People are getting fidgety. The stay at home order has had a large effect on our mental health. Isolation can increase the effects of conditions like depression, suicidal ideation, and anxiety. Like most of the country, on Friday, May 1st Greenville SC will begin reopening by opening two malls.
The Haywood Mall in Greenville will have hours from 11 am to 7 pm Monday through Saturday and 12 to 6pm on Sundays. Extra safety measures will be in place at Westgate Mall. Here are some of the safety measures.
- Practice social distancing.
- No groups of more than 10 people.
- Food court seating will be closed.
- Seating areas and common area gathering spaces will be closed.
- Mall staff will be wearing masks.
- Vendors and contractors will be required to wear masks.
- Hand sanitizer will be placed around the mall.
- All staff will undergo a temperature check.
- Occupancy restrictions will be observed, social distancing in checkout lines, cleaning and sanitizing, and closure of fitting rooms.
The Westgate Mall in Spartanburg will open 11 am on May 1st with reduced hours.
Greenville Mayor Knox White has stated that he is comfortable with reopening retail businesses after information from the state Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and Prisma Health that cases of COVID-19 are leveling off for a third week now.
The future of restaurants, parks, barbershops, and fitness centers will remain uncertain. Distancing rules remain in place and that includes limiting the number of customers in each store. A broader reopening will depend on an effective early warning system to detect and avoid a spike.
Tiny Home Community
Daily Bread Ministries is building up to five tiny houses behind its soup kitchen on East Poinsett Street to expand its mission to help end homelessness. These tiny homes will serve as emergency shelters and transitional homes for homeless individuals and couples.
This community is modeled after Easley Dream Center’s Opportunity Village which has 23 tiny homes and 10 transitional homes serving the homeless. The tiny home village will be in an L-shaped portion of the ministry’s property close to a railroad track. Daily Bread is hoping that their workforce will be mainly volunteer which will keep the cost of each unit to around $15,000.
Tiny home communities are trending across the U.S. Most of the inhabitants are older people who are downsizing and like that there is less to maintain and keep up with. These homes are 400 sq. ft. or less compared to a traditional single-family home in 2018 which was 2,386 sq. ft. Here are a few other facts we know.
- Tiny homes have been around since the pioneer days. When people were living in huts, tents, and other such smaller living quarters and could only afford to build a smaller home.
- Tiny homes cost between $10k and $40K according to thetinylife.com.
- Some tiny homes have wheels, and some are built on foundations.
- There are challenges to living in a cramped space.
Although there is a movement toward tiny homes brought on by tv and movies, most home buyers in the U.S. are still buying full-sized homes. I foresee more retiring baby boomers selling out altogether and purchasing an RV so they can travel before its too late.
Victoria Cottle is a Realtor® in the Greenville South Carolina area and if you, a friend, or a family member need assistance with selling or buying a home I can help. Referrals and people needing relocation assistance are welcome! Search Single Family homes in Greenville. Search Condos and Townhomes in Greenville.
Please contact Victoria Cottle by email thevictoriacottlegroup@gmail.com or call (864) 275-3953 for your real estate needs in the Upstate of South Carolina!