Change to Temporarily Withdrawn Policy
Currently if a listing cannot be shown for more than 3 days, the realMLS requires the listing agent to place the listing in a Temporarily Withdrawn status in the MLS system. However, due to the disruption and uncertainty related to Coronavirus (COVID-19), this requirement will be temporarily lifted.
Effective today, March 18th, 2020, if your seller does not want to show their property but would like to keep the listing Active we will allow it with the following guidelines.
If the seller does not want showings or showings only under very restrictive circumstances due to COVID-19, you may keep the listing in an Active status. However, you must disclose in the first line of Public Remarks:
Due to the recommendation of social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, this property will not be shown per the seller’s request.
This must be agreed to by both the listing broker and seller and must be in writing. realMLS will require written proof if a violation is reported. This will be in effect until further notice. Please watch for future updates.
Open Houses
If you decide to move forward with hosting or attending an open property we respectfully request that you consider the potential risk to yourself and to your clients. The situation changes daily and we recommend that you continue to monitor national, state and local guidelines.
NAR suggests:
“Speak openly and honestly with your seller about the pros and cons of holding an open house. Assess the risk based on your specific location, and direct your clients to local and state health authorities for specific information about the severity of the risk in your area. You could also propose alternative marketing opportunities for your seller’s consideration, such as video tours and other methods to virtually tour a property. If you do hold an open house, consider requiring all visitors to disinfect their hands upon entering the home, limiting the amount of people in the home and providing alcohol-based hand sanitizers at the entryway, as well as soap and disposable towels in bathrooms. If you decide to do any cleaning at your client’s home, be sure to check with your client in advance about any products you plan to use. After the open house, recommend that your client clean and disinfect their home, especially commonly touched areas like doorknobs and faucet handles.”
Please take care and stay healthy.