NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE WEEK: Status report on Neighborhood of the Week
The real estate industry will face some challenges in the age of “social distancing.”
While we’re all hoping for a swift resolution to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s possible that normal life won’t be the same for a few weeks or even months.
Neighborhood of the Week typically highlights local real estate activity, new and emerging neighborhoods and features that offer tips for homebuying and selling. Should we go about our normal routine or should the column space adapt to fit the current situation?
I want to hear from readers and real estate agents about how we can best serve the industry during this uncertain time.
The pandemic will most certainly impact the local and national market, though it’s too early to say how much. In national news reports this week, the National Association of Realtors announced that nearly half of surveyed Realtors have already seen a drop in buyer interest. Basically, many don’t want to think about moving while they’re working from home, managing school closures and practicing social distancing.
Don’t fret. The group’s chief economist Lawrence Yun also predicted that buying would likely rebound strongly once the most strident quarantine measures were lifted. There remains a housing shortage in the country too, so sellers shouldn’t worry too much, at least yet.
In the meantime, agents and buyers/sellers can still safely engage in the market by taking precautions related to social distancing. Limiting open houses, reducing face-to-face communication and adopting stricter cleaning and handwashing practices can also make a big impact in the overall fight against the virus.
Now for a couple calls to action:
Realtor and real estate professionals: How can Neighborhood of the Week support you and your business while we’re all dealing with COVID-19? Should we continue to cover neighborhoods as usual? Development will no doubt continue all throughout the Inland Northwest in some form, and houses will be bought and sold. Do we need to change tactics at all?
Readers: What do you want to see in this column space in the coming weeks? Is it helpful to keep Neighborhood of the Week chugging along as is and be a place to get away from COVID-19 coverage? Or do you want to see stories that reflect the state of the world? We promise not to make it gloomy. There’s enough of that in the news already.
Message me your thoughts. I’m currently trapped in a house with four kids, ages 2-8, for the foreseeable future, so I’m eager for any kind of adult communication. Email me at twilson@cdapress.com. Wash your hands, and take care of each other.
