Are We There Yet?

If you’re a new owner on a lake, you might find it difficult to meet and get to know other owners. Or maybe you’ve owned property on your lake for years and find that you know very few people. I’d like to share some ideas about why it’s a good idea to have a positive …

Continue reading "Creating a Positive Lake Culture"

If you’re a new owner on a lake, you might find it difficult to meet and get to know other owners. Or maybe you’ve owned property on your lake for years and find that you know very few people. I’d like to share some ideas about why it’s a good idea to have a positive and interactive lake culture and I also have a fun way you can make that happen!

Having a positive lake culture is one of those things that can contribute to making your lake a more safe place, whether it be related to boating practices or simply having someone to call if you’re in trouble.

A positive lake culture can help maintain the water quality of your lake as well. Being able to communicate best practices and educate owners about changing conditions with the lake creates an environment where everyone cares about and works toward a similar mission – great water quality. And great water quality will ultimately translate to higher property values.

But a positive lake culture can also contribute to higher property values. We know we live in a small world, we’re all connected in some way and information about everything is readily available. If your lake has a reputation for being a great place to own, that message will definitely surface with buyers as well as the real estate community. Don’t underestimate the power of the connected world around you!

So how does one begin to “right the ship” when it comes to changing or even creating a lake culture? One fun way is to organize a boat parade for the Fourth of July.

To start, you need someone to be the lead organizer and communication point. Schedule the parade on a day and time that makes sense for how the holiday falls and communicate that to your lake owners well in advance. You should also decide on a starting point and a route for the boat entries and if candy or prizes will be thrown from the boats, ask that they are items that float. The idea here is not to pollute your lake!

If you want, you can collect some prizes for the top boat entries. But I don’t think that’s entirely necessary. Fun can be had with just memories and bragging rights. If you do decide you want to offer prizes, get some gift certificates to support the local businesses.

Next, find 3 or 4 people to act as judges. They should be spaced out on the parade  route and I think it’s fun to keep their identity a secret. Create ballots for the judges, so they can easily and discreetly rate the entries. An easy method is to rate the entries on a scale of 1-5 on both theme and enthusiasm.

On parade day, put a number on each boat for easy identification for the judges and let the fun begin! As soon as the parade is over, you’ll need someone to be a runner and collect the ballots from the judges. If you’re really techy, you could develop a digital ballot and delivery system. But our mission is to keep things very simple! Once the ballots are in, you can announce the winners!

And it’s as simple as that! I promise you, the owners and their families on your lake will look forward to the boat parade each and every year. It will become a part of the memories that they create Up North. And soon, it will be etched into the DNA of your lake community – the culture! ~ Wanda Boldon

Do all of your friends have cabins? Are you tired of hearing about how much fun they’re having at the cabin? “We’re headed to the cabin this weekend.” “We can work from anywhere, so we’re going to spend the next month at the cabin.” “We just had the best time at the cabin.” And on …

Continue reading "How to Find the Right Cabin"

Do all of your friends have cabins? Are you tired of hearing about how much fun they’re having at the cabin? “We’re headed to the cabin this weekend.” “We can work from anywhere, so we’re going to spend the next month at the cabin.” “We just had the best time at the cabin.” And on and on, right? If you’ve decided that this is the year that you’re going to make the plunge and find your very own cabin, read on to learn more about how to find the right structure.

The word “cabin” can mean different things to different people. It can be a 2 bedroom structure with no heat or it can be a 5 bedroom structure with two fireplaces and a game room. Either way of thinking is right! You should use the word “cabin” in a way that applies to your vision…and your budget!

The first thing you might consider, as you prepare to embark on your cabin quest is the size. How much space do you need? Think about who will be using the cabin. Will it be just a two person getaway or do you have an entourage of extended family and friends who are salivating to help you enjoy your new asset? That will help you determine how large the place needs to be and what kind of layout you’d like. Keep in mind that much of your time at the cabin is spent outdoors and in gathering spaces, so don’t make yourself too crazy about sleeping spaces. Bedrooms are smaller in cabins and many don’t even have closets. That’s OK! One great way you can host family and friends is with a bunkhouse. A bunkhouse can be a free-standing building or it can be a part of an existing building, like a garage. Bear in mind, there are zoning rules about bunkhouses, but nothing that should require too many gymnastics on your part!

