Real estate agents have been forced to significantly modify their business in order to continue operating during the new normal.
Many tours are virtual, with open houses being conducted online instead of in person.
“The average seller does not want people in their home which is totally understandable,” Broens said. “If you can’t have your best friend over for dinner, why would you want strangers trucking through your house.”
In-person home tours are severely restricted with only the buyers permitted inside a home with an agent, who is the only person allowed to touch surfaces or open doors.
Broens believes the restrictions are short-term hiccups before normal operations begin to resume.
She said there are a number of people either waiting to put their home on the market, or who are ready to make a buying decision.
“Between pent up demand and low interest rates, we’re going to see the market start to buzz as soon as some of the restrictions are lifted where people can get out and start looking at properties again.”
Parksville/Qualicum’s average sale price increased five per cent year-over-year to $696,041. The region saw a sharper decline in transactions with only 22 single family sales in April, compared to 56 in March 2020 and 71 a year prior.
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