After years of navigating the COVID pandemic, we now also find ourselves facing a flu season that is hitting early and intensely. As REALTORS^®, there are some simple steps you can take to help stop the spread of germs when you’re hosting an open house or facilitating showings at a property.

1)    Wear a Mask. We know. We are all tired of wearing masks, but did you know that even a typical (non-medical grade) face mask gives provides a six-fold reduction to cold and flu exposure? With that level of protection, donning a mask inside your properties is a worthwhile precaution to take. Consider providing additional masks for your attendees, as well.

2)    Shoes? No Service. Make your open house a “No Shoes” environment. The average pair of shoe holds hundreds of thousands of units of bacteria and, especially at this time of year, it’s important to remember that viruses can survive on shoes. Consider either asking attendees to remove their shoes or provide disposable booties for them to wear while in the home.

3)    Protect the Common “Touch Zones”. When people view properties, they tend to touch a lot of surfaces. Everything from doorknobs, to cabinet handles, to drawers, to light switches will get a lot of contact. With that in mind, offer clients hand sanitizer both before and after their home tour. (Remember, the CDC recommends a using a sanitizer containing 60-95% alcohol to help kill germs and viruses.) Another option is to provide visitors with latex gloves.

4)    Clean, clean, clean. In between showings, consider giving the high-touch surfaces a quick spray down, or wipe them down with disinfectant wipes. Combining this method with consistent hand sanitizer usage will significantly reduce the risk of germs spreading. Note: make sure to wipe off any drips AND remember that some sprays can be harmful to some surfaces, so select products carefully and consider testing them before spraying everything.

5)    Spread Out Your Attendees. If your open houses tend to see a big turnout, depending on the size of the property, you can limit either how many groups are allowed inside at once or how many are permitted on each floor.

REALTORS^® are known for their commitment to serving communities, and these easy steps are another way you can help keep your community healthy.