"Here Comes The Sun"

2020 was the busiest year of my 14 year career in real estate. I worked with over 30 clients, riding the subway 5-6-7x a day, all across New York City, from Gramercy to Park Slope, from Chelsea to Boerum Hill, from the Upper West Side to Crown Heights. Townhouses, Co-ops, Condos. Sellers. Buyers. Renters. Landlords. Always wearing a mask, always carrying hand-sanitizer, booties, & gloves.

Since June 22nd, and the great re-opening of NYC real estate, I have conducted over 500 in-person showings. 

With no open houses permitted, everyone now needs a one on one personal showing, scheduled in advance, with several prerequisite forms signed via DocuSign before they even see the property. But buyers still come...even in the face of pandemic...why? Because like me, they love this place and they know there is no place, like New York City. 

As a realtor, my office is this city.....transversing its many neighborhoods, meeting the many people looking for a new home, I feel the electricity of this city, even while many work from home, and some places have closed.

I see so much of this city, every single day, and I get to admire a brand new street corner I've never seen before, as the sun pours down and reflects off a regal 200 year old facade. 

And when I catch those bright glimpses, I feel a tremendous sense of hope. For this city, for this country, for this world. Over the years, many of my clients and friends have remarked about my positive outlook on life, even during these tough times. However, if you saw what I saw, maybe you would feel the same too? 

I have looked into more eyes with masked expressions than I ever thought possible! Time and time again, I see people "coming back" to the city, or finding a "better place" in the city, or finally "buying that dream home" in the city. Movement. People moving, as they always do.....

And yes, I helped sellers sell. Many homes. But for many different reasons, that almost never had to do with 'pandemic.' And what I saw over and over again, was people love this city. And even if they left, that was a plan already being considered before pandemic. A choice they made. Not out of fear, but out of preference. They had already given New York, 5, 10, 20 years of their life. It was time to go somewhere else....

2020 was a crazy year. And although it was the busiest year of my career, it was perhaps America's darkest, culminating in the terrorist attack on our capitol, just two weeks ago. However, tomorrow with the inauguration of Joe Biden as President, we begin a new era in America. And I could not be more hopeful for our collective future. Activity ticked up after his election, coupled with multiple vaccines, many buyers finally felt confident to commit to buying a home. Against so much uncertainty, finally some market optimism. 

And on those days, when I'm running around, from showing to showing, from one city block to a new block, I see that sun coming down, pouring down, washing over us, shining so brightly, with the great hope that comes with the dawn of a new day. And I'm reminded of the lyrics from the song "Here Comes The Sun" by The Beatles. I know the early days of 2021 have looked like a repeat of 2020.....but maybe, just maybe....

"Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter

Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun do, do, do

Here comes the sun

And I say it's all right

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces

Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun do, do, do

Here comes the sun

And I say it's all right..."

To warmer, brighter, and happier days-

Your Super Broker,

Alex Mahgoub