Melbourne house hunters who are looking to buy in the regions may be blocked from personal inspections after a regional NSW town was locked down after such a COVID case.
The Real Estate Institute of Victoria has been applying pressure to the Premier to allow potential buyers to inspect regional homes in.
These in-person auctions are currently banned under our lockdown but out in the regions local residents are free to tour properties.
But in Sydney, where metro residents can inspect properties out in the country, a house hunter travelled to Byron Bay while infectious triggering a lockdown and it’s causing concern a similar thing might happen in Victoria.
Real Estate Institute of Victoria’s Leah Calnan told Domain there’s fewer cases in Melbourne and COVID-safe plans in place would mean inspections could be performed without a problem.
“The industry as a whole has proved it can provide a safe environment using masks and hand sanitiser and ensuring there is no-one at home during inspections, so there’s no reason why we couldn’t do that across the state,” she said.
“Having restrictions really affects those who need to relocate or who have sold and need to buy again.”
REIV say the ban on inspections was causing distress for desperate home buyers.
“Suffocating a sector with unnecessary rules is already impacting the health, safety and mental well-being of the community and we shudder at the thought of potential longer-term consequences,” Ms Calnan said.
Keatings Real Estate agent Peter Wood said his vendors would be too nervous to let Melburnians inspect their properties during a lockdown.
“I think people’s preference – my vendors’ – would be to wait until things are under control before letting people into the area,” he told Domain.
