Victoria’s peak real estate body is calling for one-on-one private inspections to be permitted during lockdowns until vaccination targets are met.
In an open letter on Wednesday, Real Estate Institute of Victoria chief executive Gil King said buyers and renters were “flying blind” trying to purchase homes or secure leases without inspecting a property in person.
Premier Daniel Andrews today announced Melbourne’s sixth lockdown would be extended for another seven days until midnight next Thursday.
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The real estate industry is calling for inspections to be permitted during lockdown to help buyers, sellers and tenants make informed property decisions.
The extension was necessary to prevent a larger outbreak of the highly contagious Covid-19 Delta variant, which he said had “tragically” caused case numbers in Sydney to soar.
Victoria recorded 20 new cases in the past 24 hours, 15 of which have been linked to current outbreaks and five still under investigation.
Six of the cases were not in isolation during their infectious period.
“All in all, I would love to be standing here announcing that we’re coming out of lockdown this coming Thursday. That is simply not possible. We need to go until next Thursday,” Mr Andrews said.
REIV chief executive Gil King said private one-on-one inspections could be conducted safely by appointment.
“Whether we like it or not, we are all in this together until we get the community through the vaccination program. That is still some months away.”
Melburnians are currently permitted just five reasons to leave their homes, including shopping for food and supplies, authorised work and study, care and caregiving, and getting vaccinated.
In-person auctions and inspections are banned, with only virtual ones allowed to take place.
In his letter, Mr King said in-person inspection bans had created an “unnecessary burden” for the industry.
Lyn Davenport and her 12-year-old daughter, Grace, sold their Mornington home, but now struggled to look for new homes under lockdown. Picture: Alex Coppel
In spring last year, experts predicted up to $20bn could be wiped from the state’s economy if physical inspections were not permitted during the industry’s busiest season.
Homeowners were also left in limbo after selling their property but being unable to inspect new ones, while others were burdened with crippling ongoing bridging finance costs after being forced to shelve their sale campaigns.
Mr King said private inspections could be conducted safely by appointment, and he urged the government to rethink the rules.
Tenants also needed to inspect properties to take out a lease, Mr King said.
“Lockdown regulations that ban property inspection by private appointment are creating an unnecessary burden on the property market, impacting aspiring homeowners and mum and dad investors. Most critically, though, they’re stopping many people from being able to access rental properties so they can put a roof over their heads,” Mr King said.
“With the inevitability of more snap lockdowns until a Covid-19 vaccination target is reached, the (REIV), on behalf of the property sector, is calling on the Victorian Government to remove this unnecessary and onerous restriction and allow the sector to get on with essential business.”
Premier Daniel Andrews said the lockdown extension was necessary to stop the latest Covid-19 outbreak getting out of control. Picture: David Geraghty
Mr King said the Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme also needed to be addressed, with support badly needed for property owners who faced “financial ruin”.
The scheme provides rent relief to commercial tenants who suffer a fall in turnover of more than 30 per cent due to the pandemic.
“The fact remains that many tenants will not be required to repay waived rents and a number of others are unlikely to have the capacity to repay any deferred rents in the near term, or if ever. Both tenants and owners must be supported,” he said.
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The post REIV push to permit private home inspections as lockdown six extended appeared first on realestate.com.au.
Buyers and renters are “flying blind” and one-on-one inspections should be permitted until vaccination targets are met, the industry’s peak body says, as lockdown six extends.
The post REIV push to permit private home inspections as lockdown six extended appeared first on realestate.com.au.