![](https://www.saratoga.com/saratogabusinessjournal/wp-content/uploads/sites/48/2020/04/real-estate-equitas-hc.jpg)
By Christine Graf
Local real estate agents and brokers have been forced to change the way they do business in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Until this month, the work of real estate agents was considered non-essential, creating a severe hardship. This month, that was relaxed somewhat, but challenges still exist.
New York state opened up part of the real estate market on April 1 with a the ruling that residential and commercial showings and some other limited functions are essential businesses and can continue.