Covid-19 is on the minds of nearly everyone across the globe right now. Unfortunately, some people are taking the situation more seriously than others. I won’t preach and I’ll stay in my lane, but this is serious and we need to act as such. Now that that’s said let’s talk about how Covid-19 is impacting the Real Estate industry and how I am reacting personally and professionally.

In PA, agents are not to conduct in-person business right now. Closings are still a grey area, but showings are widely regarded as non-essential and thus not permitted. Closings seem to be a grey area because the flow of money through the economy needs to continue and a lot of money flows through real estate purchases and mortgage lending. Some agents are following the recommendations regarding showings, some are not. I am not doing any in-person showings for the sake of my health and the health of everyone else. A real estate friend of mine once told me that “our business is not an emergency” and that’s as true now as ever.

I am currently advising sellers to hold off on listing their homes at least until agents can show homes again. Listing a home right now would likely mean it would sit on the market since buyers cannot tour it in person, though some tech-savvy agents can do virtual showings. In my opinion, agents should suspend showings for occupied homes to protect the seller. I would think it is unlikely for a seller to get top dollar for their home right now, and if I am representing the seller, that is my top priority.

I am advising buyers and sellers in pending positions to be patient and compassionate as we all navigate these uncharted waters. We all want to get our deals closed but because there are a million moving pieces involved in the closing process we are at the mercy of what each professional involved is permitted and able to do while social distancing. Pennsylvania has released a form to add to transactions during this time.

If you want to buy a home soon please reach out to an agent that you’d like to work with. If you’re looking to buy in Blair, Cambria, or Centre counties in Pennsylvania I would love to help you. I am still available to do phone consultations, emails, and to help you get started with the process. I like to spend some time in the beginning of the home buying process to educate clients so they know what to expect, so we can start our relationship there. At this point, lenders are still working so getting pre-approved is likely still possible for potential buyers.

I can write offers and do signatures online through the secure software provided to me by my local MLS. I typically do this anyway to save paper so no change for me there.

What I cannot tell you right now is what the market will do when this is all over. I am not an economist by any stretch but I can imagine that sellers will be listing their homes this Summer and Fall once social distancing is no longer recommended for most people. But I cannot guarantee that we can expect this will be calmed down then, although I think it is safe to generalize that timeline based on the current discourse... we will see how well this post ages in a year. I don’t know how this will impact market value, comps, or inventory. I imagine inventory will be high once people are able to list, but I don’t know that there will be as many eligible buyers out there since some may have lost their jobs due to shutdowns of non-essential businesses. Or maybe there will be an influx of buyers who are finally fed up with renting. I am also not a mortgage specialist or lender so I have no idea what interest rates will be either. We have no way of knowing but we all hope for the best.

I think that in times like these it's important to zero in on our values. For me, I value my health and the health of those around me. I value the positive impact I get to have on others through my business. I value professionals who distribute reliable and understandable information. A year ago when I made a career change my main priority was to be able to manage my own personal and professional time and I am thankful that I made that move when I did so I can be all-in on social distancing now. I built my real estate and blogging business around the morals and values I hold true for myself. I am not out to make a million dollars or meet wild sales goals, all I want to do is be helpful, live my life organically, and make money off of it when I can. Some other businesses are struggling with what to post on their social media, or how they might change their marketing plans because of Covid-19. I’m not struggling with that because everything I do comes from an authentic place within me. Nothing I post on my social media ever makes me feel icky or insensitive because my business is not money-hungry or blind. I am living through my own emotions, changes, and turmoil, just like everyone else every day even when the world isn’t battling a virus. That’s the place from which I create my content typically and that doesn’t change now.

Being pregnant right now is very scary. Carrying another life is generally stressful but doing it during a time of great uncertainty is way worse. There is some information about the impacts of Covid-19 on pregnant women, but we definitely don’t have a full understanding of its impacts on pregnant mamas, the fetus, or newly born babies. All over the world right now pregnant ladies are worried about our registry items becoming unavailable by the time we need them, canceling baby showers, and re-considering birth plans because of new hospital policies for visitors. I would like a more optimal situation; heck, I would be running the response to this situation differently than our current administration and media landscape has, but since I can’t change any of that, all I can do is make the choices for me and my fetus that allow me to go to sleep at night. I am practicing all the social distancing I can. My job allows me the flexibility to make that choice and I am otherwise not leaving the house or having visitors.

There’s lots of advice out there on what you should do so please follow your state’s recommendations and if you’re not sure it doesn’t hurt to be overly cautious. What you should not do is hoard goods or medical supplies, like masks. If you’re financially able, please support your local small businesses as much as you can and donate to any of the awesome organizations that are doing necessary work right now to keep vulnerable folks fed. If your business or knowledge base lends itself to becoming a resource that would be helpful right now by all means, serve for the good of the whole. Don’t contribute to the noise, just be authentic, be safe, and be smart. And stay home. If you need a new home, let’s chat! And most importantly, your emotional reaction to all of this is valid. It is a great time to find yourself an online therapist because there is no shame in needing help.

*all opinions are my own and do not represent those of other real estate professionals or Century 21, NAR, PAR, or AHAR.*

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