4Buyers Real Estate is open. We are ready to help you find and buy your new home. And we are working to keep you safe.

We have an overall plan that we think makes sense for us and for you, our clients. Below are our minimum standards, as of May 25, 2020. (Each agent is choosing their level of safety, and they may be even more cautious, but not less!)

What a househunter needs to know.

We will go with you to see houses.

Before we go, we will find out as much as we can about the house, so we can rule out as many as we can ahead of time. Often, we can get floor plans, closing dates, and the pictures and data on the listing sheets. This is not a good time to go inside a lot of houses just to look at lots of duds.

Is the property occupied? Some of our agents do not want to show occupied properties, even if the resident is not there. Please discuss this with your agent before choosing to work with us.

While showing property: Our agents always wear a mask when doing work outside of their own home. They will make every effort to remain six feet from people outside their household.

They will have these things on hand when showing a house or condo:

Hand sanitizer for use before entering and upon leaving any house
Either wipes for doorknobs and must-touch surfaces, or gloves to wear when viewing properties

What listing agents and owners are requiring:

We expect our clients to comply with the direction of the property owners if they exceed our procedures.

Some sellers are requiring these measures:

All must sanitize their hands before entering and upon leaving.
Wear booties in the house or condo
No children allowed
No parties of more than two at a time

We are seeing requirements from listing agents to vet our clients before a showing. Some are asking for one or more of these pieces of paperwork:

Pre-approval or proof of asset letters
Signed agency disclosure forms
Signed papers saying you will comply with their social distancing regulation.
Signed papers saying you do not have a fever, a cough, or have tested positive for Covid19 in the last month
Signed papers saying you have reviewed all the materials on MLS, and seen a virtual tour before coming to the house or condo

Where do we meet and talk?

Our office is open. We have a conference room with a capacity of about six. We are limiting it to four. However, we’d rather meet with you digitally or in a park. We really like the idea of a park, so we can socially distance, talk, and get some sun.

Our overall office has a capacity of 25, by Massachusetts Covid work standards. Our full staff has seven people. We work among ourselves and with our landlords to keep the office clean and safe.

You can feel confident when you work with 4 Buyers Real Estate. For full transparency, here is our internal policy on workplace safety.

Our current policy

May 25, 2020.

4 Buyers Real Estate complies with Massachusetts Mandatory Workplace Safety Standards in the following ways:

Summary:

Agents may use the office for conferences with clients using the protocols below. The capacity of the conference room will not exceed four, in order to have adequate room.
Agents may show property for sale using the protocols below.
There will be no face-to-face full staff meetings until social distancing regulations are lifted. We do not have a single room big enough.

Social Distancing

All persons, including staff, clients, and allied professionals, such as home inspectors or contractors, should remain at least six feet apart to the greatest extent possible, both inside and outside workplaces.
Due to social distancing requirements, agents will not share car spaces with other staff, clients, and allied professionals such as home inspectors or contractors. The physical office will be used only when staff can practice adequate social distancing. Face-to-face meetings may be held in the conference room, outdoors, or in other settings that are large enough for social distancing. Phone and digital meetings are preferable until further changes in government protocols.
Signage for safe social distancing at open houses and at listed property cannot be achieved by 4 Buyers Real Estate. We must depend on the owners and listing agents. The office signage will be created by Christ-Darlow (the architects we share office space with).
4 Buyers Real Estate requires face coverings or masks for all staff, any clients or prospects or allied professionals.

Hygiene Protocols

Hygiene protocols at open houses and at listed property cannot be achieved by 4 Buyers Real Estate. We must depend on the listed property owners and listing agents.

In order to be self-sufficient, 4 Buyers Real Estate staff will carry the following, and use liberally, when showing property or meeting with prospects, clients, or allied professionals. Agents will:

Always wear a mask when doing work outside of your home.
Carry hand sanitizer for your use and the use of prospects, clients, or allied professionals. Use before entering and upon leaving any house.
Provide either sanitatary wipes for doorknobs and must-touch surfaces, or gloves to wear when viewing properties.
Comply with the direction of the property owners, if they exceed our procedures (such as confirming that no one has active symptoms, banning children, requiring booties be worn, etc.).

Within the office, 4 Buyers Real Estate will:

Provide hand washing capabilities throughout the workplace.
Ensure frequent hand washing by staff and adequate supplies to do so.
Provide regular sanitization of high-touch areas, such as workstations, equipment, screens, doorknobs, and restrooms throughout work site.
When weather permits, open windows during business hours.

Staffing and Operations

Staff are trained in social distancing and hygiene protocols.
Staff who are displaying COVID19-like symptoms must not report to work. They must not have face-to-face contact with clients or prospects. They must alert their broker.
If staff begin to feel sick at work, they are to leave as soon as possible. They must alert their broker.
Staff who develop a fever cannot return to face-to-face contact with staff, prospects, or clients for two weeks, unless they test negative for COVID19.

Cleaning and Disinfecting

The office shared with Christ-Darlow will have a cleaning protocol suited to the work of the architects. It will be sufficient for our use.
4 Buyers Real Estate staff will use disinfectant wipes on the conference room table and chairs, before and after use.
Disinfection of all common surfaces will take place at intervals appropriate to the workplace.
When active staff is diagnosed with COVID19, cleaning and disinfecting must be performed. In the event that a staff member develops Covid19 and has been in the office within five days of the onset of symptoms, they must inform their broker so that cleaning protocol will be enforced

May 25, 2020