When our lives got interrupted by the global pandemic two years ago, many of us thought it’d blow over in a few weeks. Soon enough however, we started to realize that regardless of how long it will take to go back to normal in terms of social dynamics, the virus will likely have substantial long-term effects on construction trends and real estate considerations.
A few months into the lockdowns, Steven Levin, Vice President of the Philadelphia-based construction materials procurement powerhouse Mega Supply Pro, issued a memo to his clients and other construction industry associates with thoughts and predictions on how the pandemic will affect the priorities of tenants and renters. Among the now obvious changes were things like transition to working from home for a significant portion of population, increases in package and food deliveries, and more attention being paid to cleanliness, hygiene, and air circulation.
Mr. Levin started by acknowledging that the real estate market is currently saturated with competitive offers, therefore it’s important to not only deliver the project, but to offer tenants a standard of living that will retain their loyalty and win over the competition.
As far as specifics, the good news is that renters and apartment buyers across the nation seem to express desires for similar features and amenities regardless of the region. In this case the pandemic had become somewhat of a unifying factor. Among the most sought-after features are better amenities, higher quality finishes, peace of body and mind, as well as more space.
Citing statistics from the National Multifamily Housing Council, Levin paints a picture where in major and minor metropolitan areas, from Philadelphia and Houston to Nashville and Mesa, AZ, CLICK HERE to see what renters are extremely interested in.