PSAR launches Property Management Resource Page
PSAR will provide links and resources to property managers and landlords to help with information as we navigate the COVID-19 Crisis. It can be found here.

Judicial Council Suspends Evictions and Foreclosures
Among the actions the council approved, to go into effect immediately: Suspend the entry of defaults in eviction cases & Suspend judicial foreclosures. More information here.

CAR Releases two New Property Management Forms 4/6/2020
Form NTAP (Notice to Tenant of Ability to Pay Rent During Coronavirus Pandemic) is an informational notice that a landlord can send to a tenant for the purpose of starting a dialogue with the tenant regarding the payment of rent during the coronavirus pandemic.
Form RPD (Coronavirus Rent Payment Delay and Repayment) is an addendum to a residential lease or rental agreement that, when agreed to and signed by the landlord and tenant, documents the tenant’s claim that the tenant is unable to pay rent and the reason for the inability; proof of the inability to pay; the amount of the rent not being paid; and a plan to pay it in the future.

By Order of the San Diego County Public Health Officer

No later than 12:00 a.m. on April 7, 2020:

All businesses that remain in operation in accordance with the Order and that allow members of the public to enter a facility must prepare and post a “Social Distancing and Sanitation Protocol” for each of their facilities open to the public. The Social Distancing and Sanitation Protocol must be posted at or near the entrance of the relevant facility, and shall be easily viewable by the public and employees.

A fillable Social Distancing Protocol template can be found here and utilized to fulfill this requirement.

A copy of the Social Distancing and Sanitation Protocol must also be provided to each employee performing work at the facility.

All businesses shall implement the Social Distancing and Sanitation Protocol and provide evidence of its implementation to any authority enforcing this Order upon demand.

The Social Distancing and Sanitation Protocol must ensure all required measures are implemented and must identify and require measures necessary to implement social distancing and sanitation at that facility.

If the measures identified and implemented are not effective in maintaining proper social distancing and sanitation, additional measures shall be identified and implemented or the facility shall be closed.

Effective Saturday, April 4, 2020:  All employees who may have contact with the public in any grocery store, pharmacy/drug store, convenience store, gas station, restaurant or other business establishment that serves food shall wear a cloth face covering as described in the California Department of Public Health Face Covering Guidance. 

Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19

From the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - Click Here - 

Step-by-Step Instructions to Make a Fabric Face Mask

For those interested in making masks to wear in nonclinical settings or for personal use, Kaiser Permanente offers step-by-step instructions and an accompanying how-to video. Even homemade masks need to meet certain specifications in order to be effective. Please, if you are sharing the community masks you are making with others, masks should be washed before wear. - Mask Instructions  - 

On Friday, April 3rd, Doug McCauley, was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom as Commissioner of the California Department of Real Estate.

Doug has served as chief deputy director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development since 2018, and has served as acting director of the Department since 2019. He was executive officer at the California Architects Board from 2001 to 2018. Doug earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Golden Gate University.

According to the DRE, this transition is expected to occur in early May.

Southern California Housing Forecast Live Every Wednesday - 10:00 am

What will be the state of our real estate profession, and both local and national economies, after the COVID-19 pandemic is passed? Will the “new norm” of mandated adaptions we have made during the crisis become permanent?

Economist Steven Thomas, publisher of “Reports on Housing,” recently spoke to PSAR members on Wednesday during a virtual "Zoom Meeting"and offered several interesting insights. Since 2004, Thomas has been publishing “Reports on Housing,” a monthly report for real estate professionals. The report tracks regional demand, inventory, distressed homes and market data. It also shares what buyers, sellers and real estate professionals are experiencing in the trenches. He will be providing a new live report next Wednesday, April 8th at 10:00 am. (and every Wednesday till April 29th)

Thomas is a California real estate broker with decades of real estate experience. He has a degree in Quantitative Economics and Decision Sciences from the University of California San Diego. He has been quoted in news stories published by the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, USA Today, Bloomberg, ABC, CBS and NBC television, Cox Cable Television, KNX 1070,-AM News Radio, KFI AM-640 Radio, blogs and Internet news sites. 

