Open houses will soon be allowed in the Greater Toronto Area again. The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) just issued a document outlining new guidelines so they can be done in a safe manner to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In-person open houses were previouly suspended but the Ontario Government has lifted the prohibition in York, Halton, and Durham Regions effective this Friday, July 24.

Peel Region and the City of Toronto are expected to follow suit when they enter Stage 3 of the provincial reopening.

Although in-person open houses will soon be allowed, TRREB still recommends that real estate agents favour other marketing approaches including virtual open house tours.

For real estate agents and sellers doing open houses, TRREB now recommends several measures according to their Open House Guidance document including mandating that potential buyers wear a mask, not touch anything and keep their distance from others.

Other measures recommended include:

• Limiting the number of people visiting the property at one time
• Requiring potential buyers to sign in and wash their hands
• Giving clear directions for people to follow while viewing the home

The real estate market in Toronto has shown strong signs of a rebound in the last month with big increases in sales and listings.