Another thing to consider in your cabin is the overall aesthetic of the structure. This connects to how you want to feel at the cabin. Maybe you’re looking for the classic log chalet style cabin with a lot of wood interiors, a fieldstone fireplace and vaulted ceilings.  Or maybe bright, light  interiors with little or no wood features are more appealing to you.

Some cabin features that you might put on your wish list are things like decks, a screen porch or a fire pit. These are all things that help you connect to the outdoor environment. Indoors, you might be wishing for a fireplace or a wood stove, a master suite or central air. Also consider whether you or someone you care about needs one level living or few stairs, at the least. Make your wish list of features, but also keep in mind that you can add certain features over time as well. So don’t get too stuck in the mud on elements that aren’t critical to the here-and-now.

Another thing for you to consider is the overall condition of the cabin. If you’re skilled and able to take on cabin improvement projects or are willing to pay someone to do those kinds of things, you probably have greater flexibility than someone who is not. Many times, cabins are sold because they’re not being used as much as they used to. Perhaps the lack of use has gone on for years. That could translate to deferred maintenance. So don’t be shocked if you encounter some of  that when you begin your search.

Your budget is a big factor in your cabin hunt as well. It’s helpful to have a clear understanding of what you can and what you’re willing to pay for the good life. Also, prepare yourself for how you’re going to pay for your cabin. Some buyers pay cash for their cabins – that can be “true cash” or it could involve funds from a home equity loan. Others choose to get a bank loan. If you’re planning to get a loan, lay the groundwork for that in advance so you’re ready when the right cabin comes along.

Finally, allow yourself to be flexible with your vision and your wish list. Finding a great cabin to enjoy doesn’t have to be a one and done proposition. If life changes, or you find a property that’s a better fit, you can switch gears. You wouldn’t be the first one to do it and you wouldn’t be the last! ~ Wanda Boldon

So…you’ve decided the time has come to find the perfect cabin! Before you jump in with both feet, let’s start at the beginning with some ideas how to find the right location for you. Northwestern Wisconsin is full of year around recreational opportunities, centered around the water and the woods. There are hundreds of lakes, …

Continue reading "Finding the Right Location"

So…you’ve decided the time has come to find the perfect cabin! Before you jump in with both feet, let’s start at the beginning with some ideas how to find the right location for you.

Northwestern Wisconsin is full of year around recreational opportunities, centered around the water and the woods. There are hundreds of lakes, many rivers, streams and large and small wetlands that dominate the landscape. All of the water is flowing toward the St. Croix River, which forms the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin. Our lakes are mostly seepage lakes with sandy bottoms and clear water and they vary in size. The land here is open and wooded and has upland and lowland with hardwoods and pine.

So, knowing all that where do you start? Here are a few questions to help understand what might suit you best.

Have you been here before or do you have friends or family who own a property here? Draw from your previous experiences. That will tell you what appeals most to you. Also, if you have friends or family here, do you want to be close to them? Sometimes that’s a “yes” and sometimes that’s a “no”!

What do you like to do for activities? If fishing and boating are on your list, you’ll definitely want to consider being on or near a lake. If hunting is something that’s high on your list of fun things to do, you may want to be near public forest land or even find a parcel that is large enough for a private hunting experience. If fitness is an important part of your life, consider the roads that surround the property you seek. That will tell you whether it will be easy to run, walk or ride a bike from your driveway. ATV/UTV riding has been on the rise in the last several years. If this is something that gets you excited, make sure you consider the location of the trails in relation to your property.  Some buyers just want to soak up nature and watch the wildlife in a quiet, private environment. That is a specific kind of property too!

Do you need special services? That could include things like being close to a medical or veterinarian clinic. Or your ideal life may involve getting morning coffee from a coffee shop or daily fresh veggies for cooking.

What do you consider to be your ideal surrounds? This is connected to choices of aesthetics and privacy. You may picture perfection as a heavily wooded environment, while someone else is longing for vista views. Privacy means something different to everyone. It’s also tied to what you can afford!

