How can you not be optimistic when you see the future in photos like this one?

Argh!  The  news seems to be all bad…..lower and lower are the sales prices, and the comepleted sales figures are still dismal. But there is always an up side. Here is my view. First, yes! It is a great time to make a purchase of real estate. If you are an angel, you can borrow money at a very excellent rate and you can find a dream house that will be in your price range…in fact, you can find a really great dream home that is way below your price range. Even better!

I think we are not going to see full recovery for five years. It may seem like a dark gray forecast, but think about it. Unemployment is still high, people are still nervous about the changes that have been implemented by government (ie: health insurance reform, armed service budgets and so on) and housing is still a scary bet. (but remember, you still have to have someplace to live so it can’t be all that scary.) It will (in my opinion) take another 18 months for the bottom to stop being quick sand and seem real. Then it will take another year to begin to see some reassured b

uyers and sellers who are testing the market and finding it to be warm enough to swim in. Then it will take another two years to see a nudge towards appreciation again.

That said, people will stil

l be buying and selling their homes for reasons that cannot be avoided: retirement, downsizing, relocation due to employment, marriage, divorce. So there will be a market that will reflect minor changes and hopefully some optimism along the way. Even if the ‘bottom” goes down another percent or so, if you miss your dream home because you waited to hit rock bottom, it will be too late. Imagine the tennis ball that hits the ground; by the you see it, it has started a rebound and is on its way back up. The time is here to make good decisions. Be informed. Make a plan. Set some goals. Take small steps. Be realistic.

And then call me. Thank you! Stand by me!