Legislation would allow real estate activities to continue during the pandemic

A bill recently introduced in the state House would require the Department of Community and Economic Development secretary to issue a waiver to the COVID-19 Business Closure Order to allow all real estate-related activities to resume.

Other states that have issued stay-at-homes orders, but have made exemptions for real estate. Gov. Tom Wolf’s order classified real estate as nonessential.

“It doesn’t make sense,” Rep. Todd Polinchock (R-Bucks), who introduced the bill, said. “Food and shelter are two of the most essential elements in life. Citizens of the Commonwealth need to be able to find housing. Real estate licensees are equipped with the skills to complete the process and transactions safely and with minimal further risk to the health of the people of Pennsylvania.”

Under the bill, the real estate industry would be required to adhere to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines for social distancing and other measures to control the spread of COVID-19.

More than 1.3 million Pennsylvanians have applied for unemployment compensation benefits since the pandemic began, according to the state Department of Labor and Industry. This figure is expected to increase.

Classifying real estate as nonessential has crippled the housing market and devastated the lives of real estate professionals and their clients, Polinchock’s office said.