Happy New Year!
I am excited to be your 2021 President - and to put 2020 in the rearview mirror. While last year was hard for all of us - it also had some bright spots.
Yes we were shut down hard for two long months. But we learned to consult with our clients virtually and to rely on video. When we opened for business the clients rushed in to snap up the available inventory and make up for it in the second half of the year.
Yes Realtors are social creatures (by nature) and we miss in-person interactions. But we have learned to pivot and adapt. Who would have thought a year ago that we would learn how to create happy hours and game nights with our friends and family via Zoom? I had an 82-year-old client Facetime me to go over a contract and she signed digitally on her iPad. Amazing.
In my own life I’ve had highs and lows. My father died a week before Christmas after suffering for years with Parkinson’s. I missed out by not visiting him all year because I was afraid of bringing the virus to his home. But I was blessed to spend quality time with my 20-month-old grandson - including having him stay with me for the last two months of the year.
In the darkest times, there is always light. We now have several vaccines being distributed right now and as the winter turns to spring more of us will be eligible for the shot. While things may never go back to pre-2020 normal, we are learning to live with this virus.
NAR’s Lawrence Yun projects that home sales should rise 10% in 2021. He believes mortgage rates will stay low and prices will rise moderately as the vaccine allows jobs to come back.
Real estate will go on and Realtors will persevere. People always move, no matter what the economic or social situation. People need food and shelter. Neither is optional. Realtors will be here through marriage and births, divorce and deaths. We are here for our clients during their best and their worst times.
Your association, the Reading-Berks Association of REALTORS® - is here to support you through these times. We may not directly affect what the Governor does (shut downs or stay at home orders) but we are here to actively lobby for our industry and educate our legislators on the importance of what we do. We are here to listen to your needs and how we can serve you better. PAR and NAR are here to support you at a state and national level. Your membership matters. You matter to us.
My mission in 2021 is to ENGAGE our membership and be here for you. Your thoughts and opinions need to be heard. Please reach out to me directly if you have any questions or comments. I am at Erica@RamusRealty.com and my cell phone is 570.449.2131. Here’s to turning the calendar page and let’s rock 2021!
Sincerely,
Erica Ramus
2021 President, Reading-Berks Association of REALTORS®