Co- Sponsor: Sen. Lisa Boscola for PA Real Estate Services Waiver
Join us to help get the Real Estate Services Waiver approved so we can all (responsibly) get back to work!
After our last Zoom meeting, Sen. Lisa Boscola is offering the following bill for co-sponsorship in the PA Senate. This is a bi-partisan bill that addresses the way in which we can get the Real Estate services in PA back on line in a responsible fashion.
It also matches very closely a similar bill making it’s way through the House of Representatives so it will make final negotiations between the houses go more smoothly. This is Bi-Partisan, and Bicameral…our representatives are working hard to get us back in business…Let’s please lend them our time and voices.
Below is a copy of the bill proposal terms supplied by Sen. Boscola’s Chief of Staff:
“I plan to introduce companion legislation to a House Bill that will require the Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development to issue a waiver to the Governor’s COVID-19 Business Closure Order to all real estate related activities that can adhere to social distancing practices and other mitigation measures defined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to protect workers and mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
In consultation with real estate companies in Pennsylvania, I feel confident that mitigation efforts and protection for all can be well achieved, as set forth in the industry-driven recommendations:
1) Realtors must follow the CDC guidelines fully;
2) Showings only may be conducted after the buyer has viewed the property online and shows a serious interest;
3) Only the people that are purchasing may attend the showing;
4) The realtor and home buyers must wear masks and stay six-feet apart;
5) The realtor will have sanitary wipes available and must wipe down any doors or fixtures touched;
6) The seller will agree to not be present in the home during the showing;
7) The documentation to facilitate the sale or lease shall be done by electronic signatures;
8) A home inspector may inspect the home alone, and use Facetime or other video facilitation to communicate with the buyer, and must bring and use sanitary wipes for anything touched. Seller must vacate property during the home inspection.
9) An appraiser can only go into the home alone once it is under contract, and will also have sanitary wipes for any door handles touched. Seller must vacate property for the appraiser.
10) Title companies will adhere to CDC guidelines with social distancing and the required use of masks, and may get the buyers signatures. Sellers can have documents pre-signed and opt to not attend the closing.
11) Open houses or other public gatherings are not permitted.
12) Prior to showing a home, a disclosure is electronically signed by realtor, seller and buyer that each of them certify that they are not aware of any personal exposure of themselves to COVID-19.
In Pennsylvania, we have shuttered the real estate business due to the pandemic, however each of our neighboring states, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia and Ohio, still permit this industry to continue to operate within parameters and practicing safety. Not only have they continued to do so, but they have done so in a safe and protective way – for sellers, perspective buyers, real estate agents, home inspectors and title companies. Citizens in the Commonwealth need to be able to find housing. Real estate licensees are equipped with the skills to complete the process and transactions safely and with minimal further risk to the health of the people of Pennsylvania. This can be practiced safely and applied safely, just as other businesses which have remained open do as well.
Please join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation.”