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The thing is, their idiocy would be worse if not working.

Hey, who says the strippers weren't 6ft apart and wearing masks
 
JayneWonders said:
I've read a couple of times here that real estate sales should be stopped.
I don't get that, and the ramifications are huge.
If you bought a house, with a plan to put yours on the market, and you can't...or you bought a house, then put your house on the market and you can't, there would be a cascade of real estate deals collapse. People would lose their deposits. Timelines for moves would be disrupted. For those who are building, they would still get their house, and also be stuck with their old house.

The sales are really low risk here. What is the concern that I am missing
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Well, from what I see, many of the sales are being fueled by Toronto buyers and those buyers are now buying homes further west and of course driving home prices through the roof right across ontario. (but that's another problem) The point is that you have people travelling out of the hot zones of Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton, the Golden Horseshoe and walking into peoples houses. I have personally watched houses down my street being shown to groups of people that came in the same car and all walked through the house at the same time with the agent and others who bring in only one at a time.....but despite all of this it still produces a steady stream of buyers going through the houses in many small towns (my town is a population of 40,000) with many buyers from the hot zone areas. Some agents insist they don't touch anything and wipe down surfaces afterward, good for them....but the reality is this virus is airborne and no agent can "scrub" the air clean. No buyer has to prove they don't have Covid other than being asked the usual questions of whether they've travelled out of Canada, have a cough, fever, etc...and if they are asymptomatic carriers how would anyone know including themselves? I'm sure they use bathrooms in MacDonalds or Tim Hortons while they're here. Is this an essential activity in the time of Covid? Well economically yes, because Real Estate is one of the main drivers of the Canadian economy if not THE main driver and there is a trickle down effect for other industries. Is there a domino effect when one person sells, thus creating a chain of sellers and buyers? Absolutely! But that chain can be stopped at the source by restricting listings as essential only......and essential wouldn't be just wanting an extra room to create an office.....it's not a dire situation, it's a luxury or a want. Also I worked in real estate for 14 years and everyone in that chain can move their move in dates back to meet with the 6 week shutdown....it's not impossible.
Basically you have a steady stream of unknown sources of Covid entering towns and while the numbers may seem small, exponentially they create their own little "hot spots" that are potentially bringing viruses into peoples homes and retail. I doubt many people would openly invite a person from a Toronto hotspot into their home if they were not selling their house because they would know the risk involved.
I am not totally unsympathetic to the housing situation...my daughter currently listed her house last week...she's had 23 showings and 90% were Toronto buyers. It's also a town of 38,000. Offers will be presented today and they are building a house to be completed in November. Could they have listed their house 4 weeks later? I think so, but they are typical of the mindset that's happening today....list or buy before the market shifts, and no one knows whether that will or will not happen.
Is this the main driver of Covid IMO, probably not....is it one of them, I honestly don't know because it's not being tracked, but based on the transmission of the virus, how could it not be?
 
Mendalla said:
While am no longer a member of the UU fellowship, I do still read the newsletter and upcoming services. Might rejoin once the pandemic is under control.

Read the April issue today and found out that a respected elder of that church, a 91 year-old retired astronomy prof from Western, passed way from complications of COVID. We had some great discussions during my time there because she really appreciated my love for science, especially her own field, and how I worked it into my sermons. I did a whole service on spirituality and space exploration and she loved it. We also had a connection through the father of one of Little M's grade school friends, who was chair of physics & astronomy when our kids were hanging out together. She had helped recruit him for the university. I haven't seen her in a few years but will miss her greatly.

Brings home again that this bug is real and dangerous and having a real impact on lives.
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A story on her from the Free Press. She got her PhD at 23! Did not know that.

lfpress.com

COVID-19 claims trail-blazing London astronomer

One measure of Amelia Wehlau’s intelligence is the way she would blurt out the answers to Trivial Pursuit questions, even when she wasn’t playing.
lfpress.com lfpress.com
 
JayneWonders said:
The thing is, their idiocy would be worse if not working.

Hey, who says the strippers weren't 6ft apart and wearing masks
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Oh the video shows that. Terrible video. Men going down in her, conga line dancing, lap dancing

and if she is a stripper and it’s what she chooses to do that is her right. But the choices of these men are unbelievable

and the dry wall contractor , who apparently knew nothing about this, just four employees, has lost the Mattamy Home contract. I believe it is the biggest or one of the biggest home builders. So that is a huge blow to the dry wall company and all their other employees
 
We sold our Toronto home last June. Our kids sold a condo in September and bought a house in October

there were tons of rules so I don’t think you need to excessively worry about house showings

no open houses are allowed. Individual buyers and agents. No opening of cupboards and drawers. So we left cupboard doors open so they could be viewed. No use of bathrooms. No turning on of taps. Agent must stay with buyers at all times. Must wear masks. Must socially distance......

are people fro Toronto driving to smaller cities and towns to look for houses. Sure. But people travel to take hikes, to walk. again, lots of rules about what you can and cannot do
 
NS homes are selling sight unseen ( in person) over the internet. I think Real Estate agents here are getting really good at video showings. Right now, anything here sells. Not so good if you are locally and want to buy.
 
