Date Archives: April 2020

At Progressive Urban Real Estate, we deeply care about ensuring that our community has access to the resources needed during this period of uncertainty. In order to ensure this, we put together a comprehensive list of Cleveland neighborhoods and greater Cleveland bordering cities that includes a link to each individual city and/or community development corporation's COVID-19 resources page. 

Neighborhood Community Development Corporations (City of Cleveland)

Bellaire-Puritas

Central-Kinsman-Buckeye

Cleveland Flats

Collinwood

Cudell-Edgewater

Detroit Shoreway

Downtown Cleveland

Campus District

Historic Gateway District

Historic Warehouse District

Fairfax

Glenville

Little Italy

Metro West

Stockyard Neighborhood

Clark-Fulton

Brooklyn Centre

Midtown

Ohio City

Old Brooklyn

Shaker Square

Slavic Village

St. Clair-Superior

Tremont

University Circle

West Boulevard

West Park

Greater Cleveland Cities (bordering)

Brooklyn

Brooklyn Heights

Cleveland Heights/University Heights

Cuyahoga Heights

East Cleveland

Fairview Park

Garfield Heights

Lakewood

Maple Heights

Newburgh Heights

Shaker Heights

I wanted to take a moment to let our clients, customers, and friends know how we are doing here at Progressive Urban Real Estate during this extraordinarily difficult time. First of all, we are open for business and have been working remotely since March 16th. Since real estate is considered an essential business, we are taking the proper precautions to keep our agents, clients, and customers safe. Below are some basic guidelines about how to conduct business in today's market. Because there are many facets to the real estate business, we need to look at each situation differently. Please ask your agent if you have any questions so that we can figure out a path that is best for you.

For buyers, social distancing must be part of the showing routine and you may want to consider only looking at vacant homes. Things that you can do to stay safe include: driving separately from your agent to showings, staying 6 feet away from your agent or anyone else, wearing gloves and/or a mask, using hand sanitizer after every showing, washing your hands whenever possible, and avoid touching your face. When you get home you may want to shower and wash the clothes that you were wearing.

For sellers, if you currently live in the property that you are selling know that there is a risk letting people show your home whether you leave at the time of showing or not. While there does not seem to be a conclusion on exactly how the disease is spread, what is known is that it is highly contagious and it can live on surfaces for a period of time. Also, know that buyer's agents and their customers may only be showing vacant homes in order to keep their risk of infection low. If you are selling a property that is tenant occupied, it is in everyone's best interest that that property not be shown. Whether owner or tenant occupied, sellers must think about potential liability if a tenant or a customer coming through a listing contracts the disease and looks to place blame. Depending on your circumstances, if you have an occupied home or showings of your vacant home have slowed or stopped, you may want to consider taking the home temporarily off the market. The Multiple Listing Service has changed their rules so that a home can be taken off the market temporarily (TOMK) and the days on market will stop accruing. Flexibility is key in times of crisis.

We all need to work together in order to get through the pandemic and help lessen its effects on each one of us and the overall population. I stress that you are not in this alone. If you have questions about your situation, talk to your agent so that we can figure out the best solution for you. Also note that we have switched up our marketing by trying to post community resources along with the homes we have listed in order to balance business with the needs of the community.

Stay safe Cleveland!

David Sharkey
President
Progressive Urban Real Estate