Sarah Georger-Clark joined Metropolist in February and Sarah Mosley followed her lead two months later, in May. Both brokers live in West Seattle and took a moment to offer their professional opinion on the West Seattle market during and post COVID-19, along with the unexpected closure of the West Seattle Bridge.
What is happening in West Seattle?
“West Seattle residents have been worried about the value of their homes with the bridge closure being a new consideration.” Sarah Georger-Clark
The West Seattle Bridge shutting down indefinitely, for a multi-year repair and/or replacement, was completely unexpected. Combined with the stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19, the surprise and anxiety for West Seattle dwellers, and those who choose to work here, is palpable.
“When the news first hit, there was shock and panic.” Sarah Mosley admitted. “It felt like the end of the world; along with COVID-19, everything was going wrong that could go wrong. We feared the worst, but every week has brought reassurance that the market is not as bad as we thought it might be.”
Prediction requests are on the rise. Brokers can usually look at history to map trends, but those trends are not reliable, despite a strong start to the spring market.
“The virus did slow the market down for both listings coming on the market and buyers purchasing homes,” Mosley continued, “but in April the months of inventory (the ratio of the number of homes for sale compared to closings) in West Seattle was the same for 2020 as it was in 2019. It remains to be seen what the additional impact of the bridge closure will be on prices over time. What we do know is that right now the market is good and it is still a great time to sell or buy a home.”
People are concerned about commute times lengthening when they are able, or required, to go back to work. Some are anxious about losing their jobs, as many already have. Sellers are considering listing their homes now, instead of waiting and seeing what happens next, and buyers are considering buying now while they are employed.
Sellers are nervous, but as time passes they are adjusting their expectations and recognizing the gift of flexibility this pandemic has offered—like continuing to work remotely even when businesses reopen—and houses are selling.
“It’s breathing reality into the buyer experience,” said Sarah Georger-Clark. “The fact of the matter is, if a home is perfect for you, it may also be perfect for someone else. COVID-19 and the bridge closure are naturally adjusting expectations for sellers and buyers alike. Sellers are listing their homes reflecting the market shift, and those prices are what buyers want.”
“West Seattle has always had its own special appeal,” Mosley assured. “While it will be more difficult to get to and from West Seattle for several years, there are still many people who want to live here and buy homes here. People that can work from home all or part of the time, or those who have flexible schedules, or commute south, can make use of public transportation like Metro buses and the Water Taxi to get downtown. Additionally, there are those who just love West Seattle and still want to buy homes here.”
Even though today’s news makes every day feel like one long day, brokers and their clients are reassured: West Seattle is still a great place to live and work.
Why Metropolist now?
The fear of being locked-in to any neighborhood can be problematic for brokers. At Metropolist, there is the flexibility to work within whatever community clients are interested in. Metropolist offers a central location—a place outside of the box to think outside of the box—to meet with clients.
And that’s one of the reasons why Metropolist fits the bill for Sarah and Sarah.
“When Sarah Georger-Clark moved to Metropolist, I began to more seriously consider a move myself. I have known Chad, Domenica, and Jennifer for some time—hopping in on weekly meetings for ideas and support, and learning new methods of approach essential to business growth—and I enjoyed the all-inclusive environment Metropolist breeds. There were still fears about timing, but the silver lining of living through a pandemic is having more time to transition to a new office,” said Sarah Mosley.
Metropolist is the smartest and closest place for brokers to hang their license; and now is as good a time as any to make a change, maybe even better when it comes to maximizing the transition in your business during such an unprecedented time.
Join us to connect with new and seasoned agents, sharpen your skills, add more resources to your toolkit, and stay accountable and excited about the business you love.
