One year ago last Friday, our kids walked out of their schools and we thought, it’s just for 3 weeks or so! Boy were we wrong…and what a year it’s been!
Below is a year in Portland review:
- The WHO proclaimed a global pandemic due to Covid-19, aka the Coronavirus.
- School’s out as we know it…
- We watched Italians sing songs to each other from their balconies.
- ZOOM! March 12, we had never heard of Zoom, March 15th we were meeting with clients and stagers on Zoom…and it’s everywhere!
- Real Estate came to a halt in Portland, and then U-turn, we got it back going.
- Our eyes were fixed on the news and coronavirus numbers.
- We started connecting in new ways and our need for digital/social media grew even stronger.
- Toilet paper…there wasn’t any.
- Bread, hard to find, yeast even harder, so we got creative and went back to sourdough starter-that was fun!
- And speaking of baking…we baked, and baked, and baked…
- Spanish police officers sang and danced in the streets to entertain folks indoors.
- And we made masks…then people who were good at making masks made masks and we bought those.
- Curbside birthday parties! Decorated front yards with folks on a sidewalk celebrating friends and family members popped up around the city.
- And more Zoom…Zoom happy hours with friends, Zoom meditations…and yes Zoom for work…
- George Floyd was murdered and a civil movement like no other was launched for all of us.
- And we watched the numbers…and we were losing friends and family and colleagues…and it became more and more real.
- We used our houses in new ways, setting up home offices and home gyms, and for a while, home classrooms.
- Then the sun came out, and so did we. Summer had arrived!
- Protests remained powerful throughout our city.
- Covid carts, covid trays, covid basket, etc came onto the scene with a way to store hand sanitizer, extra masks, and more for folks who came over to hang in your yard or front porch.
- And…Black Lives Matter
- Camping was everything…couldn’t fly or go to a festival…road trips and camping were a hit.
- And then nightly protests followed by teargas and sound canons ensued at the Federal Courthouse.
- People started fixing up their houses and yards.
- And then FIRE…smoke kept us trapped in our homes, windows closed, and we taped furnace filters to box fans…and it was dark.
- School returned with a whole new way of learning.
- And the smoke cleared…
- An election was on its way.
- And we had more yard signs than ever.
- Restaurants geared up for fall and winter and cold weather outdoor dining became a new norm.
- We bought outdoor heaters.
- Halloween was skipped (mostly)
- We got a new president. YES!
- And all the while we kept selling houses because people need to move, and they need housing, and life happens.
- The holidays were like none we’d seen before, and yet so very dear as we pulled out board games, and played cards, and cooked food we had never tried before…and it was okay.
- And we braced for numbers to spike again.
- There was an insurrection.
- And an inauguration..and Amanda Gorman swept us off our feet.
- And the vaccines came.
- And the real estate market in Portland got hotter then ever and the buyer bottleneck began.
- And here we are today…enjoying the sun, and grateful for all of you.
About Us:
Over the course of their professional partnership, Aryne + Dulcinea have helped over 200 clients prosper in their new lives. During this time, they have prided themselves in their top-notch selling abilities, with homes outperforming market standards, consistently exceeding list price while most of their listings sell in under 7 days. Whether you’re looking to buy or sell, Aryne & Dulcinea will work in collaboration to guide you in investing in your future and reaching your real estate goals.
