In a few weeks, the 2020 Annual Housing Market Report will be released, and we’re sure to see some surprising data. But for my fellow Realtors and me the numbers won’t be all that shocking. All year long we’ve had to deal with multiple offer situations that have certainly kept us (and our clients) up to the wee hours of the morning. Because of a lot of work behind the scenes, 2020 has certainly been a hot year for real estate.
The process of purchasing or selling a home is a lot of work, for Realtors and for our clients. There’s a lot that goes into these transactions, but the end result is beneficial to everyone. People know that homeownership is among the most solid investments one can make to begin building their personal wealth. But owning a home doesn’t just benefit the homeowner.
Homeownership provides social stability, builds communities and is a driving force for the national economy. In fact, Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors®, said recently that real estate makes up about one fifth of the U.S. economy. Many might not realize it, but homeownership creates jobs through remodeling, landscaping, lawn service, furniture and appliances, and home improvement. There are so many people and occupations that are impacted simply by owning a home!
Realtors have been on the front line making the magic happen for their clients in this unconventional housing market. I’m proud of the work we’ve all put in to making sure that people clients and community were able to experience homeownership. We’ve shown our clients why utilizing a Realtor is crucial for as smooth as possible transaction. Whether if it’s planning a virtual Open House or navigating the world of remote documents, Realtors have shown that we adapt to our circumstances. Over the past year, we’ve embraced virtual options for open houses and showings, all while gauging the comfort level of our clients. We continue to encourage consumers to talk with their Realtor to be clear about what is and is not acceptable concerning COVID protocols. We work with our clients to make sure their requests are met, whether it’s wearing masks during a showing, or if it’s acceptable to have overlapping appointments when showing their property. These are great options for all parties to the home buying process, and part of the extra service a Realtor will provide.
The news of multiple COVID-19 vaccines is thrilling for many obvious reasons, but it has certainly laid bare many important lessons. The world did not stop. Families were still growing, people were still taking and leaving jobs. Realtors were still needed because life was still happening, just in a different way. While we’re certainly not out of the woods yet, one of the lessons taken from COVID is that as Realtors, we can and will adjust to serve our friends and neighbors with their homebuying and selling needs.
We will always work tirelessly for our clients and our community. That’s Who We R®.
Greater Chattanooga Realtors® is The Voice of Real Estate in Greater Chattanooga. A regional organization with more than 2,400 members, Greater Chattanooga Realtors is one of 300 local boards and associations of Realtors® nationwide that comprise the National Association of Realtors®. Greater Chattanooga Realtors service Hamilton and Sequatchie counties in southeast Tennessee, and Catoosa, Dade, and Walker counties in northwest Georgia. For more information, visit www.gcar.net or call 423.698.8001.