Here’s an opportunity to get out and support Black-owned businesses in the area.
BuyBlack Chambana is hosting a series of pop-up market events with food, vendors and entertainment on Saturdays through Sept. 25.
The events will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Helms Park, 475 S. Second St., C.
Mariah Madison-led BuyBlack Chambana is “dedicated to empowering and creating space for all people to celebrate and honor Black culture, support Black businesses and uplift the community” through events, workshops, partnerships and networking, according to its website.
The organization said it’s hosting the series of pop-up market events to circumvent barriers and give Black businesses the opportunity to build their own brand awareness in hopes that it will help them open their own storefronts in the future.
In addition to food, vendors and live music, the events will include fitness and dance classes and activities for kids.
For those attending: Masks are required.
Home sales strong
Just how busy was the home sales market in Champaign County last month?
The Champaign County Association of Realtors said home sales in July were at a 14-year record high for the month. There was also appreciation in median and average prices.
Some figures reported by the association:
- There were 388 closed home sales in July, up 6.01 percent from the same month last year.
- Homes were on the market for an average of 30 days, compared to 80 days in July 2020.
- The 1,945 sales during the first seven months of the year reflect a nearly 12 percent increase from the same months in 2020.
The median home sale price in the county in July was $180,000, up 7.62 percent from last July.
- The average home sale price in July, $213,977, was up 7.76 percent from July 2020.
“While other areas of the country are starting to see softening demand in the housing market, Champaign County area home sale activity continues to remain robust, above the stellar pace at this time last year,” said Realtors Association President Liz McDonald.
There was a slight decline in pending home sales (which are under contract awaiting closings) of 16 percent, and McDonald said that may indicate buyers are waiting for more homes to be on the market.
“The lower level of homes for sale continues to be a concern and we may soon experience the usual cooling-off period in the fall,” she said.
As of Aug. 20, there were 945 properties on the market in Champaign County, down from 951 last month, and new listings also were down 9.2 percent in July over July 2020, according to the Realtors group.
Moving on up
D1 Networks, Champaign, was ranked 1,925 on Inc. magazine’s latest annual 5,000 list of fastest-growing private companies.
D1 Networks is an alarm and telecommunications company that specializes in commercial fire and security systems.
“We are very proud of the hard work and dedication displayed by our team to get us to this point,” said company President Jared Sanders.
Companies on this year’s 5,000 list are ranked by their percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020 and they must be U.S.-based, privately-held, for-profit and independent rather than subsidiaries or divisions of other companies.