Hello Everyone,
On this rainy afternoon it was announced that school is canceled in Massachusetts through the balance of the academic year. Not what this working mom (and I'm sure many of you,) wanted to hear but also not entirely unexpected. And so we march on, with another layer of complexity in our lives that does not seem to be ending anytime soon.
I am an optimistic person by nature and I continue to believe in the end everything will work out. That said, I feel weighted down by the fact that everything we do has an added layer of challenge with the pandemic; going to the grocery store, taking a walk in a crowded area and yes, showing houses, inspecting houses and getting a property to close. A friend asked me how I can be so positive in my updates when there is so much worry and juggling going on behind the scenes. The truth is, ultimately things can get done safely and successfully during this time. Let's be honest, there is an undercurrent of anxiety in most of us, (if not all of us,) but we are all in it together. This time calls for greater collaboration and teamwork- we are all on the same team and we need to work together to get results.
We are getting to the finish line on most real estate transactions, but not without flexibility by buyers and sellers. Banks have rewritten their lending rules making it more difficult for buyers to obtain financing. One day a couple from Boston trying to move to Dover was told they had to put 20% down to get the loan to the next day that was changed to 25%. Credit scores have to be within an upper range cutting out some from qualifying for borrowing at this time.
Now more than ever when people put a house on the market their goal is to try and sell in an efficient timeframe. Makes sense. We can control and understand what is happening today, but we know how that could change in the near future. Yesterday, our clients put an offer in on a house and included a home sale contingency. It worked and the offer was accepted. I am not saying this will become the norm, but for now for those buyers and sellers, it worked.
The weekly sales numbers in Weston and Wellesley were consistent this week. A house listed at $4,195,000 in Wellesley went under agreement- the third high end home that has sold in as many weeks. I have two listings coming on and we anticipate a number of showings based on feedback from colleagues with buyers in those ranges. The rush of putting a house on the market feels good. I love the anticipation of the launch and seeing how the market reacts to the hard work put into each listing. Every request for a showing is a natural high to me, and- a faint heart beat signaling the economy is still alive.
As I say each week, be well. I think of each and every one of you and feel so grateful for this amazing job and the people who are in my life because of it.
Warmly,
Teri
