Gratitude in Pandemic Times

In early March of this year the pandemic was just beginning to feel real. While most of us still had no clue as to the magnitude or impact of the problem, many of us were beginning to consider making changes to the way we moved through the world. I hadn’t started wearing a mask yet but I began social distancing, wiping down surfaces in homes I visited or held open houses, and avoided contact with buyers sellers and other agents. I remember the first weekend in March when agents looked at me weird, or giggled when I told them I wasn’t shaking hands for a while.

But, as the reality of the world situation started to settle in, I just naturally expected that people would be staying home, working from home, and planning to stay living where they were. I started circling the wagons in preparation for a slow year of business. It was still too soon to tell where things were going but of all the options I considered for what the business year would look like, there wasn’t one that looked like a fairly normally busy year for me and a banner year that some agents have experienced. I hadn’t seen the writing on the wall yet that a combination of lowering interest rates, low housing inventory, people working from home and their desires to be closer to their families or further away from the masses would combine to make for a busy real estate year. All of that said, I have been grateful for the ability to help people land where they wanted at a time that has been and is very disruptive and troubling to most of our lives.

With all of that comes mixed feelings. While I have been able to maintain a comfortable, albeit much less social and more hermited lifestyle, many people around me have struggled immensely this year and anticipate further and more difficult struggles into 2021. I can only imagine the pain and difficulty that many have felt through job losses, illness, the loss of loved ones and displacement from their homes.

As this year comes to a close I feel deeply grateful for my health, the health of my clients, friends, family and my partner. I am grateful for Living Room Realty,    the Real Estate Community and our clients willingness to adapt to doing business in a very different and much safer way. But most of all, I’m grateful for the emotional support I’ve received and especially the support I’ve been able to provide everyone around me. If I can be there for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Be well,
Martin 

Martin Cross

Broker | OR & WA

He/Him

I've lived in the Portland-Vancouver area my entire life, so I'm very familiar with its many neighborhoods—both in the heart of the city and throughout the suburbs. A few years ago, I made the move to Vancouver to be closer to my grandkids and even closer to nature. I love how easy it is to get outdoors here, whether it’s a walk through the Salmon Creek or Burnt Bridge greenways, or a stroll along Vancouver's fantastic waterfront. After nearly 25 years of filling homes with beautiful art and design as the owner of vintage furnishings and art galleries, I transitioned my passion for finding great pieces for great people into a career in real estate. My eye for quality and attention to detail benefit both buyers and sellers alike. Having owned and operated businesses for most of my life, I bring with me a strong background in problem-solving, collaboration, and hard work. I always say, “Great things rarely come from a 40-hour work week.” If you're looking for a dedicated, responsive, and compassionate Northwest native to help you buy or sell, I’d love to connect. Whether you're searching for a Craftsman, a Midcentury Modern home, a new build, a fixer-upper, or an investment property—from single-family rentals to duplexes or small apartment buildings—I'm here to help you make it happen.

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• T: 503-781-2950
• F: 503-961-8224
• martincrossrealtor@gmail.com