March 27th, 2020 2:02 AM by Eric Willner
Radio Show Notes 3/23/20 Monday: Coronavirus: A Guide for REALTORS Is Also A Guide For Investors And Homeowners in 2020
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By Eric Willner, Host of The Real Estate Show, America’s longest running daily radio show about real estate.
Today, in our Monday On A Mission edition of The Real Estate Show, Eric Willner discusses an important publication just released called “Coronavirus: Guide for Realtors”. This guide for Realtors is also a perfect guide for investors and even for homeowners – and for renters for that matter! In these critical times, the better informed you are, the better (and healthier citizen you can be! Read on and apply it!
March 19, 2020
Being a Broker, Risk Management, Being an Agent, Safety, Legal, Fair Housing, Coronavirus
In response to the growing concerns about COVID-19, commonly referred to as coronavirus, NAR is providing this guidance to help REALTOR® associations respond to the coronavirus's impact on the real estate industry. As of March 16, 2020, the United States government has banned all travel from Europe, the United Kingdom and Ireland into the United States for a period of thirty (30) days. The United States government has also closed the U.S.-Canada border to non-essential travel. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued Level 3 Travel Warnings for Malaysia, China, Iran and South Korea, and a Level 2 Travel Health Notice all other global travel. The situation is rapidly evolving. Be sure to refer to the CDC's website for up-to-date information about travel warnings(link is external), as well as information about the coronavirus' current impact in the United States(link is external). Daily updates about the coronavirus are also available from the World Health Organization(link is external).
COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that has infected more than 191,000 individuals in 164 countries and territories, causing the World Health Organization (WHO) to classify this outbreak as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Anyone experiencing emergency signs such as difficulty breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or bluish lips or face should immediately seek medical attention.
Older adults and people who have severe underlying chronic medical conditions like heart or lung disease, diabetes, or autoimmune disorders seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person and the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. The CDC urges citizens to monitor your health and practice social distancing. Social distancing means staying out of crowded places, avoiding group gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet) from others when possible. Visit the CDC's website(link is external) for latest updates.
NAR has prepared a Sample Preparedness Plan for Circumstances Relating to COVID-19 that any real estate brokerage may adapt and implement in your workplace.
The CDC urges individuals to take these measures to protect themselves and others:
· Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water aren't available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
· Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
· Practice social distancing by staying out of crowded places, avoiding group gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet) from others when possible.
· Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.
· Stay home if you have a fever, cough, shortness of breath or any other cold or flu-like symptom.
· Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
· Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or cough or sneeze into your sleeve.
Additionally, to help prevent the continued spread of coronavirus, on March 15, 2020, the CDC recommended that for the next 8 weeks, all in-person events consisting of 50 or more people, such as conferences and assemblies, be cancelled, postponed or modified to virtual events(link is external). On March 16, 2020, President Trump announced new guidelines, advising that individuals avoid groups of more than 10 people for the next 15 days. Avoiding these in-person gatherings is an effective measure that will reduce your risk of contracting or spreading coronavirus.
When an infectious disease, such as coronavirus, is associated with a specific population or nationality, fear and anxiety may lead to social stigma and potential discrimination. REALTORS® must be mindful of their obligations under the Fair Housing Act, and be sure not to discriminate against any particular segment of the population. While the coronavirus outbreak began in Wuhan, China, that does not provide a basis for treating Chinese persons or persons of Asian descent differently.
Yes, you may ask clients or others about their recent travel, particularly to areas identified as having an increased risk of coronavirus. To avoid potential fair housing issues, be sure to ask all clients the same screening questions based on current, factual information from public health authorities.
Yes. However, be sure that any change to your business practices is applied equally to all clients. You may refuse to drive clients who show signs of illness or reveal recent travel to areas of increased risk of coronavirus, or you may instead decide to stop driving clients in your car altogether, and simply arrange to meet clients at a property. If you do continue to drive clients in your car, it is a good idea to frequently clean and disinfect surfaces like door handles and seat belt latches, and to ask clients to use hand sanitizer when getting in and out of the car.
Brokers should use their best judgment when formulating a plan. In addition to performing regular environmental cleaning with special attention paid to frequently touched surfaces, brokers should implement a mandatory "stay-home" policy for any staff member or agent exhibiting any sign of illness. Brokers may want to consider imposing a mandatory or maximum flexibility remote work policy for employees and instructing agents to stay out of the office. In addition, in the wake of the CDC’s recent guidance recommending that in-person events consisting of 50 or more people be cancelled or postponed, which was followed by President Trump’s announcement on March 16, 2020 recommending that individuals avoid groups of more than 10 people for the next 15 days, brokers should take measures to hold virtual meetings when possible, and potentially postpone or cancel in-person meetings or events to take to limit close contact between individuals.
Be sure to monitor updates from the CDC, as well as your state and local health authorities for additional information and guidance on holding meetings or events. For travel considerations, review NAR's "Coronavirus: A Guide for REALTOR® Associations".
Finally, do not panic, stay informed, and use your best judgment. The situation is rapidly changing, so focus on putting policies and procedures in place to keep your employees and agents informed, safe, and to avoid business disruption in the event the situation worsens. The CDC's Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers(link is external) is a helpful resource.
Listen to the show live or the archived version in its entirety for all the tips, facts and ideas.
Want more? If you are serious about real estate and paying off debt, then find out more on today and every day’s episodes and learn more about Real Estate Investing and learn HOW TO by listening to The Real Estate Show with Eric Willner. The Show is Live every weekday morning at 8 o’clock (EST) on Florida’s Money Talk Radio station WSBR AM740, FM 96.9, and FM 103.9. You can also hear us on the free apps: iHeart Radio and TuneIn. Recorded Rebroadcasts are available 24/7 on Facebook. Please share this and our Facebook updates.
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Eric Willner is the Host and Founder of The Real Estate Show, an informative show about how to buy, own, and improve real estate the right way, on autopilot. - The Automatic Landlord way. (AutomaticLandlord.com) You can reach Eric Willner at Eric@Ericwillner.com or 888-595-7779.
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