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Property Showing Restrictions Eased; Open Houses Still Not Permitted

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RE Agent Showing

Contra Costa County following State guidelines on property showings, now permitting larger attendance. That means both agents, along with sellers and clients can be together as long as they comply with social distancing, ventilation and face mask requirements.

Effective immediately, local restrictions on property showings have been revised to reflect the community’s compliance and understanding of COVID-19 transmission risks and accelerated vaccination availability.

The restriction limiting the showing of property to two people from the same household and one agent has been eliminated. Now, agents and prospective buyers in a group size which can safely and comfortably remain socially distant may make appointments to view property.

CAL-OSHA COVID-19 GUIDELINES
HEALTH SCREENING QUESTIONS

Also effective immediately, Contra Costa County will follow the State Health Department Orders (“State Blueprint”) and the Contra Costa Health Department will no longer issue modifications to any health orders in the future; residents/ businesses should now rely solely on State COVID-19 guidelines.

CCAR strongly recommends that members never allow unrestricted open houses/broker tours and continue to:

  • Comply with all CAL-OSHA and State guidelines;
  • Use CAR PEAD forms, post required notices and conduct same-day health prescreens on all visitors;
  • Remain vigilant by following all safety measures, health screening and procedures including the use of face masks, social distancing, and increased ventilation (open doors and windows)   

Legal Requirements

While restrictions have been eased, there remain strict guidelines for all property showings. They include the following:

Open houses and unrestricted broker tours are NOT PERMITTED. Appointments required for all property showings. Local Government Affairs staff continue to work with State officials to reestablish an alternative broker tour option by appointment only via the MLS.

Masks, social distancing and ventilation still mandated.

In addition to providing a PEAD form, agents must ensure that all visitors are asked mandatory screening questions before entering a property. Click here for a list of mandated questions.

SPECIFICS FROM THE DPH ORDER – “(23) Real Estate Showings” 

 a. Basis for Addition. Real estate agents, escrow agents, and other service providers that facilitate real estate transactions, such as home
sales, apartment rentals, and commercial properties, are essential workers. Although virtual tours are the best way to minimize virus transmission, in-person showings do not involve any inherently risky activities involving the removal of Face Coverings. Accordingly, such in-person showings can be relatively low risk as long as mitigation measures, such as screening of participants, mandatory use of Face Coverings, maintaining physical distancing, and increasing ventilation, are followed. 

b. Description and Conditions to Operate. Real estate agents are allowed to show residential properties for rent or sale. Tours should be
conducted virtually whenever feasible. When in-person showings are necessary, they are permitted under the following conditions: 

 i.    Appointments for showings must be scheduled in advance;  

ii.   Face Coverings must be worn at all times, except as specifically exempted from the Face Covering requirements in Health Officer Order No. C19-12, including as that order may be amended from time to time; 

 iii.  All people participating in the showings must maintain social distancing of at least six feet from everyone who is not part of their own Household; 

 iv.  The real estate agent must ensure COVID-19 symptom and exposure screening is completed for all participants on the day of the showing before coming into the unit as outlined by the Social Distancing Protocol and its Attachment A-2. Any person who answers “yes” to a screening question must not be permitted to enter; 

 v.   The real estate agent must introduce fresh outside air, for example by opening doors/windows, weather permitting, and operating ventilation systems; and

vi.  Participants must follow the requirements of the State’s COVID-19 Industry Guidance for Real Estate Transactions, available at https://covid19.ca.gov/pdf/guidance-real-estate.pdf.”  

 (Order No. C19-07u – Appendix C-1: Additional Businesses Permitted to Operate.)

Further, as noted above, to comply with the amendments at 2.,

iii., real estate agents must ensure a COVID-19 symptom and exposure screening is completed for all participants on the day of the showing before entering the unit as outlined by the Social Distancing Protocol and its Attachment A-2 (https://www.sfdph.org/dph/alerts/files/C19-07-Non-Personnel-Screening-Attachment-A-2.pdf). 

 Attachment A-2 requires real estate agents ensure everyone is asked the following mandatory screening questions in connection with a showing, answers are provided, and the requirements below followed: 

 “Screening Questions and Information for Non-Personnel: 

If your answer is YES to any question, do NOT enter the location. 

·    Stay at home, except to get tested or get needed medical care. 

·    Follow the steps mandated by Health Directive 2020-02/03 and explained at: sfcdcp.org/isolationandquarantine

 Question 1: In the last 24 hours, including today, have you had ANY of the symptoms below, that is new or not explained by anothercondition? (Note: Children and youth under 18 years old do not need to be screened for *these symptoms.) 

·    Fever (100.4oF/38oC or greater) 

·    Chills or shivering* 

·    Cough 

·    Sore throat 

·    Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing 

·    Feeling unusually weak or fatigued* 

·    Loss of taste or smell 

·    Muscle or body aches* 

·    Headache 

·    Vomiting or diarrhea 

·    Runny or congested nose* 

·    Nausea* 

 Question 2: In the past 10 days, have you been diagnosed with COVID-19 or had a test confirming you have the virus? 