Lastly, what is your budget? This can be difficult to define, but your budget drives a lot of the decision making. Most people say “it depends on the property”. That can be too loose and leave you in a sea of non-decision. Start by looking online to get an idea of what you can get for your money. If you find you can’t afford “the dream”. Be creative and think outside the box. There may be alternative ways to achieve the dream!

Don’t stop dreaming! ~Wanda Boldon

Anyone who knows the Minerva Chain of Lakes, knows about the famous sand bar on the lake where everyone goes to unwind, meet up with friends and have fun. Now there’s another bar on the lake where you can do just that, and you don’t have to get wet! Archie and Arthur’s Icehouse is reviving …

Continue reading "Archie and Arthur’s Icehouse"

Anyone who knows the Minerva Chain of Lakes, knows about the famous sand bar on the lake where everyone goes to unwind, meet up with friends and have fun. Now there’s another bar on the lake where you can do just that, and you don’t have to get wet! Archie and Arthur’s Icehouse is reviving the spirit of the whole area and owners Sam and Kari Bergstrom have only just begun!

When you walk in the door, the atmosphere is fresh and upbeat. It’s a happy place! Kari says, “We just want to be welcoming and give good service.” It shows. One Ham Lake resident shared their experience. “We held our Lake Association meeting there and they pulled out the stops for us. They won us over after that. This is our new go-to.”

Archie and Arthur’s Icehouse offers classic Up North bar food and drinks with an updated twist from years of professional experience. Sam and Kari come with over 35 combined years of serving, mixing drinks and restaurant management, many of those years at the Tom Ried’s Hockey City Pub in St. Paul. Having their own place, just miles from their home on Crooked Lake is their dream. But Sam said, “We didn’t want to bring St. Paul to Danbury. We love Danbury.”

In the kitchen, Chef Forest Ward not only brings years of steakhouse experience, but also restaurant management experience. His MacDaddy Burger with signature “Forest Sauce” has become a customer favorite. People are even asking for the sauce on other menu items!

You can bask in the afternoon sunsets on one of the two new decks, play yard games like Jenga, bags, bocce and Kuub or just enjoy the water view of the Minerva Chain of Lakes with an ice cream treat from the Lagoon Saloon, which is open on weekends and serves free snow cones to kids.

Another great service they’re offering is free cooler ice along with a purchase or you can buy drink ice for only $1/bag. They have a fancy new ice maker and the whole “Icehouse” theme is a nod to Houmans Bar, which was here for years and years before them. They were told stories of how they used to take ice blocks from the lake and use it for drinks.

Times have changed, but they didn’t want to change the character and patina of the place and named it for Kari’s grandfather, Arthur and Sam’s great grandfather, Archie, ironically both with the last name of Johnson!

Their respect for “The Greatest Generation”, hard work and service is reflected in the collection of patches they’ve been given from those who spend their life in service. It has organically grown, one patch at a time.

At the same time, they’ve brought the place into the modern age and made many updates. They took the kitchen down to the studs and bought all new equipment. The beautiful custom bar is all new and they’ve added numerous screens throughout the bar, complete with sports packages.

As an employee in the service industry, this is a winning place to work. The environment is happy, the patrons are nice and the earnings are great because they’re so busy. Sam and Kari appreciate their employees so much that they even pay them a commission incentive for every item they sell!

From the outside, their journey to get this far has been somewhat of a miracle. The obstacles they’ve cleared would stop even the most determined. Before moving to their cabin full-time and making it their home, Kari was bed-ridden for 2 years with debilitating Lymes disease.  They purchased the bar to change their lives after her illness and were supposed to open on St. Patrick’s Day of 2020.  COVID threw them a curve ball, but they opened on Memorial Day weekend. Then they were caught up in a campground controversy that they had no part in. It seemed there were uphill battles at each turn. But instead, they only see the miracles and opportunities that unfolded because of it all!

