For 2016, my real estate business started out great with listings and sales in the Greenbrier County, West Virginia. I was selling and listing in Lewisburg, White Sulphur Springs, Rainelle, and other surrounding areas. However, my business plan took a turn for the worst….a downward swing the end of June because of a natural disaster.
On June 23, 2016, a devastating flood hit areas of West Virginia, severely damaging and destroying more than 1,200 homes, with 23 fatalities. The flooding was the result of 8 to 10 inches of rain falling over a period of only a few hours, resulting in the third-deadliest flood in the history of West Virginia. Due to the flooding, many people in the already struggling small towns have lost their homes and businesses.
Because so many people have lost their homes in the White Sulphur Springs and Rainelle area, real estate has taken a big hit. Many active listings were removed from the MLS as the houses were flooded or swept away by the flood.
Those people that still have a job, can perhaps buy another house. However, there are some who now do not have a job as many businesses were destroyed. FEMA has given each family that has registered as a flood victim, $33,000. Some have been able to clean up and start repairing their homes, others will have to start searching for a home.
At this time, I am helping a family that lost their home in the flood. A couple with three children ages 6, 11, and 16. We wrote an offer on a house in Rainelle and now is under contract. It is a 2-story, 4BR/2BA house on 23 acres. They will have a new home, but will have to buy everything for the house, and school will be starting on August 22nd.
Grands Furniture will be helping them furnish their home. They also needed a power of attorney (POA) since the husband works out of state. I talked with an attorney and asked if he would prepare a POA letter for this family pro bono. He said, of course, and now we have the POA on file for the closing. I’ve a feeling we will be helping a lot of families like this one, and hopefully they all will have a home soon.
Yes, my business plan has changed and I am okay with this. Like other Realtors in the area, we are helping those in need of housing. So many are looking for rentals, and until FEMA brings in trailers for these families they will be in rentals…. And we do not have many rentals available. There are many families still living in our high school on cots.
My Business Plan Took a Turn for the Worst, or Has It? Not at all. I am still busy helping others find a house or a rental. My plan was to sell more homes this year. I may not do this but helping flood victims in whatever way I can is what my new plan is. So yes my business plan went out the window on that very sad day June 23, 2016, when a devastating flood hit areas of West Virginia, severely damaging and destroying more than 1,200 homes, with 23 fatalities.
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