In the aftermath of COVID-19, Thomas’ predictions for the remainder of 2020 include:

• Initially, the coronavirus lock-down will limit new supply and damper demand
• Unfortunately, coronavirus fears have resulted in many more cautious fence-sitter buyers
• After the public health concerns subside, look for a more balanced market with fewer unrealistic, overpriced
  homes by sellers who refuse price reductions
• Expect a “tug-of-war” between buyers’ irrational thinking and market realities
• Low mortgage rates also will also stimulate demand and speed up the recovery. Rates are likely to remain in
  the 3 percent range
• The luxury market will be sluggish until 2021
• Overall, the Southern California housing market is projected to appreciate 3-to-5 percent by the end of 2020

Thomas said don’t get discouraged by news media reports of Covid-19- caused low economic numbers. This temporary downturn differs from previous downturns in U.S. macroeconomic history

He said, “recession” does not equal “housing crisis.” Home prices appreciated during three of the last five recessions:1980 (6.1 percent), 1981 (3.5 percent) and 2001 (6.6 percent), while decreasing in 1991 (1.9 percent) and 2008 (19.7 percent)

According to Thomas, the economic hardship resulted from the government effectively ordering a nationwide recession by asking businesses to close and workers to stay home.  Much of the economic disruption will continue throughout the second quarter. Real GDP will decline not due to recessionary factors but, instead, in response to meet health objectives as an investment in public health

Among other observations from Thomas:

• The pandemic has changed the real estate industry virtually overnight and presented unprecedented obstacles for realtors accustomed to an in person, high-touch process. REALTORS® are encouraged to utilize long-standing technology to enable remote home closings and other steps of the transaction process.

• We must adapt to a “new norm” by using available technology solutions and ingenuity to drive sales and meet client expectations. It’s important that real estate professionals work together responsibly to ensure the safety of and service to each other and our clients.

• Thomas observed that COVID-19 is a shared American experience, a touchpoint for tens of millions of us who are facing the same crisis and its challenges, even if in different ways. We’re discovering that disruptive times like this can be a catalyst for mass unification around a shared experience.

Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, the housing market was pumping on all cvc lenders. It was on the edge of the hottest spring market since 2013. Multiple offers were the norm, home values were on the rise, and there were not enough homes on the market to satisfy the voracious appetite of buyers. Low mortgage rates, in the 3-percent range, were also propelling the housing market surge.

In the month of February prior to COVID-19, sales of existing homes in San Diego County were 3.4 percent higher compared to January 2020, and 7.2 percent higher when compared to February 2019, according to the California Association of REALTORS®. The median sales price of an existing single-family home in San Diego County was $670,000, a $10,000 increase from the $660,000 figure for January 2020. A year ago, in February 2019, the median sales price in San Diego was $625,000, a 7.2 percent lower compared to February 2020. The median number of days an existing single-family home remained unsold on the market in San Diego County was 12 days in February 2020 before the Covid-19 impact. That compares to 23 days in January 2020 and 22 days in February 2019.

Thomas offers a free housing forecast webinar every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Registration is available at www.reportsonhousing.com. He sells a “Reports on Housing” monthly subscription for $15 per month or $150 per year. The regional reports feature a local real estate snapshot. One month free is available upon sign-up. Follow Thomas on YouTube, visit www.Youtube.com/ReportsOnHousing, and Facebook at @reportsOnHousing.

Review Steven's last presentation from April 1st, 2020.   View Slides    |    Watch recorded video

Co-Hosted by:

I wanted to inform everyone that since the Sheriff Deputies are not letting members of the public into the building without an escort by an employee, the Clerk of the Board, has had to change the Map Recording Process that was previously set in place. In order to ensure we have staff available and can escort customers from the building entrance,  we will now be providing map services by appointments only. If a customer’s map requires approval/signature of the Clerk of the Board (COB), the customer can call us at (619) 531-5600 or email us at cobmaps@sdcounty.ca.gov to schedule an appointment. Our website has been updated to reflect this information & I will also be posting signs at the entrances of the CAC.

Best Regards,

Samantha Lanham

Board Assistant
County of San Diego - Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
1600 Pacific Highway, Rm. 402, San Diego, CA 92101

Recorder’s Office
When a customer has a map to be recorded, they may call the supervisor line at (619) 531-5007, or email  Vanessa.ross@sdcounty.ca.gov, Carlos.argandona@sdcounty.ca.gov  and  DeAnna.Hernandez@sdcounty.ca.gov to arrange a time to do so. A supervisor or the map staff will go out of the office to get the map and payment from the customer. If it meets all requirements and is recorded, the map staff will take the receipt for payment back out to the customer. If rejected, the map will be taken back to the customer for correction.

Please note: the above process will apply while the office remains closed to the public. Once the office re-opens, map recording will once again be processed on a walk-in basis.

