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Experts Predict How COVID-19 Pandemic Could Permanently Change Real Estate

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Experts Predict How COVID-19 Pandemic Could Permanently Change Real Estate

LAS VEGAS, NV – Experts are currently weighing in on the Las Vegas real estate scene and the changes that are being forced upon it – both in the here-and-now as well as long-term – due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The housing market in Las Vegas has been bruised and battered by the pandemic as lawmakers have instituted a series of mandates to keep the population and non-essential businesses under lock-down in an effort to halt the spread of the disease, which has claimed over 100,000 lives in the United States so far (102k+ as of today). And while these efforts have proved to be helpful, the short-term impact upon the economy – with many businesses closed, tourism halted, and unemployment skyrocketing – has been brutal.

One of the most affected industries in the Southern Nevada region has been the previously-booming real estate market. Sales have dropped as families lose jobs and worry about their ability to purchase a home and lenders tighten mortgage requirements, but there are also potential long-term impacts that many experts note could change real estate for years to come.

For example, some experts are noting that the pandemic could reverse the current trend of living in densely-packed, city-based downtown areas – where residents are currently cooped-up in tiny apartments during the quarantine and social distancing difficult to maintain when venturing out – with a switch in preferences to the suburbs, which have more options for getting out and experiencing nature safely.

Also, a trend toward renting may be in the cards, as the financial hardships many people are currently enduring – combined with a weakened economy – may be taking the concept of home ownership out of the cards for the time being simply due to affordability concerns.

Another side-effect of the pandemic is that people are spending more time in their homes, with many also working from home; in doing so, many people are realizing that they actually may want a larger home to accommodate the extra time they are likely to be spending there for what could potentially be, the next year as we deal with the fallout of the coronavirus, including a potential flare-up and resurgence come this fall and winter.

For those with more financial cushioning, experts are predicting that more well-off Americans may actually choose to invest in a second home. During the pandemic, many people with second homes fled their primary residences to more comfortable and secluded abodes that they owned in places like the Hamptons or Poconos. With that example before their eyes, it’s possible that more people might set up a situation like that in case the coronavirus rears its ugly head once again soon.

And finally, the very nature of property sales will likely be changed going forward by the coronavirus. Real estate agents, in an effort to adapt to the crisis while still doing business, began offering “virtual” home tours, video walk-throughs, and a plethora of other services. In addition, the typical mountains of paperwork involved when it comes to closing a deal are in the process of being overhauled and streamlined where possible.

As you can see, the coronavirus pandemic – despite the fact that it’s current run appears to be nearly brought under control – will nonetheless have lasting effects upon the real estate industry, both in Las Vegas and nationwide.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of HendersonLas Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

About the Author

Christopher Boyle is an investigative journalist for SEARCHEN NETWORKS® and reports for independent news and media organizations in the United States. Christopher helps keep a keen-eye on what's happening in the Las Vegas Nevada community on behalf of Shelter Realty Inc.