John Denver's classic, “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” has received a lot of play time over the years. But for many families living in large cities, it has become their theme song.

While many industries and markets suffered setbacks at the hands of the COVID-19 pandemic, one that actually saw a significant gain was real estate.

Despite some early challenges, Sullivan County real estate agents adapted, which led to a historically high number of single-family residential home sales in the year's third quarter. Sullivan County led the region with a 45 percent increase, with realtors selling 384 single-family homes.

Single-family home sales are currently up 16.3 percent from last year.

The market has seen an increase in buyers and a decrease in inventory.

The pandemic changed many people's views on where they want to live and raise a family, especially with the growing popularity of working remotely.

Many second homeowners have considered making their Sullivan County homes their primary address, and the migration to the suburbs reflected in the real estate figures shows others have followed suit.

Local real estate agents deserve credit for making the necessary adjustments during the pandemic to help these new home buyers find the right home.

The home rental market has also exploded. Whether you're here for the short term or for the long haul, we extend a warm welcome.

We hope you will continue to make Sullivan County your primary residence even after the pandemic. Together, with your skillsets and new ideas, paired with the great and creative minds that we already have here, endless possibilities lie ahead.

Political signs

We had an article in Friday's paper which discussed how people of all political backgrounds were united in the belief that we should respect each other's freedom of expression, especially during election season and with the political signs people put out.

We agree with this sentiment.

At the end of the day, it's just a sign. If you disagree, just ignore it, or show off the signs of the candidates you support on your own property.

These signs are not cheap and people pay their hard earned dollars to purchase them.

So respect their rights and let your voice be heard when you head to the polls and vote!