I’m often asked whether homes are being bought and sold in Billings, Montana during the COVID-19 pandemic. The easy answer is, yes, most definitely. But there is more to the story.
Even during a pandemic, people continue to have life events; like marriages, divorces, deaths, and babies. Adult children move back in with parents, and elderly parents move in with their children.
Given the extra time spent at home this year, working or vacationing in the back yard, many homeowners realized their home or yard leaves something to be desired. With many able to work remotely, some have even decided to relocate to another town or state.
2020 was the year for pet adoptions. Many renters sadly realized that their lease excludes pets and therefore buying their own home was the only option to dog or cat adoption. Wide open space and a fenced yard are top search criteria for homes in our area.
Add record low interest rates to all of these factors and you have homes being bought and sold. Realtors are being ultrasensitive to client safety, meeting and showing houses virtually. In cases of vacant houses, in-person showings still occur, with the showing agent disinfecting before and after a tour.
The Montana spirit has always been to forge ahead. Our culture of helping others and taking care of our own won’t change with COVID-19. The real estate and economic landscape may be different in the coming months, but one thing is for sure, this too shall pass.
