Along with the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors (PAR), our local Board of Realtors, and RE/MAX, my associates and I have been lending out support and efforts to have real estate transactions reclassified as an essential business to help our clients and all consumers in Pennsylvania. We feel it is important not to disrupt completely the lives of buyers and sellers as the need for housing is essential to many.

Over the weekend, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency updated the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce advisory list. At that time, PAR learned that the advisory list now includes residential and commercial real estate services. 

These federal guidelines are considered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) when making their decisions on waivers. PAR reached out to Gov. Wolf’s office to immediately request that real estate services be re-classified as life-sustaining in Pennsylvania, and several legislators have reached out requesting the same. To be clear, our request is not for a return to business as usual at this time. The world has changed at this time and our industry is changing as well.

At this time, PAR has not heard back from the governor’s office. So, right now, real estate remains classified s a non-life-sustaining business in Pennsylvania so we are not conducting business outside of our homes with the exception of closing that were scheduled by contract before March 6, 2020, the date the emergency shutdown order went into effect.

While some states have allowed certain in-person real estate activities, including New Jersey and Delaware, to continue with strict guidelines and limited services, Pennsylvania has not. Currently, PAR is working to find a comprehensive solution that is safe for consumers and real estate agents, while recognizing that the need for housing is essential to many.

Going forward, when the emergency order is lifted and life begins to get back to normal, I believe the housing sector will help lead the nation’s economic recovery as it always has during challenging economic conditions. 

If you want to talk more about how Covid 19 is impacting you or will impact our local real estate market, feel free to reach out to me. I’m here to help you navigate through this real estate maze. 

Source: Pennsylvania Association of Realtors.