COVID Delta Variant Survey
RISMedia Survey: 42% Say COVID Is Still Impacting Their Business 55% OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS SAY THEY ARE “VERY” PREPARED TO KEEP BUSINESS OPERATING VIRTUALLY
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By Liz Dominguez
t’s hard to believe that the COVID-19 pandemic has been a fixture of everyday life since March 2020. While much of the U.S. has returned to some semblance of “normalcy,” highly infectious variants such as Delta threaten to curb back some of the newly-gained momentum, and a huge swath of the industry is concerned, according to new RISMedia survey results. RISMedia recently surveyed nearly 500 real estate professionals to gauge the industry’s confidence level as it relates to the ongoing pandemic and emerging variants. While the majority of survey respondents (58%) say the pandemic is not currently affecting their business, a significant segment (42%) report otherwise. Confidence levels in the industry
have decreased amid rising concerns about COVID’s variant, Delta, which is more contagious than its predecessors and the cause of more than 80% of new U.S. COVID-19 cases, according to Yale Medicine. Safety Protocols Still in Play For survey respondent James Moore, a REALTOR® with HomeSmart in Ari-
zona, there’s more at risk due to his own age and the age bracket of his typical client. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the risk for hospitalization from a COVID outbreak increases for people in their 50s to 80s, with those 85 and older most likely to get severely sick. “As a senior working with seniors, we are the most vulnerable group if unvaccinated. We are less likely to allow open houses or showings,” says Moore, who takes several precautions when clients ask for live showings in homes he’s listed. These include: • Asking them to read the “Guidance for Fair Housing Compliance During the COVID-19 Pandemic” from the National Association of REALTORS® • Requesting that buyers and agents wear a face mask while on the property • Having them wear booties and use the sanitation solution provided at the front door • Requesting that the buyer agent note which items were touched in the house and wiping down those areas RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE September 2021 59
