Posted by: Pete Kennedy on Monday, March 30, 2020

The coronavirus/COVID-19 outbreak is causing municipal and county government offices to drastically reduce their operations — affecting local code inspection processes and county recorder of deeds offices. At the Suburban Realtors® Alliance, we're working to minimize the impact of these changes on Realtors® and their clients who are involved in property transfers.

Because municipalities have different regulations and are reacting to the public health emergency in different ways, each case is unique. If you're involved in a transaction being held up by a municipal closure, your best sources for guidance right now are your company’s broker and counsel, as well as suggesting that sellers and buyers consult with their personal attorneys.

What Realtors® should know:

Act 133 is still in effect. If a municipality has conducted a U&O inspection, it must issue a resale certificate — at least a temporary access certificate.
Many municipalities have altered their U&O procedures. Some are issuing conditional U&O certificates without a full inspection, on the condition that buyers (and in some cases sellers and agents) sign affidavits stating that certain items like smoke detectors are already in place and that any issues revealed during the eventual inspection will be the responsibility of the buyer.
Recorder of Deeds offices in the four SRA counties are being affected by the state of emergency.
The Suburban Realtors Alliance is available to help you through specific issues. We continue to track news and public legal notices, and we've been assisting members with their municipal issues throughout the region.

Below are resources for more information about how coronavirus is affecting real estate in the Philadelphia suburbs.

Jump to a section of this page:

Best Practices

COVID-19 News

FAQ

More Resources

Best Practices

Buying and selling real estate during a pandemic.

Take the virus seriously — it has infected and killed thousands of people in our area, and the long-term health effects for those who recover are still not known.

Wear a mask — Visit this CDC guide for tips on how to choose one and make sure it's effective.

Provide a wastebasket — Whether you provide PPE like booties, gloves and sanitizer available at your listing or the visitors bring their own, it's helpful to have a waste receptacle so used items are not left by the door or carried to another location.

Keep civil: harsh words hurt us — Vitriolic language can turn off potential clients and colleagues and make lawmakers less open to considering your point of view in the future.

Limit face-to-face contact — Minimize in-person activities, and minimize attendance to only the most critical individuals, while maintaining social distancing in all in-person interactions. Choose times that minimize contact, such as viewing commercial properties outside of business hours.

Make a plan to sanitize listings — Creating a checklist to clean a listing after each showing can reassure both sellers and potential buyers who are nervous about exposure to the virus. Read more in Realtor® Magazine: Make a Plan With Sellers to Sanitize Listings

Have a best practice suggestion?

Email us at sra@suburbanrealtorsalliance.com.

Coronavirus News

How the pandemic is affecting Realtors® and real estate

September 2020

9/11 — NAR offers FAQ for housing providers (NAR)

9/1 — As CDC White House Unveil Eviction Moratorium Executive Order, NAR Urges Immediate Congressional Action on Rental Assistance (NAR)

August 2020:

8/14 — Think twice before you post on social media (PAR)

8/10 — State Supreme Court tosses challenge to eviction ban (SRA New Briefs)

8/7 — NAR urges Congress to support rental assistance (NAR)

July 2020:

7/13 — Gov. Wolf extends eviction and foreclosure moratorium through Aug. 31 (SRA News Briefs)

June 2020:

6/26 — Suburban Philadelphia counties set to go green on June 26 (SRA News Briefs)

6/11 — Watch: Realtor Town Hall with Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (SRA Video)

6/5 — PAR Obtains More Clarification on State Guidance for Business Restrictions (PAR)

May 2020:

5/22 — All red PA counties move to yellow on June 5 (Spotlight PA)

5/21 — Wolf clarifies: Some evictions and foreclosures are permitted (Gov. Wolf)

5/19 — All Real Estate In Pennsylvania Reopened With New Guidance (PAR)

5/15 — Watch: 'Legislative Update: Reopening Real Estate in Pennsylvania' (SRA Video)

5/14 — House Passes HB 2412; PAR Urges Wolf to Sign the Bill (PAR)

5/11 — PAR issues call-to-action to support HB2412 to designate real estate as life-sustaining industry (PAR)

5/1 — Watch: 'State of Bucks County: An Update for Realtors' (SRA/BCAR Video)

April 2020:

4/29 — PA real estate market adapts to COVID-19 (ft. SWRA Chairman Kit Antsey) (6ABC)

4/29 — PA House Passes Bill to Allow Real Estate Services to Reopen (HB2412) (PAR)

4/28 — Your Guide to PUA Benefits (NAR)

4/24 — Watch: SRA Hosts Legislative Town Hall with NAR, PAR (SRA Video)

4/24 — Wolf outlines three-step reopening plan; real estate returns in ‘yellow’ phase (SRA news brief)

4/24 — Pandemic Unemployment Assistance application available online (PA Dept. of Labor & Industry)

4/17 — Killion legislation would halt business evictions and foreclosures (Daily Local News)

4/16 — Rep. Polinchock introduces bill to allow safe real estate transactions (SRA news brief)

4/15 — Updates on industry waiver request and amicus brief filing (PAR)

4/10 — PAR Advocates for Real Estate During Pandemic (PAR)

4/3 — PAR Files Brief Supporting Lawsuit to Request Governor to Designate Real Estate as a Life-Sustaining Business (PAR)

March 2020:

3/30 — Thanks to new affidavit, Aston can continue use and occupancy inspections (SRA news brief)

3/27 — Real Estate License Renewal and CE Requirements Extended to Aug. 29 (PAR)

3/26 — No deed, no deal: Pa. real estate industry stymied by move online (Inquirer)

3/26 — PAR Officers: Follow Governor’s Order, Cease In-Person Business (PAR)

3/24 — Governor Authorizes Temporary Use of Remote Online Notarization (PAR)

3/19 — COVID-19 Addendum Available for Use (PAR)

3/17 — As Local Governments Close, What Happens to Property Sales? (SRA Blog Post)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Questions we're hearing from Realtors about this situation.

Is Act 133 still in effect during the coronavirus outbreak?

Yes — if you have a property that was previously inspected, the municipality must issue at least a temporary access permit, allowing buyers of homes deemed “unfit for habitation” to access the building (without residing in it), and make substantial repairs within 12 months. It may also issue a normal use and occupancy permit (U&O) or a temporary U&O permit. Read more about Act 133 and the three types of resale permits here.

What have you heard about ____________ township?

We have been in contact with most boroughs, townships and cities in our coverage area, but the circumstances have been constantly evolving. We ask our members to contact us with issues in specific municipalities. For municipalities that have offered new formal processes for the state of emergency, e.g. those that have created new affidavits, we have updated our municipal database accordingly.

How are the recorder of deeds offices being affected?

We have confirmed that recorders of deeds in Bucks, Chester and Montgomery counties will accept online notarizations in compliance with Gov. Wolf’s temporary order. Those offices also have web-based systems for e-filing and in some cases have waived fees for those services.

The Delaware County Recorder of Deeds does not currently have a web-based system for e-filing and has not responded to our inquiries regarding online notarizations.

How is the outbreak affecting the Delaware County comprehensive reassessment project?

According to the county's project website:

"[A]ll informal property reviews with Tyler Technologies will be conducted by telephone. ... Tyler Technologies will be calling you within an hour of that scheduled time to conduct your informal hearing by phone. ... YOUR PHONE LINE MUST ALLOW CALLS FROM PRIVATE NUMBERS OR WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REACH YOU."