NY Realtors deemed essential service to NY State and it's residents... but only virtually or online...

LATEST NEWS:

The official notice reads as follows.

Essential Businesses must continue to comply with the guidance and directives for maintaining a clean and safe work environment issued by the Department of Health and every business, even if essential, is strongly urged to maintain social distance to the extent possible.  

The following functions of real estate and/or realtors (sic) are considered essential: residential home and commercial office showings; home inspections; and residential appraisers. (emphasis added)

Back-office real estate work is deemed essential, but please utilize telecommuting or work from home procedures to the maximum extent possible.

 

LATEST NEWS 04/03/20202 - To: HGAR Members:

 

Last evening, an official with Empire State Development Corp. in a clarification of the designation of real estate as an essential industry, stated that all showings must be conducted virtually or online in order to prevent the spread of the Novel Coronavirus.

 

Matthew Gordon, executive vice president, public affairs and communications for ESD, stated, “Being an 'essential' industry does not mean business as usual—business can only be conducted if social distancing and other public health protocols are followed and all must be doing everything they can to help stop the spread. For real estate, that means brokers can only transact business in their offices or show properties virtually, and anything else is off limits.”

 

He added that appraisers/inspectors are able to visit properties for inspection. Brokers can oversee transactions/signings at their offices while following social distancing protocols.