October 2021 Founder’s Message
“There’s no place like home,” said Judy Garland in the 1939 classic film, The Wizard of Oz. This time honoured sentiment resonates stronger than ever as we realize the importance of home since the pandemic changed the way we live almost two years ago. Home is our sanctuary. It represents safety, security, family and familiarity. It means many things to all of us, but one thing we’ve all learned is to treasure the place we call home.
Our homes have become so much more than just bricks and beams. It is said that home is a feeling, not a place. For many of us, it has become a refuge. A place to work, learn, play and relax. Our world has changed a great deal in a short period of time and so has the way we value and use our living spaces. Many of us are no longer leaving our homes in the mornings for work and returning in the evenings. Instead, we are now working from home and consequently requiring additional space and privacy.
During the 1918 flu pandemic, floor plans evolved as homeowners began installing small bathrooms on the main levels of their homes so guests could wash up without traipsing through the entire house. Similarly, with COVID, our requirements from our living spaces have shifted as we work and learn remotely with the help of modern technology. This work-from-home trend has translated into a greater need for more flexible, multi-purpose spaces that are comfortable and functional.
Basements reserved for storage have become home gyms, dining rooms are centers for virtual learning and backyards are oases for relaxation, entertaining and play. Gardening has become a popular hobby as people take satisfaction in growing their own food and creating beauty in backyards and on balconies.
Throughout the pandemic we have seen record-breaking home sales as homeowner’s shift to new ways of living and learning. Metro Vancouver’s real estate market remains strong and now is a great time to receive a free, in-depth comparative market analysis from one of our highly experienced Virani advisors. We listen attentively to your individual needs so that together we can find the place you call home in a post-pandemic world. Our advisors are attuned to both local and global real estate markets and know how to help you build a successful, strategic real estate portfolio. We invite you call us today so we can empower you to make sound decisions.
Living through a pandemic has shifted our values and activities more towards home. And, while many of us are blessed with homes and family, we recognize there are also many of us who need a helping hand during these times. With this in mind, Virani is working to build a community and support those struggling with food security.
Human-Kind, our not-for-profit purpose driven business is reliant on our community’s support to feed as many households as possible. With every locally hand-crafted Human-Kind bracelet you buy from us, we feed a local family in need. To date, we have helped deliver 6,500 meals. Celebrating kindness and giving back to our community and city that has supported and shaped us for the past two decades is extremely important to us. After all, we are all in this together.