Understandably we all have questions about the impacts this crisis will have on our industry, both short and long-term. While no one has definitive answers, we can provide an update on the actions our Board is taking.
As our industry involves a significant amount of personal contact, particularly during showings, open houses, and in-person client communication, we all need to keep in mind the recommendations of our Health Authorities who are strongly encouraging social distancing in the current environment.
In order to ensure that we are doing as much as we possibly can to keep you safe and assist in flattening the curve of this disease, OMDREB is taking the unprecedented position of suspending all open houses until the Government shutdown on gatherings of 10 or more people has been lifted and things return to normal. We have reached out to our colleagues at ORTIS/NewCo to formally request that the Open House feature on Matrix be temporarily disabled while we all do our part to stay safe. For the time being, we encourage you to conduct showings virtually via mobile apps like FaceTime and Skype to ensure that your clients can still see a home in the safest way possible under current circumstances. Virtual open houses can also be done via methods like Facebook Live or Facebook Watch Party.
We anticipate the Government will take even more stringent measures in the days ahead and encourage our Members to fully support the recommended changes to how business and life is conducted.
For any questions or concerns, please contact:
John Rich, Communications Specialist
communications@omdreb.ca