 Question 3: In the past 10-14 days, have you had “close contact” with anyone who has COVID-19, during their contagious period? (Please note: If you have received the COVID-19 vaccine, see www.sfcdcp.org/quarantineaftervaccination. If you do not need to quarantine based on what is explained there, for the purposes of this screening form, you may answer “No” to this question.)“

Application for Concord Measure V Commercial Rent Relief Program Now Available

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Woman in mask putting red sign with words Closed Due To Covid-19 hanging onto glass door, closeup

Measure V enables small businesses in Concord to access $10,000 grants for commercial rent relief. Submit online applications from April 26 – May 14th.

The City of Concord is supporting local businesses experiencing continued financial impacts due to COVID-19 with the Measure V Commercial Rent Relief Program. Eligible small businesses can receive a one-time grant of $10,000 paid directly to landlords to cover past-due rent. Commercial landlords are encouraged to learn more and share information with their tenants.

The online application process will open Mon, April 26th at 8:00 am and close Fri, May 14th at 5 pm.
The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce is administering the program on behalf of the City.
For application assistance contact: [email protected].
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Help Promote SB 304 – Handyperson Bill

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Builder handyman
SHARE YOUR STORY

Share a story. Move a bill. 

Do you engage an unlicensed “handyperson” to complete small projects? C.A.R. wants to hear from you! Send your stories about using a handyperson on any small projects–include project details, cost, etc. We want the legislature to understand that $500 is not sufficient to cover the costs of unlicensed handypeople!

If passed, the C.A.R.-sponsored SB 304 Bill will increase the handyperson aggregate contract threshold price from the current $500 (for labor and materials) to $1,000. The $500 amount has not been adjusted in more than 20 years and does not adequately reflect increases in labor and materials costs. 

SB 304 simply raises the current outdated/inadequate cost limit for work completed by unlicensed “handypeople”.

SB 91 – Eviction Moratorium Extension and State Rental Assistance Program

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House for rent

Gov. Newsom has signed into law SB 91, a bill that provides financial assistance to qualifying housing providers and tenants of up to 80 percent of the unpaid rent accrued since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID relief legislation passed by Congress with bipartisan support and signed into law in December set aside $25 billion for direct financial relief to rental property providers through the states. SB 91 establishes the rules for distributing those funds in California based on the framework established by the federal stimulus bill. C.A.R. worked closely with California Members of Congress to ensure that direct assistance to rental property owners was included in the overall legislation.

Additionally, SB 91 extends the current statewide eviction moratorium law until June 30, 2021. The state eviction moratorium parallels the federal eviction moratorium initiated in September 2020, recently extended through March and which will likely be extended further by Congress.  C.A.R. anticipates that the passage of SB 91 will prevent other, more restrictive state moratorium proposals from moving forward, including AB 15 (Chiu), which C.A.R. opposes. 

SB 91 had no declared opposition. C.A.R. took a formal “neutral” position on SB 91, as did other rental housing organizations, reflecting the extraordinary and unique circumstances caused by COVID-19.

| Legal Q&A >

NAR Halts Political Contributions

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Capitol building with cherry blossoms, Washington DC

The January 6 Capitol insurrection has sparked a backlash in U.S. industry, resulting in suspension of political donations and lack of confidence in government leaders. Both NAR and C.A.R. have followed suit.

NAR and C.A.R. policy has always prohibited the funding of presidential and gubenatorial elections. Now, both organizations will suspend support of U.S. Senate and Congressional representatives. This means your RAF contributions will no longer be earmarked for political campaigns until further notice. 

Following the January 6 Capitol insurrection, NAR’s REALTOR’s® Political Action Committee (RPAC) Board of Trustees has temporarily paused federal political disbursements. NAR will continue to monitor events in Washington to ensure political participation most closely represents the will of Realtor members and the best interests of American real estate.

“The National Association of REALTORS® shares member sentiments of discouragement and disillusion as we  witnessed tragedy unfolding on Capitol Hill in early January,” said NAR General Council and Chief Member Experience Officer Katie Johnson in a letter to Association executives.

“We stand with our democracy and our nation’s centuries-old observance of peaceful protests and peaceful transfer of power. But what happened on Capitol Hill was an assault on both,” she continued.

“As is always the case, our jobs as servant leaders are to foster an environment of trust by and among members so that we can remain focused on the shared mission of preserving, protecting and advancing the right to real property for all people.”

In general, the Code of Ethics does not apply to criminal activity

It is important to note that for those who may be confused by the recent events and possible ethical implications for REALTOR® protesters, the NAR Code of Ethics does not generally apply to criminal activity. Therefore, ethics complaints based on the newly amended Article 10-5 standard of practice are not warranted. Rather, possible illegal activity should be reported to legal authorities and not local Association Grievance Committees.

“REALTORS® are the Purple Party representing and supporting both Republicans and Democrats who act in furtherance of our mission.”

While Article 10-5 prohibits Realtors from using harassing speech, hate speech, epithets, or slurs, that speech is limited to protected classes (race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity) not political affiliation. 

view Nar statement re. capitol insurrection >

view related code of ethics changes >