Mrs.Anteater said:
NS homes are selling sight unseen ( in person) over the internet. I think Real Estate agents here are getting really good at video showings. Right now, anything here sells. Not so good if you are locally and want to buy.
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This I agree with.....video showings.....people are so nuts about buying houses I doubt they will care.
 
Lastpointe said:
We sold our Toronto home last June. Our kids sold a condo in September and bought a house in October

there were tons of rules so I don’t think you need to excessively worry about house showings

no open houses are allowed. Individual buyers and agents. No opening of cupboards and drawers. So we left cupboard doors open so they could be viewed. No use of bathrooms. No turning on of taps. Agent must stay with buyers at all times. Must wear masks. Must socially distance......

are people fro Toronto driving to smaller cities and towns to look for houses. Sure. But people travel to take hikes, to walk. again, lots of rules about what you can and cannot do
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But you're addressing surfaces, what about the air? And yes I would leave windows open, but that's not foolproof either. And what guarantee did you have that anyone wouldn't have Covid entering your home?
 
You don’t have a guarantee however they are asked.

as to the air in your house? Covid is spread through droplets yes. But they fall to the ground. That’s why you stay six feet apart. So the droplets fall to the ground. And then remain harmless. It is only when you are inhaling. And now they also realize that all our cleaning hard surfaces isn’t important either. But even then, people looking at houses are masked. In our case also gloved though I think that is unneccessary. And yes they are thinking aerosol spread, which lasts longer in the air. That is one of the reasons they gave for limiting your outdoor activities to only those you live with now. But again, people looking at houses are masked

however, at the time last summer we didn’t know that. Only the real estate agent, who wore gloves could touch things. And I did still clean the door knobs anyway

i think like everything it is risk and perspective. You get gas for your car. You touch the handles, insert your card, punch in buttons And then you wipe your hands and sanitize and keep going. You don’t never get gas in case the handle is contaminated

people Buying houses are masked. They are no more a risk to you than the people in front of you in line at the grocery store

Many people are buying houses outside of cities as they now realize they can work from home and buy cheaper real estate. Other people are eager to get out of condos and elevators and no balconies. Both our kids though will stay in Toronto. For the eventual return of concerts, plays, restaurants and all their friends
 
Lastpointe said:
You don’t have a guarantee however they are asked.

as to the air in your house? Covid is spread through droplets yes. But they fall to the ground. That’s why you stay six feet apart. So the droplets fall to the ground. And then remain harmless. It is only when you are inhaling. And now they also realize that all our cleaning hard surfaces isn’t important either. But even then, people looking at houses are masked. In our case also gloved though I think that is unneccessary. And yes they are thinking aerosol spread, which lasts longer in the air. That is one of the reasons they gave for limiting your outdoor activities to only those you live with now. But again, people looking at houses are masked

however, at the time last summer we didn’t know that. Only the real estate agent, who wore gloves could touch things. And I did still clean the door knobs anyway

i think like everything it is risk and perspective. You get gas for your car. You touch the handles, insert your card, punch in buttons And then you wipe your hands and sanitize and keep going. You don’t never get gas in case the handle is contaminated

people Buying houses are masked. They are no more a risk to you than the people in front of you in line at the grocery store

Many people are buying houses outside of cities as they now realize they can work from home and buy cheaper real estate. Other people are eager to get out of condos and elevators and no balconies. Both our kids though will stay in Toronto. For the eventual return of concerts, plays, restaurants and all their friends
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My sister is a real estate agent in St. Catharines (35 years)......one of the top 5 in Royal Lepages 14 offices in the the Niagara region....in other words she is extremely busy with Toronto and local buyers and listings. She has learned from dealing with Toronto agents and buyers (and those coming in on a referral which isn't too often these days as the Toronto agents are willing to drive to get more than a 25% referral) to show up at her listings when they show it.....it's an inconvenience but she has learned that many agents are not providing masks and many buyers that didn't bring any. NO hand sanitizer, so she also provides that....and she watches. One of the comments she hears over and over again is, "Why do we have to do that when we didn't have to do it when viewing houses in Toronto?") They also get mad when they bring the whole family and she refuses to allow the whole family in. She also mails the form to the Toronto agents (that some say isn't necessary) that they "forget" to have signed asking the potential buyers to sign upon arrival and give to her stating they agree to her terms and if they have signs of Covid. What she tells me she witnesses is probably not on your radar but it's on hers and I believe her.
The thing is, maybe you had a diligent agent, but unless you have cameras in your home, you don't really know.
 
