Real estate agents across the ACT have expressed confusion over the new inspection restrictions under lockdown and say it’s making it difficult for vendors and tenants.
Partner and sales agent at McGrath North Canberra, Suzi Wells, said the new rules sound good in theory but have been tough to implement given residents are only allowed two hours of outdoor activity per day.
“We can conduct eight ten-minute inspections per property per day, only with members of the same household, and with a five-minute gap between each inspection, meaning only eight people get to see a property in the span of two hours,” she said.
“It’s a big expectation for vendors and tenants to vacate their homes for hours everyday in the middle of lockdown, while they’re trying to work from home and home school their children, just for eight inspections.”
Ms Wells said it’s a huge inconvenience for her clients and it hasn’t been clear whether they’re able to be in the backyard or just outside their properties, so agents across the ACT have been reaching out to one another to try and gauge what everyone else is doing.
While the new rules are welcomed, she said buyers, vendors and tenants are frustrated, and managing their expectations is hard right now.
“I don’t think this is going to help improve the market. It may increase some buyers and give them more confidence, but the last five weekends of online auctions have been quite successful anyway,” Ms Wells said.
“I think the inspections are a step in the right direction, but we hope to see a further easing of restrictions in the near future.”
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