Clients’ Stories Show Gov. Wolf Needs to Sign HB 2412

Editor’s note: This Call-to-Action is no longer active. House Bill 2421 passed the House and Senate but was vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf on May 19, 2020.

Over the past few months, I’ve heard from so many of you with stories of clients who are dramatically affected by Pennsylvania’s shutdown.

PAR has heard your concerns and that’s why your association is pushing Gov. Tom Wolf to sign House Bill 2412, which would allow real estate professionals to do business in every county of the state. The association strongly supports this legislation to help many Pennsylvanians who are experiencing tremendous hardships because they are unable to buy or sell their homes and urges consumers to contact the governor at HousingIsEssential.org and ask him to sign HB 2412.

One of my client’s stories highlights the difficult scenarios our clients are facing. My client is a doctor, who lived with his family in Doylestown. Currently, they’re trapped in an unfathomable situation following the governor’s shutdown orders, which brought in-person real estate activities to a screeching halt.

My client is a virologist and prior to the pandemic accepted a new position with a laboratory in New York. He purchased a home for his family there and rented his home in Pennsylvania on a monthly basis. Although not ideal because the rent didn’t quite cover his mortgage, he believed this would work. And then his tenants moved out. So he’s left having to sell his home because he’s shouldering two mortgages.

In the meantime, this client has moved his aging parents in with him. And his new lab position is now with a research facility designated to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. In the midst of the pandemic, my client left his lab and drove five hours each way so he could live-stream his home for a virtual showing, all while making sure to follow the governor’s orders for the current Red-Phase Bucks County. Instead of focusing his efforts on his valuable research to fight this devastating virus, he had to travel to Pennsylvania because his real estate agent was unable to show a vacant property to potential buyers or walk inside with a camera of his own.

As Realtors®, we’re committed to the safe practice of our profession and we’re adhering to guidelines provided by the Department of State, which mandate even stricter personal protective equipment requirements than currently imposed upon dentists performing surgery. PAR assembled a team of knowledgeable practitioners and legal staff to develop a set of guidelines for how to do business safely. This is not “business as usual.”

So many Realtors® know many clients in the commonwealth who are trapped in this situation. Expectant mothers who planned to leave their rental home and buy a new one only to find themselves “stuck” in a place they will be leaving the minute an order is lifted. Retirees looking to downsize who are unable to do so. Families who have lost a loved one and are unable to sell a home.

My client’s situation, and hundreds of other consumers experiencing similar issues, can be solved by the governor signing HB 2412. Gov. Wolf needs to deem housing essential in Pennsylvania and sign House Bill 2412.

Please contact Gov. Wolf and tell him to sign House Bill 2412 by visiting HousingIsEssential.org.