I think viewings should mostly be video first right now. With the licensing it can be included what needs to be shown, ie. It's not allowed with showings yo purposely cover up damage, do the same with video showings. If people want to do an in person because they are interested after that then allow that but with the covid questionnaire, masks and time between showings.
 
Lastpointe said:
You don’t have a guarantee however they are asked.

as to the air in your house? Covid is spread through droplets yes. But they fall to the ground. That’s why you stay six feet apart. So the droplets fall to the ground. And then remain harmless. It is only when you are inhaling. And now they also realize that all our cleaning hard surfaces isn’t important either. But even then, people looking at houses are masked. In our case also gloved though I think that is unneccessary. And yes they are thinking aerosol spread, which lasts longer in the air. That is one of the reasons they gave for limiting your outdoor activities to only those you live with now. But again, people looking at houses are masked

however, at the time last summer we didn’t know that. Only the real estate agent, who wore gloves could touch things. And I did still clean the door knobs anyway

i think like everything it is risk and perspective. You get gas for your car. You touch the handles, insert your card, punch in buttons And then you wipe your hands and sanitize and keep going. You don’t never get gas in case the handle is contaminated

people Buying houses are masked. They are no more a risk to you than the people in front of you in line at the grocery store
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Mrs.Anteater said:
You realize this is a company selling airfilter systems.....
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No I didn't, BUT I could probably come up with other sources. The article did have two studies listed to confirm the new findings and I believe the CDC just announced this too.
 
I certainly believe your sisters experience as you are reporting it. And that is very unfortunate. It was certainly not our experience. And I guess if it was me, my house, my worries , i would tell my real estate agent to only allow people inside my home who are complying with the rules. Too bad so sad for all the others

people can be pigs. People can ignore things. Always have

and at all times I expect my own agent to be in my home for showings. No matter what the situation is. It is there job to show the house!answer questions and in fact guard the house from petty theft, damage, and. Now non Covid compliant buyers. when we sold 8 years ago our agent was in the house for all showings and she was this year too

and I have never looked at a house, here or in Florida where the listing agent or a staff member was not there. So I trust them to monitor it and protect it

i have never had an open house in any place we have owned and sold for the main reason of security of our possessions.
for two Christmas‘ I helped at those charity decoration things. Houses get decorated for Christmas, you buy a $20 ticket and one afternoon can visit all the houses. But each house had a volunteer in each room in each house. To guard the owners possessions

as I said, people can be pigs
 
Lastpointe said:
I certainly believe your sisters experience as you are reporting it. And that is very unfortunate. It was certainly not our experience. And I guess if it was me, my house, my worries , i would tell my real estate agent to only allow people inside my home who are complying with the rules. Too bad so sad for all the others

people can be pigs. People can ignore things. Always have

and at all times I expect my own agent to be in my home for showings. No matter what the situation is. It is there job to show the house!answer questions and in fact guard the house from petty theft, damage, and. Now non Covid compliant buyers. when we sold 8 years ago our agent was in the house for all showings and she was this year too

and I have never looked at a house, here or in Florida where the listing agent or a staff member was not there. So I trust them to monitor it and protect it

i have never had an open house in any place we have owned and sold for the main reason of security of our possessions.
for two Christmas‘ I helped at those charity decoration things. Houses get decorated for Christmas, you buy a $20 ticket and one afternoon can visit all the houses. But each house had a volunteer in each room in each house. To guard the owners possessions

as I said, people can be pigs
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Yes that's good, but to be honest most agents if they're busy won't be there when another agent shows the house.....thus lock boxes(not just for empty homes) or an extra key left with the listing agent. Showing appointments are made through the listing agent from other agents. A sold sign that goes up on an agents listing, doesn't mean that's who actually sold the house. Any agent from any company can show a listing and bring in offers. The selling agent cannot put their sign up to say they were actually the one who sold it.
Anyway, I'm glad you had a good agent and respectful buyers.
 
While on the topic of construction, I personally am wondering why construction isn't being stopped, but it seems Doug Ford gets a lot of donations for his party from those needing zoning changes, including Mattamy Homes. Hmmmm

www.nationalobserver.com

Exclusive: Doug Ford donors benefit as fast-tracked developments override environmental concerns

The Ford government has used ministerial zoning orders, or MZOs, to override environmental concerns in 14 cases, an analysis by Canada’s National Observer shows. In many cases, developers who benefitted donated thousands to the PCs and Ontario Proud.
www.nationalobserver.com www.nationalobserver.com
 
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