Friday, April 22, 2011

I'll admit it - I love everything about Easter!

I attribute much of this to my Lutheran background and all the beautiful events that we are reminded of during the Lenten season.

I love Ash Wednesday and the reminder of how much we need a savior.

I used (!) to love the 40 days of Lent, and keeping up with my Catholic friends who were "giving up" something for Lent. Chocolate was always the biggie among us. What were we thinking?!?

I love Palm Sunday and the pagentry of Christ riding triumphantly into the City. I love receiving my palm and putting it in our home behind the mirror. It reminds me all year long of Christ our King.

I love Holy Wednesday and thinking about Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. How many of us have let a friend down in a moment of need? And even so, our Savior shows grace, yet again, to his 3 friends who chose to nap while he needed their prayers.

I love Maunday Thursday, Christ's last meal with his dearest friends. What must they have talked about? What events of the last three years were they reliving? How did they encourage one another about the events that were to unfold? Was the heart of Judas racing? Did he have any second thoughts? I wonder on Maunday Thursday.

I love the austerity of Good Friday in our church . There's an absolutely barren alter; no flowers, no gold adornments, no choir. Just the cross draped in black cloth, a crown of thorns hanging from the center post. There is an erie silence that compells my prayers for forgiveness.

And finally Easter Sunday. Outside, the church cross is covered in bright flowers. Kids are running everywhere. Inside the sanctuary is filled with Easter Lillies and bouquets of every kind of white flower you could think of. The cross....oh the cross, is now gloriously adorned in the purest white stole.....lillies surrounding its base. Jesus is alive!

I love everything about Easter - especially Jesus.

Christ is Risen.......He is risen indeed.

Happy Easter.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

"DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT!"

Some weeks are just more challenging in real estate. Last week was one of those weeks for me!

We've been in this adjusting real estate market for nearly four years now, but all of a sudden I've had a rash of sellers who don't want to hear the realities of the market.

So here's the low-down!

Homes are selling! There seems to be a pervasive myth that homes aren't selling. Well, they are. But it might not be at the price you had in mind. So strap up if you need to sell.

And that's my next subject: the need to sell. This, ladies and gentlemen, is not the market of 2004, 2005, 2006 or even 2007. We will never see that again in our lifetime. What this market and this economy is requiring from all of us is a paradigm shift from our "wants" to our "needs," especially in real estate. If you don't NEED to sell, then don't! It's no fun having your house clean all the time, strangers walking through it and waiting for an offer that just won't come if you're over priced. Plus, you probably have neighbors that do NEED to sell. Excess inventory doesn't help anyone.

What will help all of us is if we can take a deep breath and accept our new reality. This market will not be turning around for a long time. When this down-turn began four years ago, I was accused of being "negative" because I suggested it wouldn't be over by next spring! Well here we are, 4 years later, and now I get emails that go something like this: "we wish we had listened to you two years ago about the housing market." Dang, I wish they had too.

And while I wish I could report to you that we are near the bottom, I can't. We are counseling our clients to look 10 - 15 years out as they consider their real estate options. As recently as March my viewpoint was backed up by the owner of RE/Max International when he stated in his address to the RE/Max International Convention, that "we aren't even half way through this cycle in the market."

Cue: Groan loudly. I know, I know. But wouldn't you really rather know so you can plan accordingly - or change your plans if you need to??? Isn't that what a real professional does for you, is show you what's coming so you can get a jump on it? Wait, let me guess.....you don't want to believe me again. Heck, I don't want to believe myself.

So since I know, there's a lot of knashing of teeth right now, I thought I'd give you a link from the Distressed News Service, so you don't have to take my word for it. Once you've read the article (clear to the end!), please feel free to call me with any questions. There are many opportunities in real estate......you just have to know where they've shifted too!

HOME PRICES TO DOUBLE DIP IN THE WEST

Ciao for Now!