Douglas Homes has implemented new protocols to ensure prospective home buyers, and realtors are safe while limiting the spread of COVID-19.
In response to COVID-19, Douglas Homes promises to sanitize the premises before and after appointments, cancel appointments if anyone is experiencing flu-like symptoms, practice social distancing, and use email, video, and phone contact whenever possible.
“I have only heard positive feedback about being glad we are taking it seriously and have a process in place,” said the Douglas Homes Sales and Marketing Coordinator Amy Furness.
“Things are changing daily. The first thing for us was to get up the appropriate signage and to have some informational graphics on-site, on our spec homes, on our show homes, and then create a process as we go forward,” she said.
She added, there was no hesitation on ensuring the safety of the community and Douglas Homes staff during this unprecedented time.
At first, the Douglas Homes team thought shutting down show homes and going by appointment only was the appropriate measure to take.
However, as the COVID-19 response evolved, the team decided to keep show homes open and regulate the amount of people walking through.
Now, to view a show home, a potential client must make an appointment prior, and there is only one person permitted at a time.
“We have a process around it, and have that conversation with people before they enter,”
Furness said.
“We’re ensuring people are sanitizing before and after entering the show homes, cleaning before and after, and we have a brief questionnaire with people before they enter to make sure they hadn’t been traveling,” she said.
In addition to the increased sanitization practices and questionnaire, at this time, the Douglas Homes team is asking families to not bring their children into view any of the show homes.
“It’s not that we don’t love to have children in the show home, but sometimes they are more wild,” Furness said.
Having children in the Douglas Homes show home is something that Furness and the team would welcome back when the time is right
“All realtors have been made aware of the new protocols put in place and must abide by the new measures,” Furness said.
Moving forward, the Douglas Homes team is constantly thinking of what they can do better, what else they can do, and how they can continue to assist potential clients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“For us, it’s evolved as we’ve gone along day by day,” Furness said.
“We’ve started to do 3-D tours, we’ve been taking more photographs, we’ve been sending more information to people because they want to do work ahead of time, we’re doing video calls because sometimes people like to sit and talk face-to-face, we’ve done whatever we can to make the client or potential buyer feel comfortable,” she said.
Adding, “COVID-19 has made us be more creative and think more outside of the box.”
Although the amount of people touring the Douglas Homes show homes did change in the beginning, by being appointment only and having the experience regulated, there are home buyers out there.
“It is a great time to buy with fantastic interest rates and a lot of inventory to choose from,” Furness said.
Douglas Homes promises to keep the show homes open and do whatever they can do ensure the client feels comfortable while helping them find the perfect home.
“We have the ear to the ground and are watching how things go. We are being reactive, as the curve goes up and down, we are changing with it,” Furness said.
She added, “We won’t be lifting the protocols until we know we’re 100 per cent safe. We intend on keeping the safety measures in place until this is all over. We aren’t completely out of the woods yet.”
At this time, show home viewers are asked to wash and sanitize hands before and after appointments, practice social distancing, not touch anything during the viewing, and cancel the appointment if flu-like symptoms occur.
For additional information, or to schedule an appointment, please visit the Douglas Homes website at https://douglashomes.net/.
