Private inspections to continue despite tougher social-distancing restrictions

Tougher restrictions on public gatherings, introduced at midnight on Monday, will not have an impact on private home inspections with buyers able to continue looking at houses one-on-one with agents.

Those keen enough — and serious about buying — are finding ways around the challenges to continue to check them out, agents say.

Real estate institutes across the country have warned people to limit numbers at private inspections to follow the new rules in place.

“Although inspections by appointment can continue as they do not classify as public gatherings, the Real Estate Institute of Victoria recommends they are limited to the least number of people possible,” REIV president Leah Calnan said on Monday.

“Many Victorian real estate agents have already begun utilising technology such as virtual reality and video inspections where possible.”

Real Estate Institute of Australia president Adrian Kelly said couples turning up for private inspections would have to do so one at a time.

“The Prime Minister was very clear about having two people only,” Mr Kelly said. “This is the new normal for a little while and we just have to get used to it.”

Agents say one-on-one inspections are being used by serious buyers, with “tyre-kickers” no longer part of the current market.

Ray White NSW chief auctioneer Alex Pattaro said buyers were out and about still working through the tougher inspection conditions.

“Buyers are circulating, buyers are quality and they are there to do a deal,” Mr Pattaro said. “We’ve had a couple of properties sell prior to auction this week.”

“The people who are coming out are people that need to buy for whatever their reason is. There are still deaths, divorces or the elderly that need to go into care,” Mr Pattaro said.

Agents are working at putting in detailed checks to properly qualify buyers before they are able to inspect a home privately.

Kay & Burton partner Michael Armstrong said he had attended two private inspections for properties on Monday.

“There are inspections happening but the way that we’re handling them is very, very professionally around the health and safety side of things,” he said.

Nervous buyers are now looking to buyer’s agents/advocates for property inspections as  they socially isolate at home, wanting to steer clear of the heightened risk from the pandemic. 

President of the Real Estate Buyers Agents Association of Australia Cate Bakos said the role of buyer agents was changing as people looked to them to do virtual inspections.

“I’ve spent the weekend going through houses with gloves and using hand sanitisers to take a video of all the good and the bad,” Ms Bakos said.

While agents had set up virtual inspections, not all buyers were trusting of them, needing to see the good and bad for themselves, she said. 

The biggest challenge for buyers wasn’t actually the social-distancing rules, but how quickly sales were now moving.

“Vendors and agents just want deals, but they will be more flexible with sales subject to building inspections if you negotiate.

“We’re doing a lot online and we’re physically inspecting properties. We’re on the frontline but that is our job,” Ms Bakos said.

Senior buyers agent at Sydney’s PK Property Peter Kelaher agreed. He was also making private inspections on behalf of clients.

“We’ve really become in high demand,” Mr Kelaher said. “There’s a lot of uncertainty in the market and of what a property is worth now.”

Lots of deals were being done off-market as vendors looked to test whether their house would sell, he said.

He said buyers were looking to get in before stock levels fell further.

“Basically, we’re in the same market we were last year [during the downturn]. There was a pop out of that market after the federal election last May,” Mr Kelaher said. “The same pop will happen when the coronavirus passes.”