There is no doubt that the pandemic has created quite a disturbance in life as we know it. Starting from the virus disrupting the way we interact with one another, and following through to the shortages we are seeing in virtually all industries, it is quite a lot to take in. There was a semiconductor shortage that began at the end of 2020. People were watching OTCMKTS SMICY regularly to see how the price of the stock would fluctuate.

During the height of the pandemic, there were obvious food shortages. People went into panic mode and began stocking up on food and cleaning supplies. This hoarding behavior created a shortage across the country. People who needed food or cleaning supplies were no longer able to find them in stores and were left doing without.

Once everything was shut down, people started realizing that the frontline workers were also in quite a situation. The meat markets and food production industries were taking drastic safety measures to keep their facilities working.

In many cases, entire warehouses and production lines would have to shut down for quarantine. This resulted in a large amount of waste. This brought forward meat, dairy, and goods shortages. People learned to adapt. Manufacturing was closely watched and businesses were closely watching markets in industries we all relied heavily upon.

Trying to Make Changes During a Pandemic

Many people were stuck in their houses. This brought a change in how we did business and became educated. Children were taught virtually and people kept their offices and industries running from their home-based remote location.

It was discovered that a lot of work and learning could be done right from the comfort and safety of our own living rooms. But this also brought forth a new realization. Many people were never home. They were constantly commuting to and from work and running their children to and from activities. The more time spent at home resulted in the realization that their homes needed updating. Others also realized that their homes were actually not meeting their needs.

During the warm weather months of the pandemic, the home renovation and improvement stores saw a great influx of people coming in for supplies for much-needed repairs and renovations at their own homes. This produced another shortage. A lot of home goods such as appliances, furniture, and renovation supplies went on backorder. People were constantly updating their homes to make them more comfortable.

The vacation industry saw a major decline since many states were still shut down. People were spending more time at home and focusing on their family and living quarters.

Fed Up and Time to Move On

While some homeowners were updating their spaces, others were realizing they needed new spaces. The real estate market saw a major surge during the pandemic. Some people realized that some school districts were in-person learning and their own children’s school district had no opening date in sight. This lead to a moving surge of people seeking houses in desirable areas that were not as shut down as the ones they were currently living in.

The desire to move drove up the prices of the existing houses. There was a shortage of houses on the market and there were bidding wars on the houses that were available. People were able to sell their houses for drastically more than they purchased them for years prior. These people were then in turn either leaving the states they lived in or seeking houses in other areas. The housing market shortage then sent people seeking new build construction. The builders were in such high demand that they began experiencing shortages of building supplies and workers.

Trickle Down Effect

The shortages and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic have been a total trickle-down effect. As soon as one area of manufacturing or industry opens, another experiences a shortage. Eventually, we will all inevitably come out of this in a better place. The housing market always sees highs and lows and the same is true for the stock market. Once life begins to return to normal, the desire to move and change life so drastically will begin to taper off and people will become content once again. This will level out all of the shortages we have experienced over the past year and a half.