As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise, MAR urges its members to follow these guidelines to keep consumers and Realtors® safe and healthy. For more detailed information about these guidelines visit MNR’s Showing and Open House Considerations.
Should you have an in-person open house or showing?
Realtors® who are ill or have come in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 before they commence an open house or showing should stay home.
Realtors® should consult with sellers about whether to allow showings and open houses by asking the following questions:
- Is the seller or anyone living at the property a member of one of the following vulnerable populations?
- Older Adults (65+)
- People living in long-term care facilities
- People with Asthma
- People with HIV
- People at High Risk of Severe Illness
- Has the seller or anyone living at the property exhibited symptoms or tested positive for COVID-19 and are under quarantine?
If you answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions, delay the showing/open house or provide alternatives such as virtual showings.
If you proceed with an in-person open house or showing, take the following safety steps
Screening:
- Adopt the MDH health screening checklist
- Utilize the MN Symptom Screener or Self-Screen Tool
- Post the MDH Stop! Help Protect our Residents poster asking ill people not to enter
Hand hygiene:
- Require Realtors and consumers to wash or sanitize hands prior to entering and after leaving the property
- Provide handwashing stations or 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer
- Post hand hygiene posters
- Consider prohibiting use of restrooms. If restroom use is allowed, provide disposable paper towels and a touch-free trash bin
Respiratory etiquette:
- Require Realtors® to wear a face covering when working with a client
- Require consumers to wear facemasks indoors, unless they are exempt under MN Executive Order 20–81
- Supply face coverings to consumers who do not have them
- Provide consumers who refuse to wear a face covering or who are exempt from wearing face coverings with alternatives such as virtual tours.
- Post respiratory etiquette posters
- Instruct Realtors® and consumers to cover their mouth and nose with their sleeve or tissue when coughing or sneezing and avoid touching their face
- Provide tissues and touch-free trash bins, require Realtors® to wash or sanitize hands immediately after use
- Limit time allowed in the property
- Reduce face-to-face interaction as much as possible
- No communal sharing of food or drink
Safe distancing and other measures:
- Limit gatherings to no more than 10 people
- Maintain at least six feet of separation between people
- Adjust the flow of movement through the home to avoid cross traffic or gathering in tight spaces
- Leave inside doors open and keep lights on
- Disinfect the home, especially commonly touched areas like doorknobs and faucet handles, before and after showings and open houses
- Do not use printed brochures/flyers
- Minimize use of shared pens, tablets or other supplies; disinfect shared supplies before and after each use