When COVID-19 shut down most of the country, real estate was one of the businesses that came to a screeching halt. But that’s already changing, Augusta area realtors say.
“It was scary. No one knew what would happen,” said Venus Morris Griffin, Meybohm vice president and associate broker. “Who would ever think . . . the Augusta National would reschedule the Masters.”
The local market was down 17 percent through the end of April, which wasn’t bad considering what Griffin heard from agents in some parts of the country where sales were down 70 percent and staff was laid off.
Griffin said she decided to keep her five-person staff on the payroll and they powered through together. In mid-May she had 20 homes under contract.
This year was looking to be a blowout for real estate, Griffin said. She was running $10 million in sales until the virus hit. Meybohm’s sales are still up about $40 million over last year, however, she said.
Source: https://www.augustachronicle.com/news/20200528/homes-sales-already-rebounding-in-augusta-area
Image: Meybohm real estate agent Venus Morris Griffin photographed outside a home she recently sold in Augusta, Ga., Friday afternoon May 22, 2020. [MICHAEL HOLAHAN/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]