To slow the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all non-life-sustaining businesses in Pennsylvania to close their physical locations late yesterday, and offered a comprehensive list of those types of businesses affected.

As a relationship-driven, people-facing industry, real estate is facing the turbulent effects of COVID-19.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, blood donor organizations are facing major blood shortages, but one local firm hosted its first company-wide blood drive shortly before Gov. Tom Wolf urged all non-essential businesses in the state to close. DLP Real Estate Capital of Hanover Township, Northampton County, hosted a drive on that day at its Lehigh Valley headquarters and two other sites.

An unnamed Virginia-based private investment group purchased 26 Dollar General stores throughout Pennsylvania for $36 million earlier this month.

After seeing the success of its carriage-style homes in Lower Macungie Township and its other residential properties in New Jersey, a real estate firm plans to add more.

Playa Bowls, a quick-service restaurant chain offering eco-friendly food options, will open a new location in the Lehigh Valley in Lower Nazareth Commons Shopping Center.

As companies look to the Lehigh Valley to move or expand headquarters and manufacturing operations, a key part of their decision-making is the question of workforce. If the workforce exists, that’s where they will go, and it’s a top reason many major companies recently announced plans to build in the region.

Nearly two years ago, Northampton County Council passed a responsible contracting ordinance that some local contractors say has prevented them from bidding on public contracts.

That’s according to a local economic expert who shared details of his economic forecast for the Lehigh Valley Business Real Estate & Development Symposium on Thursday at DeSales University.

The National Association of Realtors said a recent survey found that nearly one in four home sellers have changed how their home is viewed on the market because of the outbreak of COVID-19.