Where I want to live during the next quarantine

This crisis has been tough on anyone. We have learned this is a health crisis, but also an economic crisis, and a housing crisis (rent strikes, mortgage forbearance, …. cabin fever?).

But here is what keeps me occupied. How will this crisis impact the Real Estate industry. Would folks want to live in a condo, in a high-covid metropolitan area, away from relatives for the sake of income, or with no front door delivery?

I am not forecasting a flight from NYC or others, but a new value structure to downtown vs. suburbia, hometown vs. Fortune 500 metropolis.

I am saying, a backyard has been a great escape for working from home while not being able to go anywhere. It has been priceless for my child as well.

Being able to receive packages from Amazon or others at my doorstep without interacting with anyone, has also been a stress relief by avoiding contact.

Food shopping has been manageable as well, going there and back is not crowded, neither has been the supermarket. Although not as fully stacked as it used to be, we have always found alternatives.

Not having family in our proximity has been a challenge for us. We chose to move away from family and friends to seek higher salaries, seeking top ranked universities for us and the kid when the time came. We are no longer sure our ranking of priorities holds true.

During the next quarantine I want a backyard, I want to be able to walk to the supermarket, but I also want family within driving distance; assuming we can work from home. Family and health have moved up in our priority scale over personal economy and professional development. That’s what I am saying.

Alberto Marinas

PadBlock.com Founder