HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania remains an outlier in the nation when it comes to restrictions on real estate transactions during the coronavirus pandemic, according to Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York).
Phillips-Hill is working with Democrat Senators Lisa Boscola and Wayne Fontana and Republican Senators Mario Scavello and Scott Martin to allow for real estate to receive a waiver from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to safely reopen under strict guidelines.
“Food, clothing and shelter are the necessities in life, however, the governor’s moves have completely hampered the option to buy and sell homes during these unprecedented times,” Phillips-Hill said. “I continue to receive messages from local realtors who are helping clients relocate from other parts of Pennsylvania as well as from other states who want to move into our region. Real estate can absolutely continue under proper social distancing guidelines and adherence to recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Department of Health. That is why there is broad bipartisan consensus on this effort.”
All of the Commonwealth’s surrounding states, including states that Governor Wolf has formed a multi-state pact with, have allowed real estate transactions to continue.
The legislation will spell out a dozen criteria for the safe reopening of real estate, including only allowing very serious buyers to tour homes, ensuring social distancing when showing a property, mandating inspections to be conducted alone, among several other provisions to protect homebuyers, sellers and realtors.
Phillips-Hill said she’s received a lot of concerns from local realtors, but one stuck out over the rest.
A local realtor explained a situation where she is working with two clients from Delaware who are in the National Guard. The one client is taking a job at WellSpan and will be on the front lines of the pandemic.
“How many more medical professionals is this administration preventing from relocating to our Commonwealth due to policies that are out of line with all of our neighboring states,” she asked. “Shelter is essential and this measure will put us in line with the rest of the nation.”
You can read more about the bipartisan effort to safely reopen real estate here.