Life continues in the Catskills
Luckily, and interestingly, construction is considered essential, so we continue apace without sneaking around in the middle of the night, or camping out at the site, both which we were willing to do to keep it moving forward. We have 3 homes to close in the next 4 weeks, and closed on 2 last week, and I intend to meet the schedule.
Not easy however, with building departments in disarray, the board of health redirecting all their efforts to virus tasks, and the constant fear of new orders about what businesses are permitted. But, as I predicted and hoped, the strengths of our relationships, the length of our relationships, our credibility across a wide range of municipal, banking, and construction departments, has paid off. And lest I forget the most important ingredient - our clients, whose strengths as buyers bridge many unexpected issues. I consider it all a competitive advantage, one that seems relatively unimportant until you need them, and then it's life and death, from a business standpoint.
We needed a septic inspection for a certificate of occupancy, we wanted access our unsecured credit lines, we wanted to close some loans, close some deals, close some houses, and really, it's happening. We are even getting people to look at our new homes.
Not withstanding the 'good' news on our business front, the pain out there is real. Out of cash, out of water, out of cash flow, out of work, out of school.
A hiccup on the economic relief package, though it seems to be reconciled now. I agree with some last minute objections, where unemployment benefits would equal or exceed the actual paycheck, is a really bad idea. Why would anyone work, or why would any small business fight to keep an employee on if they can make just as much on the dole?
Here's my exercise cabin I built on our property in Milford PA. Great space for functional fitness.
A new farmhouse in Kerhonkson which will sell in less than 2 weeks.
and a painting from a young swiss painter I bought from my art broker friend Bryan, which just went from my miami beach condo to my Pennsylvania bedroom. One of my favorites.
And french toast breakfast at the Petersheim Home School. Frankly, in my opinion, it's amazing it takes 8 hours a day to run through their lessons, because lucas has doubled his learning in half the time. I guess the inefficiency of educating large numbers defines education. While I'd never do it, since the socialization is important, and sports and the whole thing, what I'm seeing, viewed only through prism of amount of learning, Lucas is getting a lot more education at home - plus i throw in some primary sex ed, combining art class with sex ed primers, with classic art as tools.
