Homes market moving
Viewings go ahead – but prospective buyers asked to wear masks, gloves and ‘don’t touch’
Estate agents across Scarborough are back in business – but staff are adjusting to new ways of working within the safety guidelines.
Wearing masks and gloves are essential, virtual tours are being set up and prospective buyers also have to abide by new rules when looking around a for-sale property.
Estate agents cannot escort clients around a home and they have to wear masks and gloves.
Visitors cannot touch anything in a home and all doors have to remain open.
“It’s a difficult and strange time for everyone,” said Kong Yau, a partner at Colin Ellis Property Services in Aberdeen Walk.
The office has been dealing with a deluge of e-mail inquiries as well as making virtual-tour videos.
Video is a time-consuming way of selling houses, said Mr Yau.
He also said that prospective buyers were advised to bring their own masks and gloves when arriving to view a property.
The company has dealt with a couple of completions during lockdown but people had to, usually, move themselves because of social distancing measures.
There is a call for demand as the market has been blocked for months – lockdown started on March 23 and restrictions are just beginning to be eased.
“The early signs are good – there is plenty of activity,” said Phil Fletcher, a director of CPH Property Services in St Thomas Street.
“There is pent-up demand. We had got the election and Brexit indecision out of the way and the signs that the market was picking up were good and then the virus hit.”