We are all navigating uncharted waters as we deal with this global pandemic. The health and safety of buyers, sellers, agents and our own employees is our top priority. Branch Property Investigations has taken adaptive steps to best meet the needs of our clients and we’d like to share how we plan to conduct business until transmission of the coronavirus is no longer of concern.
Given COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly from person to person contact and “droplets” when an infected person coughs or sneezes, we are minimizing risk by taking the following precautions:
Inspection Walkthroughs Via Live “Zoom” Video Chats
Fortunately, technology already plays a large role in how we communicate information to our clients. Our inspection reports are made available to clients via an online portal (with the ability to print a PDF report).
Going forward, we are encouraging clients and agents to engage in a post-inspection video chat, led by their inspector(s) on the platform, “Zoom”. Much like a typical walkthrough, the inspector will go over the report, bringing to light defects or areas of concern, allowing up to an hour for discussion and questions.
We have already conducted walkthroughs this week using Zoom and things ran very smoothly; it appears to be a great solution until we can resume in-person walkthroughs.
Extra Precautions While We are Inspecting Homes
We have begun taking new protective measures when investigating homes. Inspectors will use either disinfectant wipes (until supplies are exhausted) or paper towels sprayed with a disinfectant, to clean door knobs, faucets and other things we may touch during the inspection. We can’t be sure we’ll get every surface. Therefore, we encourage property owners to clean surfaces for extra protection after we leave.
We can also wear N-95 masks during our inspection to minimize vapor transmission into the home.
Of course, if any of our team members exhibit COVID-19 symptoms, such as elevated temperature, dry cough, or difficulty breathing, they will not work. They will not inspect until properly cleared or until they have completed a self-quarantine for the recommended 14 days.
Please feel free to call us at (612) 440-8466 if you have any questions or concerns!