The updated New South Wales (NSW) coronavirus restrictions are tricky for anybody to navigate. It’s even more difficult for real estate agents who are trying to maintain business.
Last week, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian urged Greater Sydney residents to abide by the current restrictions, including remaining at home and only leaving if you “absolutely have to”.
However, as many know from previous lockdowns, there are some reasonable ways agents can continue working, either from home or with with smaller numbers.
In-person auctions and open homes are banned across Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong, and Shellharbour.
Private inspections are still allowed by appointment but are limited to one real estate agent and one buyer at a time. Face masks must also be worn. Auctions can also take place online.
According to The Guardian, a visitor does not include a person at the place of residence who is there to view or inspect a property, to lease or to purchase it.
Carpooling with people who aren’t members of your household (such as clients or colleagues) is not permitted.
However, taking an Uber, taxi or using public transport is still permitted. Face masks are mandatory on public transport including taxis, ride share, and hire cars.
Meanwhile, NSW Health notes moving to a new place of residence, or between different places of residence is considered a reasonable excuse to leave your home.
Regional NSW agents and their clients must also still comply with COVID safety measures when viewing a property or attending an auction. This can include a limit of one person per four-square-metres and face masks being worn at all times.
Under NSW public health orders, agents in regional areas must ensure there is a COVID-19 safety plan in place, including hand sanitisers and record-keeping. Check-in at business premises used for auction houses (including residential sales, tenancy open houses and sale-yards) must be completed using electronic methods, such as a QR code.
When you’re not working, there are very tight restrictions in Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong, and Shellharbour on who is able to leave the house each day.
Only two people from separate households may exercise outdoors together. You can only exercise within your local government area, or within 10 kilometres of your home.
Only one person from each household is permitted to leave the house to shop for essential items each day – and only once per day. The Premier encouraged residents to pre-plan their shopping trips, as browsing is not allowed.
As of Sunday 11 July, people outside of Greater Sydney also cannot enter greater Sydney for the purposes of exercise or outdoor recreation. People can only enter greater Sydney for a funeral or memorial service, or for obtaining goods or services if those goods or services are not reasonably available outside of greater Sydney.
This includes regional or interstate agents, it may not be possible to continue any scheduled business you may have had in the Greater Sydney area.
From today (13 July) you must wear a fitted face mask when you are in an indoor area of common property in a residential building that is strata titled, community titled or company titled in Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong, and Shellharbour.
At the time of writing, there are nearly 700 cases of COVID-19 in NSW. Only nine per cent of the Australian population are fully vaccinated.
