Photo:Dale Cory

“If people are looking at buying a house right now, it should only be the ones that have an immediate need.”

Those are strong words from Lyndi Cruickshank, president of the South Okanagan Real Estate Board. 

SOREB comprises more than 300 realtors located in 42 offices.

COVID-19 has left people jobless, and in some cases, homeless. Cruickshank wants to make sure those people in the middle of buying or selling a property when the crisis began will not be left without a place to live.

“That’s a huge reality, and a big concern for clients who have sold their house and were in the process of looking. Now the number of homes they can even have access to are limited. People have said either, I’m sick, or compromised or not feeling comfortable, and they’re not even having showings in their home. And rightfully so. But imagine being that buyer who doesn’t have a choice. They have to find a place to live," said Cruickshank.

"If your house is sold and you know you only have four weeks before you are out, we have to find a way to help those people or they won’t have a house to go to.”

While the market was relatively strong in early 2020, things have definitely cooled off.

“There are certainly less active, or new listings. There are less contracts being written. So there are less homes being sold. I expect that will be our normal until we get through all this. We have seen a slow down. Right now, everybody just needs to stay home,” said Cruickshank, who hasn’t noticed a big difference in the selling price of properties.

“I’m going to say the ones that have gone down in price were going to go down regardless. Most people are holding tight. This isn’t the time for big decisions.” 

The coronavirus crisis has changed everything, including the way realtors show properties, and deal with clients.

“I’ve spent all day, every day for two weeks in my house looking after my clients. We have an obligation to help them through this process,” stressed Cruickshank.

“Yes, there are still some of us going out and practicing as safely as we possibly can and recognizing recommendations such as sanitizing and cleaning and gloving. We’re there to look after the public. We’re there to look after our clients.”

The provincial government has recognized real estate professionals as an essential service. But the job comes with its challenges.

“As realtors we spend a lot of time face-to-face with our clients, helping them through the process of a contract, and showing them properties. We spend a lot of time with our clients in people’s homes. We’re not in those homes now, so we are looking to new ways to help our clients,” Cruickshank said.

“Going online is our new normal. If we can take the tools we have available to us, and put those in front of our clients, in their homes where they are safe, and we’re safe, and help them make good decisions, it’s going to narrow down the amount of time they will spend out looking at homes.

“We expect when we get through this, and we will, we will come back into a very healthy market.”