Keep calm – but perhaps do not carry on until it is safer

Keep calm – but perhaps do not carry on until it is safer

It is a normal Wednesday night in the Stanton household, Zara has been racing around the sitting room before finally jumping up onto my lap as we zone into watching the evening television.

In a televised, good-mannered debate, centered on Covid-19, what really comes across is that with other a thousand poor souls perishing in one day alone, a new record high level, and the disease hard baked into more fatalities likely in the coming weeks, things are at crisis point.

As I return to my screen to tap away this piece; I see that Capitol Hill the over side of the pond has been stormed, gunshots fired and at least one injury. And the President is telling his Republican faithful that though he was cheated, there is a need to to show no violence and to go home safely.

Is it me, or just six days into 2021, are things becoming just a little unhinged? Is social cohesion at breaking point, is everyone just a little bit too tightly wound, and has Fake News, made it hard to set our own personal compasses.

During the day, I have had yet another avalanche of contact from agents, the owners, the employees all looking for answers, direction and well comfort.

My thoughts are – stay at home, stay safe and follow that path, it may put me at odds with some of my readership, but maybe it is time to accept that in 2021 – digital is better than physical, and tapping away in your home office, your bedroom or bathroom, and doing business, is better than being outside in what is fast becoming a very strange and almost dystopian world.

The single thread that I seem to be hearing is that agents are genuinely fearful of their personal safety and those they come into contact with, and many say that it is ok for senior industry individuals to say there are safe procedures to protect people, but Covid-19 is the invisible enemy, and the rate of contagion is rife.

I am hopeful, that things will calm down.

For those, and it does seem to be a growing number who are conflicted by the need to do business and the need to be safe, my advice is look to your support groups, your senior management and your Resources departments or your bosses, and if you are a boss, then the guidance and counsel of others in your peer group.

Now is the time for unity not discord, kind words, not just potential cash on the bottom line, and most of all a realisation that we are all in this together.

And for those who have to make the big decisions about a hard lockdown for their businesses tomorrow morning – think very much of the welfare of you committed extremely hard-working teams, some of whom have been the backbone of your businesses for loyal decades; as many of them are tired, stretched, mentally fatigued, and many now with children at home they are having to juggle. With the likelihood that tougher times are upon us, before we see a better picture forming.

Andrew Stanton

CEO & Founder Proptech-PR. Proptech Real Estate Influencer, Executive Editor of Estate Agent Networking. Leading PR consultancy in Proptech & Real Estate.

You May Also Enjoy

Visual blemishes on Roads due to service upgrades
Estate Agent Talk

Emergency Sidewalk Repairs: When to Act and Who to Call

Sidewalks are the unsung heroes of city infrastructure—quietly assisting tens of millions of footsteps every day. But when they crack, disintegrate, or shift all of sudden, they might quickly turn out to be volatile liabilities. In a town like New York, in which pedestrian site visitors are constant and belongings proprietors are legally chargeable for…
Read More
Breaking News

Reapit report reveals agents’ long-term market confidence amid legislative challenges

Despite the significant challenges posed by a shifting economic landscape and the largest wave of housing legislation in decades, estate and letting agents remain steadfast in their confidence about their long-term future in the industry. According to the first Reapit Property Outlook Report 2025, covering the full breadth of sales and lettings agency opinion countrywide,…
Read More
Breaking News

Owner-Occupiers Drive Resilient Commercial Property Market

Buying Becomes 37% Cheaper Than Renting The latest Commercial Property Demand Index from specialist property finance expert, Rangewell, reveals that while investor appetite across the sector held steady in Q2, strong levels of owner-occupied commercial mortgage activity are helping drive market performance, as business owners increasingly move from renting to buying their long-term premises for…
Read More
Breaking News

One year of Labour: Property market performance review

Investors left waiting for planning reform and incentives but majority plan to increase real estate allocation   Biggest failures: Lack of incentives for developers and investors, and ineffective planning reform Top priorities: Planning reform, tax incentives, and attracting international capital Where opportunities lie: Data centres, warehousing & logistics, and later-life housing Real estate debt is…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Plumbing Red Flags Every Homebuyer Should Watch Out For

Buying a home is one of the most significant investments a person can make. While factors like location, square footage, and curb appeal often steal the spotlight, what’s hidden behind the walls is just as important—especially the plumbing. Overlooking plumbing issues during the home-buying process can lead to costly surprises down the road. That’s why…
Read More
Breaking News

Social homes are key in solving the housing crisis

The Government has announced that at least 60% of the £39 billion allocated for affordable housing, around 300,000 homes, will be at social rent levels. Richard Beresford, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Builders (NFB), said: “This is superb news because unaffordable housing is the greatest barrier to growth and a social housing revolution…
Read More