Clerk of the Board
If the map first requires approval/signature of the Clerk of the Board (COB), the customer must first call the Clerk of the Board at (619) 531-5600 or email them at cobmaps@sdcounty.ca.gov for an appointment. They are only available Monday-Friday between 8-4 for map transactions. Once they have an appointment, they should then contact us at the above information to let us know their appointment time with the COB. Once done with the COB, the clerk or customer will call the Recorder’s Office, then they will walk the map down to the hall outside our office doors, where the supervisor or map staff will retrieve the map and fees for recording. Staff will return the receipt after transaction is completed.

Treasurer Tax Collector
If a Map Tax Clearance Certificate is required from the Treasurer-Tax Collector (TTC), the customer may request it by mail. They need to include the Map Tax Clearance Questionnaire, a 26” x 18” copy of the map and the $108.00 fee, mailed to: San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector, 1600 Pacific Hwy, Rm 162, San Diego CA 92101. The TTC will mail the original clearance back to the customer. If an immediate drop off or pick up is needed, contact the TTC staff at (619) 685-2622 or email Zina.poles@sdcounty.ca.gov (she is out of the office on Thursdays).

The Map Tax Clearance Certificate may be filed by mailing the original, along with the $8.00 filing fee to the San Diego Recorder/County Clerk, P.O.Box 121750, San Diego CA 92112-1750. The certificate may also be filed at the same appointment time the map is being recorded. We will not be making appointments to file the certificate only.

NAR just launched an SBA Loan FAQ which covers the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Disaster Injury Loans (EDIL) included in the CARES Act and are available to self-employed workers, independent contractors, sole proprietors, and individuals who work on Commission: Coronavirus: NAR SBA CARES Act FAQs.  We expect another FAQ on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (Unemployment Insurance) to be released later today or first thing tomorrow.

To help agents navigate practicing real estate during these challenging times, C.A.R. has released these best practice guidelines that reflect C.A.R.'s understanding of Governor Newsom’s stay-at-home order. This document details recommended best practices for marketing, showing and closing on properties while maintaining compliance with CDC recommendations.

To compliment new guidelines released by CAR yesterday, today two new forms were released:

• One is a Listing Agreement Coronavirus Addendum or Amendment (RLA-CAA) for sellers and listing agents to sign, and
• The other is a Property Viewing Advisory and Declaration (PEAD) that is to be given to and signed by the seller, buyer, agents and anyone else who will be entering a property.

The forms can be accessed here.  These forms will be added to Zipforms.

Successful non-essential businesses, while remaining open, are changing the way they do business.  For example, while they remain open, restaurants may not serve food.  The first priority needs to be safety. If the public, the client and the Realtors is careful and safe, we will get through this crisis more quickly.

The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® offers Best Practices Guidelines to assist agents in the safe practice of real estate. Following these guidelines will enable REALTORS® to demonstrate care for the health and well-being of clients, colleagues and the greater public welfare in reducing the risk of exposure to, and spread of, COVID-19, while providing the essential services of residential and commercial real estate recognized by the Department of Homeland Security as being necessary for the maintenance of America’s Critical Infrastructure. 

Here is a list of some of the companies offering assistance and what
you can expect from them.

Are you are worried about making payments now or in the near future?

Now is a good time to conserve resources for your family to weather this crisis for the foreseeable future.

NOW is the time for you to CONTACT your service providers! There is Coronavirus Mortgage, Rental, Credit Card, Auto and Personal Loan Relief but you have to ask for it!  - CLICK HERE -

REALTOR®s who have specific questions about the CARE act, unemployment or other COVID-19 benefits, call  C.A.R.’s COVID Relief Hotline by calling 1+(213) 351 8450,  Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA updated its list of essential services during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis and expressly included residential real estate. Since Governor Newsom’s March 4, 2020 order incorporates this list, the order now includes residential and commercial real estate, including settlement services as essential services in California. However, if a city or county has an order with a more restrictive standard regarding what qualifies as an essential service, or more restrictions on activities, those guidelines will still govern the activities of a licensee. Notwithstanding this new development, all real estate licensees must take into account the health and safety of their clients and fellow licensees and follow the protocols that exist for protecting against the spread of COVID-19. If such heath safeguards and protocols are not followed, the rule for the state could easily change to stop or restrict all real estate activity.

To that end, in conformity with current health guidelines, real estate licensees should follow all CDC and local health mandates. This includes the following: 1. No open houses should be held. (CRMLS has removed the option of holding Open Houses) 2. Showings should be done virtually.

Read more from C.A.R. here.