What is still possible under the CT and NY Executive Orders:

Physical showings of properties that are on the market are allowed during this time period (with certain restrictions, such as no children or extended family on showings) as long as the Seller, the Buyer and the Brokers all consent to them.

We have a Disclosure & Consent document as well as a Health Questionnaire which must be signed by all parties prior to someone entering your home. The Disclosure & Consent document grants permission for physical showings, as well as discloses to all parties what the risks in today’s environment could be from such physical showings.

Most importantly, this Document serves as a means of protection to all parties to the showing (the seller, the potential buyers, Keller Williams Realty agent and the other agents/agencies involved) by indemnifying all parties from one another should any negative health consequences occur from the showing.

We have also implemented a Health Questionnaire that we are asking all potential buyers and buyer’s agents to review and sign prior to entering the property. We have also asked all listing agents to request mortgage pre-approval letters from all potential buyer showings to eliminate unqualified buyers from physically walking through the house. Lastly, if the seller prefers, we can arrange to have “Grouped showings” whereby all potential buyers who would like to see a property can be grouped into one 2 hour window once or twice per week. Each showing scheduled 20-30 minutes apart from each other to limit grouping at the property. This allows homeowners to be inconvenienced only once or twice as well as limits cleaning and disinfecting to just those agreed upon time frames.

Our physical showing protocol is as follows:

• Obtain Consent from Seller on physical showings. Seller will sign Disclosure and Consent form to make available to all potential buyers and their agents.
• All showings will be coordinated through the listing agent as per Sellers instructions.
• Buyers are made aware of physical showing protocols including the review and signature of Health Questionnaire for each buyer and agent requesting access to the property.
• Sellers to open all doors to closets, basements, other rooms and turn all lights on prior to buyer’s arrival. This prevents buyers or their agent from needing to touch door handles or light switches, etc.
• All buyers remove their shoes before entering the home.
• All buyers use hand sanitizer upon entering the home. (Keller Williams Realty does have a limited supply of hand sanitizer that we can make available to Seller who are allowing physical showings.)
• If possible, buyers to wear gloves during showing. If gloves are not available, buyers agree to view property with hands in their coat or pants pockets. Buyers agree not to touch anything while touring the home.
• If possible, buyers to wear masks during showing. If sellers have masks that they would like to make available, listing agents will post this as another requirement.
• Buyer’s agent is to wear gloves during entire showing in case door handles or the like need to be handled.
• Social distancing guidelines shall be followed by all visitors while on the property.
• Upon completion of showing, Sellers to disinfect any area commonly touched, such as door handles, light switches and countertops just in case anyone touched those surfaces.
• We still encourage sellers to leave their home during physical showings of the property. This is an opportune time to take a walk outside or go for a drive.

Please note that the decision to allow physical showings at property over the next few weeks is entirely up to the seller. Should the seller prefer not to have physical showings, we encourage you to keep their property on the market and we will shift to our Virtual Showing platform.

Our Virtual Showing Platform is a 3 step process that works as follows:

1. Agent for potential buyers call requesting showing. When told that the property is temporarily not available for physical showings, agent for buyer is sent a 3D walk through or a Narrated, Walking Tour Video of the property for potential buyer to view.

2. If interest persists, agent for buyer will set up with listing agent a Private FaceTime Virtual Showing of the property. The listing agent (with Seller’s permission) will connect via FaceTime with the potential buyer and “show” the house in as much detail as potential buyer desires including the opportunity to view all areas of the property including basement and attic, pantries, closets, etc. and have questions about the property answered live.

3. If interest still persists, Sellers and Buyers will need to make decisions about how and when offer will be written. In a perfect world for Sellers, Buyers will make an offer and add a contingency I the contract for a physical walk through of the property. In all reality, many Buyers will not write the official offer without having physically walked through the property at least once. It is at this time, using all of the safety and precautionary measures described above for physical showings, that the Seller may decide to allow this one buyer through the property.