The door reopens and buyers respond
It was great to see the first step towards ‘normal’ being taken this weekend after the State Government announced this week that physical property inspections were once again possible now that 70% of eligible Victorians have had at least one Coronavirus vaccine.
Not surprisingly, our phones have been ringing off the hook since Thursday with countless buyers and renters calling to make appointments to view all those properties they’ve been viewing online over the past few weeks.
Mind you, the recent run of properties being sold ‘sight unseen’ continued this week with the successful sale of a development site in Hood Street, Airport West (pictured). This property, which had plans and permits for a four-level building combining office space with a top floor apartment, was due to be auctioned during the week. However, a strong offer of $1.018 million prior to the auction saw the SOLD sign go up on Monday evening.
The good news for buyers is that physical inspections are now possible, with certain restrictions to keep everyone safe. Here’s what the picture looks like this week:
- You can now physically inspect a property for sale or rent, but only by appointment.
- The property must be unoccupied at the time you inspect it.
- In-person inspections are to be undertaken by one household at a time, and the agent must remain outside while the inspection is under way.
- You are required to your register your attendance by scanning a QR code prior to entering the property.
- You will also need to have photo ID on you.
- To help prevent the spread of the virus, everyone is required to wear a mask and to maintain appropriate distancing at all times.
- Auctions will continue to be conducted online, so if you wish to bid it is important to contact the agent to register prior to the auction.
Hopefully that should answer any uncertainties that you may have, but if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call at Barry Plant Moonee Valley on 9373 0000.
One thing you can be sure of is that the Spring property market is now well and truly hitting its straps. But keep in mind that we’ve already lost several weeks of the season due to uncertainty about the restrictions, so if you’re planning on making a move, I would suggest that you start getting the wheels in motion this week so you can make the most of the enormous pent-up demand that has built up in the past few months.
Regards,
Bill Karp
Director – Barry Plant Real Estate
Essendon, Keilor East & Gladstone Park