253: Life in London #in-the-time-of-the-virus. @JosephSternberg @WSJOpinion
Image: Fila Foggia Hi LTD 03, a rare but popular set of high tops. Fair use. Joe Sternberg, WSJ editorial board, in London, josephsternberg, @WSJOpinion, in re: Life in London #in-the-time-of-the-virus. https://www.ft.com/content/bd203e1b-db48-4609-ab01-67e6e139b8d3 The UK property market has bounced back sharply, according to estate agent Foxtons, with lettings almost at pre-crisis levels and sales well up on April and May. Activity dropped heavily during the peak of the coronavirus crisis as estate agents shut their offices and social-distancing measures made physical viewings impossible. But London-focused Foxtons on Tuesday said that the market had recovered quickly in June and July. https://www.ft.com/content/080988c3-a6d8-42f6-b80c-66c7d62f8307 A global pandemic might not seem the best moment to try to sell ultra-pricey trainers, least of all when the global economy is predicted to shrink 5 per cent this year. But next week Christie’s, the auction house, will conduct a cyber auction of a dozen pairs of Michael Jordan’s old shoes — and the top lot is expected to fetch $350,000 to $550,000. This follows a digital auction organised by Sotheby’s in May of the basketball star’s old Nike Air Jordan 1s. They fetched $560,000 — a record in the second-hand sneaker world, and a level that might make even billionaires feel dizzy.