Summary
The residential cardboard sector remained resilient this quarter. Prices held steady at approximately one treat per square foot of floor space, and transaction volumes rose after the festive season left a surplus of large boxes across the region. Analysts at Basket and Box Realty, which consists of two analysts and a mascot, describe the outlook as warm.
Boxes
Demand for small and medium boxes remains intense. Our research, conducted by sitting near boxes and watching, shows that a box with a gap of two centimetres between the cat and the walls is considered undersized, but is still bought immediately. This is known in the trade as the “it fits, so it is mine” principle.
Large boxes, such as those that once contained a fridge or a wardrobe, have become luxury items. Biscuit Aldous notes that a single fridge box can house three cats, a cold war and a lingering resentment.
Baskets
The laundry basket sector is softer. Early in the quarter prices spiked because of a rumour that a freshly washed duvet had been placed inside one. The rumour proved true and then proved short lived, since the duvet was folded and put away. Several investors were left holding empty wicker.
There is also the matter of the dryer, which has unsettled the entire warm surfaces market. A dryer that has just finished is a prime location, but one that is about to start is a hazard. Marmalade Quill has advised all clients to inspect the drum before committing to a long term nap.
Regional highlights
- Hallway: stable, with occasional spikes when a delivery arrives
- Spare room: slightly down, on account of a rumour about a vacuum
- Bay window: up sharply, driven by afternoon sunbeams
- Under the bed: flat, but with strong rental yields in dust and lost socks
Outlook
We expect the coming quarter to be defined by two forces: new parcels arriving at the front door, and the human tendency to say “I will sort this out at the weekend”. The former is bullish. The latter is the greatest friend a cat property investor has ever had.
Investors are reminded that past performance of a box is no guarantee of its future structural integrity, particularly in damp weather or after a determined sit.