Today's speaker was our own Maryna Daw.  She was joined by colleagues Jennifer Giovinazzo, Viet Le, and Jaime Wambach from Pinnacle Real Estate in order to provide an update on current residential real estate trends in the Twin Cities.  Maryna shared that she became interested in real estate while growing up in Ukraine, where most people live in apartments, causing her to feel awe when watching American TV and seeing the free-standing homes more familiar to those of us growing up here.  The team shared that, while it might seem surprising, the local real estate market has continued to be strong throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.  In May, average days-on-the-market declined from 46 to 41 and average selling prices are strong.  This is in part because the inventory of homes has fallen, making it a true sellers market.  Most homes, especially those on the lower end of the spectrum, are receiving multiple offers.   One impact of the pandemic is that home offices have become a prime amenity that buyers are looking for, as so many have changed to working from home.  I experienced the truth of what Maryna and team were saying when we listed our home for sale on March 19th of this year.  Having already agreed to purchase a new home, we had to move forward, despite great trepidation.  I was amazed that we had requests for showings immediately, just as the country was beginning to deal with the reality of Covid-19 and the stock market was plunging.  I thought then and continue to feel that the strength of residential real estate sales is a comforting sign that many folks feel confident in their jobs and that we will, indeed, get through this!