What are you grateful for today? 

Some days, I am grateful just to be making it through – this has been a tough year in a lot of ways. 

I’m thankful that I have been able to continue business, that the real estate market is strong, and that people like you choose to do business with me!   

I’m also thankful that my real estate brokerage, eXp Realty, was already doing almost everything on line, using the latest technology, and was quick to adapt. As our CEO says, “We were made for this!” The company has been doing very well, sharing our virtual office technology with others, and bringing on more agents in big numbers. We now are in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa, with more than 38,000 agents. And just opened in India. 

I’m thankful that it’s been possible to continue to help people move, to help them navigate this unusual market, and to put my skills, knowledge, and network to use for them. We’ve done a lot more virtual tours (both live and recorded), drone aerial video, video conversations, electronic signatures, and more. With our tools and systems, we help people do business efficiently, safely, and profitably! 

People are in such different places, from hunkering down where they are, to repositioning their lives and finances based on how things have shifted. Some are really struggling, and others are having a good year (and sometimes feeling guilty about that!) And almost everyone has spent enough extra time at home to be wondering if there might be a better place to live.  

A recent article titled “The Great Relocation: Americans Are Relocating By The Millions Because They Can Feel What Is Coming” on the Economic Collapse Blog started with:

This is a really odd time to be having a “housing boom”.  We are in the middle of the worst public health crisis in 100 years, endless civil unrest has been ravaging many of our largest cities, and we are experiencing the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s.  But even though more than 70 million Americans have filed new claims for unemployment benefits this year, home sales are absolutely rocking.  How in the world is this possible? 

The National Association of Realtors just wrote in the Weekly Housing Monitor on November 19th:
October existing home sales hit 6.85 million. the second all-time high level (tied with Feb 2006) since this series started in Jan 1999. The all-time high is 7.26 million in September 2005. Sales rose 4.3% from September’s level and up 26.6% year-over-year. 

Some local statistics are shown on images below. 

If you have questions about this market, or are wondering whether it is a good time to make your move, or are just trying to make sense out of what is going on, let’s talk. 

In other news, every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the Rotary Club of Annapolis supports the Salvation Army by ringing the bell at a booth at the foot of Main Street. This year, we have also created a virtual kettle, because people are not going out as much, and the need is great. 

In Annapolis so far this year, the Salvation Army has served 878 families, distributed 4,302 food boxes, spent $110,000 on food for distribution, distributed 680 Care Kits, and spent over $200,000 to help local households with rental and utility assistance.

Here’s a link for info on our virtual kettle, and if you would like to contribute, please do so here: 

Rotary Club of Annapolis Salvation Army Kettle 

Feel free to spread the word however you like to communicate, like on Facebook, email, web, Twitter, or by text! 

Wishing you a fabulous Thanksgiving and holiday season! 

I appreciate you!