They’re looking forward. They have plans and dreams for Archie and Arthur’s Icehouse. They want to offer 1 free concert a month and have live DJ music once a week. Kari wants to have a greenhouse so they can offer organic and more healthy food options, along with cage-free eggs. They even plan to change the front entrance so it’s more welcoming. Perhaps the biggest thing is they want to expand is their hours. They have customer demand for more hours and only thing standing in their way is time and help. With more staff, they can make it all happen.

Getting to them is easy. You can drive your car, ATV, snow mobile or boat to unwind, meet up with friends and have fun at Archie and Arthur’s Icehouse. They’ve certainly raised the bar in the neighborhood! ~ Wanda Boldon

Yellow Lake is the largest lake in Burnett County – over 2,200 acres! If you add access to Little Yellow Lake and boating adventures up or down the Yellow River, there is even more to enjoy. Variable shoreline, elevations and waterfront environments make this lake a really interesting and beautiful natural resource to enjoy. Yellow …

Continue reading "Burnett County’s Yellow Lakes and River"

Yellow Lake is the largest lake in Burnett County – over 2,200 acres! If you add access to Little Yellow Lake and boating adventures up or down the Yellow River, there is even more to enjoy. Variable shoreline, elevations and waterfront environments make this lake a really interesting and beautiful natural resource to enjoy.

Yellow Lake is a playground built for all kinds of fun. Twelve-year cabin owners, Jim and Nancy shared their favorite activities. “We love the pontoon rides, swimming at the river, meeting new people, paddle boarding and kayaking, cross country skiing in the winter. The bird watching is great year around and the eagles fly right over our deck.” ~ Nancy and Jim

“Our family loves the size of the lake. It’s so large that you can do all kinds of things, whether it’s pulling kids around on a tube, fishing for trophy fish or kayaking into some of the more hidden natural areas on the lake. The nature watching is incredible! In the Spring, there can be hundreds of swans right after ice out. It’s just beautiful!” ~ Carol and John

“The things I like the most about this area are the tavern/restaurant options.  We have our own little neighborhood over here without ever having to get on any busy roads.  Specifically, The Rec, formally Ike Waltons Lodge, is a great new breath of fresh air!  Also, this establishment can be accessed by boat which is a great plus.  Furthermore, the ability to boat between the two lakes and river system.  As you may know, the bridge is scheduled to be replaced in September, 2022 and will be 2 feet higher, which will allow nearly all boats to pass under it.” ~ Tim

“In the Winter, it’s fun to be close to the Gandy Dancer Trail for snowmobiling and ATV riding. In the Summer, I love going for a sunset cruise and watching the eagles dive for fish!” ~ Jim

“Yellow Lake is fun and really a nice lake! It’s got a lot of different species in it from sturgeon right down to brim and you can go into Little Yellow Lake and into the River. It’s such a pretty boat drive!” ~ Bob

The DNR fact sheet describes Yellow Lake as “one of the premier fisheries in the Northwest District.” Here’s what Captain Steve Gensen of Fish Hunts Guide Service had to say about it.

“What’s great about Yellow Lake is certainly the fishing! Yellow Lake is great multi-species fishery. I target it mostly for the trophy Muskies, with many great fish caught and released over the years. We have several Muskies over the 50″ mark with a 52.5″er being the largest so far. Yellow is also great for Walleye and Northern pike for those looking for a little more action. Another unique feature of the lake is the abundant Sturgeon found here. Sturgeon season is the month of September and every year fish over 100#’s are caught. It is one of the few lakes where you can target Sturgeon successfully. Big Yellow Lake is certainly a premier Lake for angling.” ~ Capt. Steve Genson, Fish Hunts Guide Service 

“We love Yellow Lake because it’s about the only lake in the area that has a legitimate walleye fishery. It’s also great that there are two restaurants on the lake that you can just boat up to the dock!” ~ Sarah

The history on these waterways is rich and they were among the earliest settled. You can visit Forts Folle Avoine, located on the Yellow River to learn more about fur trading and early life on the River. Yellow Lake, Little Yellow Lake and the Yellow River are definitely stamped into the DNA of our area. They’re very well loved and you can’t think about our special lakes area without “Big” Yellow Lake coming to mind! ~ Wanda Boldon

Let’s take a tour of our listing at N6163 Perch Lake Road, outside of Spooner, WI! Built like a fortress in the middle of a mature, rolling forest, this log home on 30 acres is a dream come true for the outdoor enthusiast! You truly can get away from it all here. The setting is …

Continue reading "Log Home on 30 Wooded Acres"

Let’s take a tour of our listing at N6163 Perch Lake Road, outside of Spooner, WI!

