Real Estate Round-Up: Home

Home: a place where you live, love and learn. You have things around you that are special and have meaning, but most of all you are surrounded by people you love, respect and care for, and who love, respect and care for you.

During my lifetime, home has always been a special place. Events have occurred over my lifetime that made “my home” more than just a place to come to after school or work.

When JFK was assassinated, when family members died, when I witnessed a horrific auto accident that killed a child, when 9/11 occurred, all these events made “going home” a safe place to heal from the wounds of the day.

We are experiencing another one of those times. I’m not saying that the coronavirus is equal or greater than any of those events I mentioned, but it’s presence and the guidelines we have all been asked to subscribe to, have made “home” such a powerful place to heal in.

As I have watched my friends, who own small businesses, adjust to the current normal, I am reminded of how important we are to each other. My home extends beyond my roof and four walls. It has become my community that needs my support. So, this piece today is about finding the value in the mandatory sequestering, and how we can use it to encourage our families and those who need our help.

For the parents who are home with their children, what a lovely place to make those memories, taught through living. I encourage you to find things to create with them, whether you plant a garden, bake a cake, learn to do laundry, make a scrap book or storyboard of dreams, play catch, walk the dog, take a hike and look for birds and animals.

Enjoy this unexpected time with your children, no matter what their age. Turn off the TV, internet and cell phones and really connect with each other. It may feel strange at first, since we are all so connected to these nonhuman devices, but just do it, and feel the bonds grow.

For the workers who are furloughed, take the time to reconnect with people via phone or facetime, write a letter to an elderly friend, complete those unfinished projects, paint that room, take that walk at the beach or on a trail, make a list of things you will do once you go back to work.

People over 65 or those with preexisting conditions have been asked to stay home since the virus was initially detected. Reach out to them to see if you can pick up groceries or other necessities while they are sequestered. Contact your church, the Foundation for Senior Care or the Fallbrook Senior Center to see how you can help and what you can safely do.

There are many ways we can all continue to support Fallbrook. Support our local restaurants by ordering curbside dining, “visit” our local stores by going online to their websites, reach out to our nonprofits to see if you can donate anything or volunteer to help them service their clients, go online to our local wineries' websites and order wine that you can enjoy while you’re eating at home.

Every small act of support will help Fallbrook survive and trust me; will make you feel great!

We are, for the most part, working from home, but we are still working. In a response to the state imposed sequester last night, Realtors who represent buyers have been contacting us in search of homes for their clients. I cannot recall the last time there was such a flurry.

These buyers are actively looking to purchase a home now. We are prepared to show homes to them, hand sanitizer, gloves, booties and masks in hand. Interest rates are low, and buyers want to take advantage of those rates.

We still have historically low inventory, which benefits sellers. There are more buyers than homes for sale, which means it is easier to get your price in a high demand environment. If you were planning to sell your home before the coronavirus, sell your home.

At this time, despite what you might be reading, the virus has not slowed anything down in real estate at the property level. Lenders are still lending, with smaller staff, the County Recorder’s office is still recording sales and people are still moving.

It’s probably just my personality, but there is a silver lining in most situations. Don’t miss this one. Take advantage of your down time, your “home” time, this “hot” selling market and breathe. Time will fly and we won’t have these exact same opportunities again.

Murphy and Murphy is here to help you, if you need anything. We will pick up your groceries and your personal items, we will chat with you on the phone, we will pray with you, and we will help you sell your home.

When we formed our company in 2012, we chose this as our mission statement, “Service Oriented Realtors putting the needs of clients and the community first,” Proverbs 3:3-10. We meant it then, and we mean it now. Stay safe my friends.

Kim Murphy can be reached at [email protected] or (760) 415-9292 or at 130 N Main Avenue, in Fallbrook. Her broker license is #01229921, and she is on the board of directors for the California Association of Realtors.