COVID Update From Troy Briggs
Good morning membership! Hope everyone is doing great this beautiful morning. Have a couple of things we need to go over. The first thing; per the Governor’s order’s, the Ruidoso/Lincoln County Association of REALTORS® office will be closed for the 14-day period; till December 1st. If you need a lockbox, an authorization code, pay your dues, have a question, need help of any kind please give the office a call (575-257-4750) or send an email (deena.rlcar@gmail.com or kayla.rlcar@gmail.com). It's business as usual for the association office.
Second thing with the Governor’s orders, it states that all Real Estate offices are to be closed and no customer contact. This also goes for the Title Companies. Ashley Strauss-Martin and NMAR will be fighting for our livelihood. Below is the order, so that you can make the determination of how you should handle this.
Troy Briggs
2020 RLCAR President
Clarification of the public health order, obtained by NMAR from the Governor's office:
Real Estate brokerages and REALTOR® Associations must close their physical offices. Real estate brokers/staff and Association staff must work remotely;
Brokers may NOT have personal interaction with customers/clients or those involved in the real estate transaction; all communications must be done remotely. Open Houses are prohibited;
Properties MAY continue to be shown; however, the buyer must visit and inspect the property without the broker.*
Inspections, repairs, appraisals and other services as required by the Purchase Agreement may continue; however, again, the broker cannot have personal interactions with the individuals performing these services; all communication/interaction must be done remotely.
Title companies MAY continue to Close transactions.
Real Estate has been crucial to keeping our economy going since this pandemic began and we strongly believe that it IS an essential service. NMAR will continue to work with the Governor’s Office and the Public Health Officials to specifically return real estate to the list of “essential businesses” in the next public health order. To assist in that endeavor, you may wish to contact the Governor’s Office directly at the following address/phone:
490 Old Santa Fe Trail Room 400
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Phone: (505) 476-2200
Toll free: (833) 520-0020
To send an email to Governor Lujan Grisham, visit
https://www.governor.state.nm.us/contact-the-governor/.
*GUIDANCE FROM NMAR LEGAL COUNSEL: This can be accomplished by the broker opening the home for the buyer and then allowing the buyer to tour the home without the broker present. If a seller is not comfortable with this arrangement, showings of the property will have to cease through November 30, 2020. If a seller is willing to allow the potential buyer in the property without the presence of a broker, then the seller should be reminded to secure all valuables and medications. If a buyer is not comfortable touring a home without his/her broker, the buyer will have to suspend the viewing of properties through November 30, 2020.
