At first, the traffic disappeared. For two weeks, it was quiet and uncertain.
Many couples and families took refuge “away” from home at their cabins and second homes. Campfires became gathering places. Roads became walking paths where you would encounter other human life. Some said “hello”, others just looked down.
But Mother Nature was not held back and allowed Spring to happen. The Fishing Opener happened. Memorial Day weekend happened.
And during it all, we worked every day. We have never worked so hard in our 25 years at CENTURY 21 and have never witnessed a market quite like this. There are not enough hours in the day to help everyone accomplish their goals of either buying or selling. Buyers are eager to find a place of their own and sellers need our help to navigate the changing conditions.
When we tell people about what’s happening in our market, it’s usually met with surprise. One assumption is that sellers would be concerned about having random members of the public in their homes and cabins for showings. Another assumption is that with many families worried about income, jobs and their future, real estate sales would be slow. Lastly, there is an assumption that people would hold back in selling a large asset or making a large purchase because of the overall uncertainty of the economy. Those assumptions do not appear to be the case for our market.
What does appear to be the case is this area feels safe to buyers. The population density, even on holiday weekends, is low. Also, many plans for vacations and travel have been dashed and having a cabin is a safe way to have fun as a family, all throughout the year. We’re even seeing an uptick in buyers looking to move here because working from home is the new normal for them. They can live anywhere and still work. New traditions are being carved. As of May 1st, the number of fishing licenses was up 20%.
For sellers, this has been a time to evaluate their lives and priorities. Some are choosing to move closer to family and leave cabin life behind. Some are choosing to sell their second homes so they can buy larger primary homes after being in quarantine in a too-small home. Sadly, some are selling because of lost income, or even lost lives.
Every vendor associated with our industry is saturated right now and we’re doing our best to help everyone we can. Because we specialize in helping people transition into and out of “the good life” in Northwestern Wisconsin.
We may be in our own little corner of the world. But we’re also a part of the global community. May the spirit and kindness of the Northwoods fill your heart, wherever you are. ~ Wanda Boldon