Real Estate News Brief: Restarting the U.S. Economy, New Emergency Loan Money and Home Sale Activity

Published: April 27, 2020, 4:18 a.m.

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending April 25th, 2020... the staggered reopening of the U.S. economy has begun, two small business rescue programs are being refunded, and the home sale slump could be reversing.
 
We begin with economic news from this past week, and plans, by some states, to slowly restart their economies. The state of Georgia is taking the first steps with the cautious reopening of some businesses on Friday, April 24th. While states, like Georgia and South Carolina, are planning to ease stay-at-home restrictions, others are extending them because modeling shows they are still at risk. A model maintained by the University of Washington shows that Montana could safely reopen on May 1st, and that Alaska, Hawaii, North Carolina, Vermont and West Virginia could do so on May 10th. At least half the states should wait until May 25th or later.