Built like a fortress in the middle of a mature, rolling forest, this log home on 30 acres is a dream come true for the outdoor enthusiast!

You truly can get away from it all here. The setting is private and the surrounds are just beautiful!

The home has been well maintained and cared for and is ready for your outdoor and indoor adventures.

With 4 bedrooms and 3 1/2 baths, there are plenty of spaces for family and friends. But the star of the show is the great room!

With a floor-to-ceiling wood burning fireplace, vaulted ceiling with log beams, wood floors and a wall of glass providing a direct connection with the outdoors, it is the proverbial “heart of the home”.

The open concept kitchen is great for feeding hungry hunters or a ravenous post-trail riding crew. Everyone can gather around to enjoy and maybe a few will even help clean up!

Just off the kitchen is a 4 season room with a vaulted ceiling and glass surrounds, where you can share fishing secrets or watch the wildlife move about your land.

Upstairs is an open loft, bedroom and a bath. You’ll have to arm wrestle to stake your claim on this space!

The lower level has a family room that is snuggly warm in the winter with the help of a wood stove. It’s a great place to escape the main floor action and power through your favorite streaming series.

Off the family room is a work room where you can sharpen your hooks and store your gun safe. There’s even a cedar lined hunting closet. This room also gives you easy access to the outdoor wood furnace. It’s a great supplement to the forced air and in-floor heat!

In addition to the main attached garage, which is heated and has upper bonus space, there is a detached garage that could easily be a wood shop, or even a She-Shed. (Go ladies!)

If you want to have it all while getting away from it all, this log home on 30 acres for you! Click here for all the details and contact one of our CENTURY 21 agents to set up a showing. We’re here to help you realize your dream! ~ Wanda Boldon

The act of “dining out” has become a thing of the past for many people these days. Most people I’ve asked haven’t eaten in a restaurant since March. The statistics showing jobs lost in the food and beverage industry reflect that: one in four jobs lost has been in that sector, according to an article …

Continue reading "Dining Out in Northwestern Wisconsin"

The act of “dining out” has become a thing of the past for many people these days. Most people I’ve asked haven’t eaten in a restaurant since March. The statistics showing jobs lost in the food and beverage industry reflect that: one in four jobs lost has been in that sector, according to an article written in the latest issue of Bon Appetit. And yet, there are establishments, owners, servers and those behind the line that keep pushing forward and making changes in order to bring their food to their hungry diners.

According to Jason and Michele Martell, owners of the wildly popular Pine Brook Farm near Spooner, WI, most of their business during the pandemic has been carryout orders versus diners coming to enjoy a dinner and service at the restaurant. When asked how their servers are staying afloat, they said that most people are good about tipping, even when getting carryout food and any tips collected are given to the server scheduled at that time.

For those who go to Pine Brook Farm to have a traditional dining experience, the tables are distanced and the servers wear masks. Another thing they’ve changed to make things more safe for diners is to clear the tables of condiments like salt and pepper.

If you’re having doubts about whether it’s safe or smart to eat out, consider our experience. We made reservations for a 6pm dinner on a Friday night. When we arrived, there were two separate tables finishing their meals. When they left, we were the only diners in the restaurant. It was so nice to be served fantastic food! We were so grateful.

Everyone has a different idea of what is “safe” or “smart” at this moment in time. We were honestly on the fence. But we came away from that meal feeling safe, happy and on top of the world! So we ordered two pizzas and a dessert to take home. ~ Wanda Boldon

In our last installation of “Our COVID Experience”, we reached out to clients who bought property in 2020 and asked them to share their personal experiences related to buying real estate during the global pandemic. The responses had some common threads, but they were also personal and unique to each situation, which is what makes …

Continue reading "Our COVID Experience: 2020 Buyers"

In our last installation of “Our COVID Experience”, we reached out to clients who bought property in 2020 and asked them to share their personal experiences related to buying real estate during the global pandemic. The responses had some common threads, but they were also personal and unique to each situation, which is what makes our work so interesting! Here, we share some of what they said.

