2020 started with a bang! January was strong and we scratched our heads at the demand, which is not typical in this neck of the woods just following the holidays and facing a couple of grim winter months. February looked promising and we felt blessed with an early spring market. In early March, as COVID arrived in New England and many were forced to close their businesses and others to work remotely, we expected real estate sales to tank and we went to our home offices and then to our banks for assistance to weather a storm not of our making.
Deemed an essential business by Governor Lamont we nevertheless sent the office staff home and continued to work with buyers and sellers virtually and by employing safety measures recommended by the CDC and the Connecticut Association of Realtors. We distributed masks, gloves and hand sanitizer to our existing listing clients and instituted safety protocols to allow for safe and private home tours or provided video tours upon request. 
After a brief slowdown sales rapidly accelerated through the summer straight through December creating some record-breaking months. Due to the limited inventory, listings new to the market enjoyed (and still do) 7-10 showings a day until they sell for at least full price but more typically well over asking, the result of a bidding war for a scarce commodity.
The demand from out-of-state buyers, locals quarantined at home desperate for more space and first time buyers—enjoying some of the lowest interest rates in years— culminated in a 28% increase over 2019 or 80 more properties sold at Home Selling Team in 2020.
This trend of higher prices for sellers and slim pickings for buyers is likely to continue with the current inventory of residential housing a paltry 94 homes for sale in Windham County (16 towns) and 120 homes for sale in Tolland County (13 towns).
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