The following showing protocols are in response to COVID-19 and the Governor’s Orders for how real estate can be conducted during the stay-at-home order. However, you may choose to keep these practices in place when the Order is lifted to keep you and your home healthy when your home is being shown.
Steps to a Showing
- Buyer’s Broker will make an appointment with you through our app, ShowingTime.
- You’ll leave the house at least 15 minutes prior to the appointment.
- Do not go back into the home until the buyers have left.
- Wipe down surfaces, cabinets and doorknobs, light switches after each showing.
Governor Inslee’s Stay Home, Stay Safe Order for Real Estate Activities
To comply with Governor Inslee’s Order:
- In-person activities must be by appointment only.
- No more than three people, including the Broker, may be at the property at any one time.
- Those three persons must strictly follow social distancing guidelines by remaining at least 6’ apart at all times.
- Additionally, it is recommended people wear face masks or cloth face coverings.
In addition, I will supply for buyers and their Broker:
- Shoe coverings
- Gloves
Helping Buyers and their Brokers by providing Showing Instructions
We will discuss how you would like showings to happen and I will provide those instructions to showing Brokers.
For example, you may not be able to accommodate showings on a particular day of the week or a certain time of the day.
These instructions will be in the listing plus I’ll provide signage at your home with additional instructions of your choosing.
Using the ShowingTime app to Schedule Showing Appointments
Download the MyHome by ShowingTime app to your phone.
Buyer’s Brokers will make appointments to show your home via this app.
You do not have to download this app in order to use this but the app offers additional features such as seeing all the showing activity and feedback.
The Lock Box – How Brokers Access Your Home
The lock box is a blue-tooth enabled, secured lock box that typically hangs on your front door. Your house key is inside and only authorized brokers and some appraisers have access to open this box.
Once the lockbox is opened, I get notified of who opened it with all of their contact information and when they opened it. (There is no notification of when the key is put back into the box, signaling the end of a showing.)
The lock box is timed. Typically I have my lock boxes set at 7 AM to 8 PM. If someone tries to open the lock box outside of these hours, they would not be able to open the lock box.
Who Else Would Access the Lock Box?
- Buyer Brokers with the Home Inspector(s)
- Buyer Brokers with Contractor(s)
- The Appraiser
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY:
Most likely the buyer will conduct a home inspection. The same showing rules apply. Home inspections can take 2-3 hours, typically.
After the home inspection, the inspector may suggest additional inspections that the buyer may want. Again the buyer’s Broker and that contractor will make an appointment with you to come back to the house. Same showing rules apply.
If the buyer is obtaining a loan, an appraiser may be out to inspect your home. Same showing rules and protocols apply.
FAQs from Sellers
What do I do with my pets during showings?
If you posted a video walk-through tour, won’t that reduce in-person showings?
For all of my listings, I will film a walk-through video tour to show the layout of the home but don’t expect this to replace in-person showings.
A story about securing your valuable and prescription drugs.
Conclusion
Having buyers and their Brokers tour your home can be stressful from keeping the house tidy to securing valuables to rounding up kids and pets. Having a plan can reduce much of this stress. Your plan will include the two of us discussing your showing instructions, setting expectations, and scheduling showing appointments to best meet your needs.