This week’s bulletin includes an update on in-person open houses and showings, plus information on Alberta’s Open for Summer Lottery and second dose COVID-19 vaccinations.

Open house ban lifted

The Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA) has announced that in alignment with Stage 2 of the Government of Alberta's Open for Summer Plan, open houses are now permitted.

Please remember that it is important to discuss open house procedures in detail with your clients to ensure they are conducted in accordance with seller instructions and safety protocols.

As always, members and their clients will be required to adhere to health and safety measures when hosting in-person open houses. While AREA is no longer limiting open house activities, the following guidelines must be followed: 

• Physical distancing must be observed at all times between all cohorts and REALTORS^®.
• REALTORS^® must manage open house traffic accordingly, including a conversation with each visiting party. This may also include some level of entry management (such as a door sign) or quick mention to an arriving party that they must wait until another party leaves. 
• Masking and sanitizing requirements remain in effect. 
• REALTORS^® should continue to discourage unnecessary touching of surfaces in the home by the attendees. 
• Other COVID-19 related instructions from clients must be followed (limited touching of surfaces, completion of COVID-19 forms, etc.). 
• REALTORS^® must seek the seller's instruction on what protocols they feel comfortable with in their home prior to arranging an open house. 

If a client would like to proceed with open houses but the REALTOR^® is not comfortable hosting them, the agent can consider soliciting assistance from a peer in their brokerage who is comfortable with offering this service. 

For detailed safety protocol information, as well as the details on the Government of Alberta's re-launch approach, click here.

To access additional information and resources for REALTORS^®, please visit the COVID-19 hub on CREB^®Link.

Update: In-person showings

In alignment with Stage 2 of the Government of Alberta's Open for Summer Plan, the Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA) has lifted restrictions for the number of attendees permitted at a showing.  

Listing agents should discuss this change with sellers and obtain their instructions in writing if they choose to limit the number of people attending showings. 

Please note, masking requirements remain mandatory during showings. As well, there are no changes to the showing rule relaxation at this time. 

To access additional information and resources for REALTORS^®, please visit the COVID-19 hub on CREB^®Link.

If you have a question for CREB^® Member Practice, please contact crebmp@creb.ca

Second dose COVID-19 vaccinations

If you received your first COVID-19 vaccine dose in March or April, you are now eligible to book your second dose through AHS or participating pharmacies. Those who received their first dose in May will be able to book their second dose starting June 28.

For more information about second doses, click here.

Open for Summer Lottery

All Alberta residents 18 years of age or older who have had at least one dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine can enter to win one of three $1-million prizes in the Government of Alberta’s Open for Summer Lottery.

Registration for the first draw will close one week after 70 per cent of eligible Albertans have received their first vaccine dose.

For more details or to enter, click here.

COVID-19 communication feedback

At CREB^®, we are constantly striving to provide our members with the information, tools and resources needed to succeed, and we want to know how helpful you find our COVID-19 communication.

Click here to take our short survey.

CREB^® is closely monitoring news regarding COVID-19 and is committed to providing our members with the most up-to-date and relevant information.

To access additional information and resources for REALTORS^®, please visit the COVID-19 hub on CREB^®Link.