I came across a story from HousingWire about a real estate broker in Gary, Indiana named Mark Keene who's dealing with the fallout from some devastating storms that hit the area in August. According to HousingWire, those storms killed at least seven people, displaced around a thousand residents, and left hundreds of thousands without power. The damage was really significant across northwest Indiana.
What caught my attention was how Keene kept working through it all, even though it wasn't easy. He had showings delayed because properties didn't have electricity, and he was managing properties where clients got displaced due to tree damage and flooding. For about five or six days he himself was without power and couldn't really work, but he took it in stride and focused on helping his clients get their situations sorted out once utilities came back online.
The storms have also sparked some serious questions about the local utility company. According to HousingWire, there's a class-action lawsuit alleging that the utility didn't do enough to manage vegetation near power lines, which made the outages from fallen trees worse. The utility has pushed back on that, saying they've actually increased their spending on vegetation management quite a bit since 2016. The governor has requested a major disaster declaration, and estimates suggest the total losses could be in the billions.
Keene made an interesting point about preparedness. According to HousingWire, he noted that residents in places like Florida know hurricanes are coming and can prepare, but a once-in-a-century storm like what hit Indiana just isn't something you can really plan for. It's the kind of event that tests your ability to stay flexible and patient while the community works to get back on its feet.
What I'm seeing locally here in the Bay Area is that we face our own version of this challenge with wildfire season and earthquakes. When major disasters hit any market, it reminds me that real estate professionals need to stay grounded and practical. The market doesn't stop, but it does require flexibility and a willingness to work through complications while being compassionate to clients who are dealing with real damage and disruption.