Why did you choose to purchase property in 2020?

“Due to the ‘work from home’ orders in spring 2020, we had more flexibility to search for a dream cabin. In addition, due to COVID, our normal kids-sports activities in spring and summer were cancelled – so we had unexpected freedom. We weren’t going to get serious until summer 2022, but the pandemic pushed our timetable forward.”

“We purchased property as an investment.”

“We’d been thinking about buying a lake place for some time. We were getting close to retirement and wanted a place that would be a gathering place for our grown children and our family.”

“We had been looking for a lake home and when we saw the property, we just knew it was right for us. It checked a lot of boxes for us: private, decent size and clean lake, larger lot, sandy beach and footprint.”

Why did you choose this area?

“It’s close to local family (Twin Cities) yet far enough away to have that “Up North” feel.

“We wanted an area within a reasonable drive for our kids to come up from Minneapolis to see us on the weekends. We love to ATV, snowmobile, fish and hunt, along with water activities.”

“We love the area for the amount of activities we can do from UTV and snowmobile trails to the fishing and the bars.”

“We’ve loved this area for years. Many of our work friends have cabins, and we’ve heard great things about the area. In addition, we wanted the “forest feel’ on a lake. This area of WI offers a lot with the combination of forest/lake, and allows us to stay within 3 hours of our primary house in Minnesota.”

How long did it take to find “the one”?

Responses to this question ranged from “one day to three years”. One buyer said they only looked at one property and made an offer on it that day. Another said they looked at 15 properties before they made an offer. This buyer’s response sums up how many people responded to this question:

“We made multiple trips up to the area in spring 2020, and just didn’t find a good match. Then…all of a sudden, one went on the market that we couldn’t resist. We saw it (online) on a Thursday, drove up immediately, and then placed an offer on Friday morning. We only moved that fast after seeing multiple other options – this just blew away the other choices.”

Is your property a primary home or second home?

Almost all buyers responded that they purchased property as a second home. BUT, almost all buyers stated that they planned to use the property, in some capacity, as a retirement home, either in the near future or in the coming years.

Will you work from your property?

The buyers who purchased property as an investment felt resale would be better because of the work from home opportunity that many people have now. Let’s see if they were correct.

Bingo! Their instincts were right in line with the current behaviors and future trend according to our responses! Almost all buyers replied that they have worked from their new property. Many said it is their intention to work even more from their property in the future.

“If you are forced to ‘work from home’, why not ‘work at the lake’?” Well stated!

Many thanks go out to the wonderful buyers who took the time to share with us. It’s so much fun and really interesting to hear their stories. At the end of the day, this is the core of our work – helping people achieve their goals as their lives change. The global pandemic has forced many people to pivot and make changes they didn’t see coming and our hearts go out to everyone who has been harmed, in any way. But we feel proud to have been able to help a lucky bunch who found something positive by buying a property in this beautiful place that we call home! ~ Wanda Boldon

Welcome to the second installation of our three-part series relating to “Our COVID Experience”. We’ve already shared information about how things have gone this year from our field of vision as Realtors. But we continue to talk to people who are surprised when we share stories about our real estate market in 2020. Because of …

Continue reading "Our COVID Experience: Market Statistics"

Welcome to the second installation of our three-part series relating to “Our COVID Experience”. We’ve already shared information about how things have gone this year from our field of vision as Realtors. But we continue to talk to people who are surprised when we share stories about our real estate market in 2020. Because of that, we feel it’s important (and interesting) to look at the 2020 market from a statistical perspective and compare our feelings to real numbers. It’s the next link in the chain of piecing things together.

