efficiently so that each prospective tenant has an equal opportunity to have their application be considered after the viewing. When individual appointments are scheduled, it limits us to the number of showings we can do in one day, thus limiting the number of people who can view the home. If you’re uncomfortable viewing the home during an open house, you can always schedule a private viewing with the property manager. Of course, all protocol will be followed as recommended above.
Viewers can expect the following when looking at rental properties:
- Multiple groups will be allowed at the same time.
- There will be an open house “window” in which anyone can come in and view the property after going through the pre-screening process on the website.
- Masks and social distancing still apply.
- Viewers will still be asked to sign a form prior to entry either electronically or digitally.
