REAL estate agents are adamant they will keep working as they adapt to bans on people gatherings as part of sweeping measures to stop the spread of coronavirus.
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The federal government introduced national bans on auctions and open houses from midnight Wednesday.
Seven real estate agents gathered in Warrnambool on Wednesday to send a message they were "open for business" as private sales and house inspections by appointment continue.
But with a high demand for Warrnambool property in recent months, the agents admit they will have to do more behind-the-scenes work to sell and rent houses.
Ray White Warrnambool director Jess Densley said real estate agents might have to work collaboratively.
"We are very supportive of these measures," Mr Densley said. "Working together with buyers is something we may have to collaborate on."
Stockdale and Leggo Warrnambool director Matt Northeast said the market would weather the changes.
"The property market under these circumstances is not going to take a massive hit," Mr Northeast said. "It won't take the percentage hit the stock market is now."
Mr Northeast said agents would have to be innovative with technology.
"We are all looking into the world of virtual tours, and that might be for routine inspections on the tenancy side as well," he said.
Brian O'Halloran and Co director Brian Hancock said people would "tighten belts" but believed the market would remain strong.
"You have never seen a lower ebb in interest rates in the last 40 years, people have to live somewhere and if they have some form of security in their workplace they can still buy," Mr Hancock said.
Mr Hancock said agents were going to have to worker harder behind the scenes.
"The auction part of the selling system is now defunct, it's gone for the time being, you need to go back to your basics, and you go back and work harder," he said.
"It's about contact, and if somebody wants to buy a property, the buyer and the agent and the seller will be able to get together through electronics."
Falk and Co director David Falk said Warrnambool's market was fortunate because it hadn't seen the highs of metropolitan areas.
"We didn't jump like Melbourne did, it steadily went up," Mr Falk said. "It's a bit of a haven. I think in fact it might bring the investors back."
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