We turned to the Realtors Association of Northwestern Wisconsin and the multiple listing service to pull sales statistics and graphs for our market area. To keep things simple, we started by comparing the first 3 quarters of 2019 to 2020 to see how the two years differed. We expected some drama! Instead, we found the number of properties sold and the average days on the market is almost identical – whether looking at properties off water or on water. What? How is that possible? It hasn’t seemed like that. We met with our team to discuss our findings and the consensus for this head-scratcher had everything to do with inventory. There simply wasn’t (and isn’t) enough inventory for the buyers who are ready and willing to buy. If we would have had 25% more inventory, we would have sold 25% more properties. The graph below shows the dwindling inventory over time for our market to support that.

The thing that DID change from 2019 to 2020 was the average sale price. The average sale price in our market area is 10% higher than last year – for both waterfront and non-waterfront properties! That was not a shocker to the team. They’ve all experienced countless competitive offer situations where the winning buyer offered well over the list price in order to be chosen. That’s the power of the market and the effect of attracting many buyers at once. The graph below shows the movement of prices over time, along with the spike from last year to this.

Another thing that jumped out to us was the movement of the “sweet spot” in the market over time. This relates to the movement in pricing. The bar graph below will make you dizzy and cross-eyed, but it also shows this movement. If you squint and focus on one color at a time and then do the same for all the other colors, you can see the shift. Feel free to use this entertainment when you are able to attend a party again.

Lastly, we asked ourselves about the future. What will Q4 look like in 2020? In comparing the number of sales in the last quarter of 2019 to the number of properties that are currently under contract to close in the last quarter of 2020, it’s about the same. It punctuates everything we’re saying to sellers right now. Seasons end, but the real estate market does not. We’re here to play all four quarters and unleash the power of the market all through the year! ~ Wanda Boldon

The changing leaves this Fall have been spectacular! The first pop of color felt so bright and beautiful. But shortly after, there was a new display that seemed like the most beautiful moment. And then a bit later, things changed to “peak” conditions and the original pop of color was a distant memory. Each progression …

Continue reading "Our COVID Experience"

The changing leaves this Fall have been spectacular! The first pop of color felt so bright and beautiful. But shortly after, there was a new display that seemed like the most beautiful moment. And then a bit later, things changed to “peak” conditions and the original pop of color was a distant memory. Each progression was so riveting, it felt like time stood still. But in all actuality, it happened so quickly. That’s what our COVID journey has felt like – a progression of captivating changes that happened faster than what it felt like in the moment.

In the beginning, working with sellers to gather information for market evaluations was not difficult. Many properties in our market are second homes or cabins, so our data collection was often a solo mission at the property. We could also discuss our market evaluations with sellers without meeting in person. It worked pretty well. But quickly, we found we had to evolve our behaviors so we could meet and interact with some sellers in person. We kept our distance as best we could and donned masks for our presentations and discussions. Through foggy eyeglasses, we got things done. Then, many people felt comfortable without masks and no one wanted to wear them. Now we’re back to masks.

For showings with buyers, we started by wearing gloves, sanitizing surfaces and keeping our distance for in-person showings. Then, we ditched the gloves and sanitizers and got by with social distancing and hand washing. We tirelessly watched for new listings on the MLS morning-to-night so our buyers wouldn’t miss an opportunity. New listings would attract multiple offers within the first couple of days on the market. We ran like we were being chased. Now, we’re wearing masks. But the inventory has dwindled so much that buyers have little or nothing to choose from. So the running has slowed to a purposeful walk.

Closing Day in our business is a big deal. It’s a celebration. It’s a letting go. It’s a final wrap-up of the entire selling process where everyone can meet, share information and the keys are passed to new owners. Sometimes there are tears and many times there are hugs…but at the very least, there are handshakes. At first, the rug was pulled out from that whole scene. Agents couldn’t attend closings and our clients were kept in separate spaces at the title company. Then things loosened up and agents and lenders were welcomed back to the party. Attempts were made at distancing, but few masks were worn. Now, everyone wears masks.

Our journey has been, by no means, the poster child for how things should have been done. It’s simply what happened.

Much like Thanksgiving is a symbolic marker of the end of Fall, where we count our blessings and there is a piece of pie for everyone. We can look back on our year of COVID and feel thankful. It’s been a heck of a journey but it’s certainly not done. Because the real estate market is never done. It just keeps changing and moving forward and we’d like more pie, please. ~ Wanda Boldon