The 2020 Tour of Homes is still on tap, with some changes

For the first time, builders can have virtual tours, rather than in person

(Update: adding new info, comments from COBA representative)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- After careful consideration, the Central Oregon Builders Association said it's still going to hold the 2020 Tour of Homes next month, but the organization has introduced several measures to keep the visitors -- and homes -- safe and sanitary.

"A lot of these builders, they will spend all year working on these houses, and the subcontractors,” said Mandy Weidman, COBA's senior vice president and operations and sales manager. “So we felt a responsibility to do everything we could to make this a safe event for everybody."

This year, Weidman said, visitors on the tour will be required to wear booties on their feet, something that was only a suggestion in the past. Masks are not required, but highly encouraged. Only a limited number of people will be allowed in each house at a time. Plus, they'll follow a one-way traffic flow when taking the tour.

Also, for the first time, builders were given the option to put their home on display through a virtual tour, rather than in-person visits.

"I think it depends on everybody's varied level of comfortability with everything going on right now,” Weidman said. “That's why we offered two different choice,s with everyone's personal preferences."

Of the 46 homes on the tour, 39 will be open for in-person tours, while seven are virtual only.

The homes are located throughout Deschutes County in Bend, Redmond and Sisters.

They range in price from close to $300,000 to $2.2 million.

The tour will take place on back-to-back weekends in mid-July.

You can find more info at: https://www.coba.org/tour-of-homes/.