The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has substantially slowed business for many, those working in the real estate industry included. But that doesn’t mean business has to stop altogether.
For real estate agents, brokers, and others still attempting to conduct showings of their property at this time, there are a few responsible steps you can take to protect yourself and your clients while keeping up with work.
Here’s what you can do to disinfect your property before and after showings to keep everyone safe:
Wipe down all commonly touched surfaces
COVID-19 can pass from person to person when traces of the virus get left behind and then picked up someone else through touch. If this person then touches their face, the virus has an opportunity to spread. That’s why it is essential at this time to clean all commonly touched surfaces before and after you conduct showings or business in your property.
All doorknobs, cabinet handles, light switches, and countertops should be cleaned after anyone visits the property. You can use any household cleaner and hot water. Thoroughly wipe down these surfaces and let them air dry.
To further minimize risk, ask any visitors to please refrain from touching anything if possible. You do not need to feel bad for this—any visitor or prospective buyer should understand that at this time, we are all doing the most we can to protect others and ourselves.
Use disinfectants properly
A lot of us use disinfectant products without asking ourselves if we are using them properly. We take it for granted that a simple spray or swipe is enough to kill the 99.9% or so of germs that have accumulated in our homes. But this is not the case.
Many disinfectants need to sit on a surface for a number of minutes before they are effective. Allowing cleaned surfaces to air dry is essential to cutting down on the spread of an infectious virus like COVID-19. Read the instructions on your bottles of cleaner: they are there for a reason.
If you can manage to find any, use disposable wipes and mop pads whenever possible. Single-use items don’t have the risk of cross-contaminating or further spreading germs from one surface to another.
When using reusable mopheads, cloths, or sponges, wash and dry them at as high heat as possible.
For a list of cleaners approved by the American Chemistry Council as effective in combating COVID-19, click here.
Keep number of visitors to a minimum
The federal government recommends that we avoid all gatherings of 10 or more people. You absolutely want to keep this in mind when planning showings and events. Do not host open houses and ask your prospective buyers to limit the number of visitors with them to as few as possible. The whole family may want to come along, but they should be advised to restrict their party as much as they can.
And remember to forgo any handshakes or physical contact in greeting your guests and remain at least six feet away from others if possible. Again, they will not see this as rude. We are all in this together.
Forgo the treats
It’s common to bring baked goods or other treats to a home showing: do NOT do this now. You want to avoid any kind of food preparation or consumption at the property to minimize the spread of germs and keep the disinfecting you need to do at a minimum.
If you still want to go that extra mile, consider digital incentives to help prospective buyers have a positive experience of the property. Find digital coupons or gift cards that you could send to them in lieu of treats as a way to say thank you for their interest.
Don’t forget the toilet
Finally, disinfect the toilet and bathroom areas after every showing. Because of the intimate and physical nature of these rooms, you should at the very least spray them down with a disinfectant if they have been entered at all.
Make bathrooms a priority, making sure to follow the instructions on your cleaner bottles and using disposable wipes when possible.
Protect yourself and others: keep your property clean.
By disinfecting commonly touched surfaces before and after showings, limiting guests and physical contact, and prioritizing the bathroom, you can do your part to protect against the spread of coronavirus while still conducting your all your housing and real estate business.
Stay safe and remember we are all in this together.
For more information on real estate and property management during the coronavirus pandemic, contact 208.properites today.