Real Estate Perseveres Through The Pandemic
Twenty-Twenty has definitely brought its challenges. No one understood what that first report of Covid-19 back in January could actually mean for the next indefinite time period. March brought on new rules and regulations with those in government trying to decide what was best for their local constituents. We see new hashtags coined like #covid, #socialdistancing, #newnormal, #remotework, #stayhome, #washyourhands, and so many more. It brought about a change in our lives that was totally unexpected and unprecedented in our age of modern medicine. Besides the toilet paper and Lysol shortage, families had real-life problems to work out such as homeschooling their children and working remotely from home or not working at all if remote work wasn’t an option. I remember going to the grocery for the first time after our stay at home orders. The shelves were bare. No meat, minimal veggies. It was definitely surreal.
As a real estate company, the question arose as to how the market would be affected. There were no differing opinions in the beginning. The market would decrease, sales would fall, deals would be amended or lost altogether. But we are considered essential so we continued to work and provide services for our clients and customers while using the recommended protocols for safety. I recently asked two of our agents how the pandemic has affected their businesses. Oddly enough, I got two very different answers.
The first agent said, “For me, the market has been up, I’ve been super busy. I’ve had to make some adjustments on showings and I’ve been wearing masks and taking precautions, but I’ve sold and listed quite a few homes since the onset of COVID.”
And the next agent said, “The market is down and there is very little inventory on the market right now. Showing homes is different because of the masks and social distancing. I have been able to show homes virtually, but I have been doing FaceTime and videos for clients even before Covid-19.”
Of course, these agents are working in different counties which may attribute to the differing opinions on the market. I’ve read that some more populated places (Wayne County has somewhere around 30,000 residents) have stopped physically showing homes and have gone completely virtual. While pictures and videos are often the first things potential customers see when shopping for a property, it can be difficult to envision themselves in a home from what they see on a computer screen. Thus they may be less likely to commit to buying a home.
The future may be different for all of our agents. With the job market unstable and many being furloughed or losing their jobs altogether, it will most likely impact the land and housing market in your area eventually, if it hasn’t already.
As of now, we are still going strong. We have some listings and we plan on listing more. This may be a great time to get your home or piece of dirt on the market if you have been considering selling. Rates are low right now. For the buyer, there is less competition which may make your home or land more appealing. So get in touch and we’ll get you connected to the right agent to help you with selling your home. Are you asking why you should list with us? Check out this link on our website and see for yourself. We are a unique company and we operate with commitment and professionalism.
Are you in the market to buy a home or land? You can browse and see what we have available.
If you aren’t seeing anything that interests you please take a moment and let us know what you are looking for in a property. One of our agents can help you look for a perfect property for you that will meet your needs.
Our company and our agents are taking every precaution to keep our clients and customers safe. While our office is open, we ask that you make an appointment. Our agents are wearing masks and using sanitizers during showings. We are social distancing as well.
We want you to feel as safe and comfortable as possible during the selling OR buying process. We also make use of DotLoop, a service that lets you sign documents digitally. Would you prefer a virtual tour of a home? Let us know how to best serve you in that way and we’ll do our best to make that happen for you. Our goal is to work for and with you to make the buying or selling experience go as smoothly as possible.
We look forward to working with you!
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