The "R" word

I went to dinner with my dad tonight and he said it, that we are in a recession. I said please don't say that word in front of me anymore. He said it just means that they announced that the GNP is not growing- whatever that means. This is what the current economy means to me-

We are having a great year in real estate. We have sold as many homes this year as we did last and it is only August. When people ask me about how are business is doing- I always say "that we are doing really well!".

Here is how my career has broken out in real estate.

2005- slow, which I expected since it was my first year.

2006- fantastic!

2007- better than 2005 but not as good as 2006, which I did not expect but decided to work harder to make 2008 another fantastic year instead of throwing the "R" word around and making excuses.

2008- fantastic- this will be my best year by far in the real estate world!

I took this from a friend's blog today - Raquel with Silver Square, Inc. - and I think it is where the economy is today.

The Formula that Changes EVERYTHING by Jack Canfield

It seems that everywhere you turn these days, you hear people talking about the economy.

What’s interesting is that some people are scared to death about it, while others couldn't be happier.

While I don’t claim to be an economist, I do know one important fact. The economy is the same for everyone, it’s how you respond to it that determines how you feel about it.

It’s yet another example of what I’ve been teaching for years. . .

E + R = O (Events + Responses = Outcome)

The basic idea is that every outcome you experience in life (whether it's success or failure, wealth or poverty, wellness or illness, intimacy or estrangement, joy or frustration) is the result of how you have responded to an earlier event (or events) in your life.

Online Networking

Okay, please raise your hand if you are overwhelmed by online networking- I am raising mine high right now!



It seems as if there are so many places that you can be a part of online networking in our current Internet world. Here are the one's that I am a part of on a regular basis. Take a look at my profiles and become my online friend/connection today.



I am on LinkedIN. This is what the LinkedIN people say they are- "Your professional relationships are key to your professional success. Our mission is to help you be more effective in your daily work and open doors to opportunities using the professional relationships you already have. This isn’t networking—it’s what networking should be. Forget exchanging business cards with acquaintances that don’t know your work, or trying to renew professional ties when you need a favor."

I feel like it is a good place to stay "online" connected in the business world. A good place to go if I needed a job or needed to hire someone. A good place to go if I wanted to try to get contact information for someone at a specific company. I like LinkedIN. Here you would not become my friend but would be my "connection". Here is my profile on LinkedIN, become my connection today.

The second place I have a profile in the online world is Facebook. I love Facebook! It has been so fun. A friend of mine said the other day that she might have become addicted to Facebook and I can see this might be a growing problem for me too. This is what the people at Facebook said they are "Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. People use Facebook to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet." I just love Facebook...did I say that already? I have gotten reconnected old friends and classmates. It is a place where you can post pictures of your family or your life and share with others. It is a great place. Here is my profile on Facebook , become my friend today.

I have chosen to be involved with only two online networking groups full time but there are many others out there. There are one's that charge you to participate and one's that don't. My opinion is that you should not have a profile up if you can not maintain it, just my opinion, so that is why I decided to stick with two groups so I can keep up with the maintenance.

Hope to see you online today!

Market Watch for June 2008

Central Indiana housing market continues to outperform national averages
Low prices contribute to sustained buyers’ market

INDIANAPOLIS – June housing statistics point to continued opportunities for buyers to take advantage of lower housing prices across the nine-county central Indiana region, while a decrease in available inventory reduces competition among sellers, according to pended sales statistics compiled by F.C. Tucker Company.

Bucking the national trend of record housing inventory levels, available local inventory dropped 6.6 percent in June with 19,412 homes on the market, 1,376 fewer homes than in June 2007. Boone and Hamilton counties, however, reported a slight increase in the number of homes available.

“While the market begins to correct itself, central Indiana home buyers are in a good position to find a house in their price range,” said H. James Litten, president of F.C. Tucker Company’s Residential Real Estate Services Division. “The average sales price is 5.1 percent lower for the first half of 2008 compared to the same period in 2007, with Morgan County being the only area to show a slight increase in average sales price.”

The average year-to-date sales price for a home in the nine-county area was $144,733, 5.1 percent less than what was reported in the first six months of 2007. The latest data from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) reported the national average year-to-date sales price was 8 percent lower than the same period last year, as of April 2008.

With the current sales pace, Indianapolis also leads national absorption rate with an approximately 8.5-month supply of homes for sale as of June, versus the NAR national average of 10.8 months, using the organization’s latest figures from May 2008.

June pended home sales in the nine-county area were down 18.3 percent compared to June 2007 with 2,296 homes pending. Pended sales during the first half of the year are down 13.9 percent compared to the same time period in 2007. So far this year, 13,719 pended home sales have been posted; 15,935 homes were pending during the first half of 2007.

The NAR predicts improved sales in the second half of this year due to better lending practices, an improving economy and a pending home buyer tax credit which could draw potential buyers back into the marketplace. “With Central Indiana ranking high on the affordability index and national ‘best places to live’ polls, we anticipate a brighter outlook going into 2009,” Litten said.

Interest Rates

I think the perception of what interest rates are doing by the general public is always interesting. When my mom starting selling real estate in the 1980's interest rates were at just below 20%! People still bought and sold homes and the interest rates eventually came down.

Here is a report sent to us by Mike Holl- he is our Tucker Mortgage person in our office. "There currently is a perpetual fear that the mortgage interest rates are the highest they have been in years. In looking at the attached chart, you’ll see in June of 2007 the 30 year fixed was at 6.75% and in June of 2006 it was 6.875%. Please share with any buyers / sellers you feel will have a benefit from this information." I am sharing with all of you.

Mortgage%20Interest%20Rates%202005-Present.xlsx

Greater Indianapolis- A wonderful place to live!

I was born in Indianapolis and have lived here my entire life (except for college and about 12 months- another blog all together) and My mom - who I work with- has lived here her entire life. They have lived at around 71st and Dean for 32 years - the home where I grew up and we live at around 146th and Gray in Westfield and have lived in our home for 8 years.

If you need information about Indianapolis we should be your "go to" people- we KNOW Indianapolis.

I think Greater Indianapolis is a great place to live and raise a family or have a career or meet people or go to dinner or see a show or go to the zoo or go to the museum or see a sporting event or....

Check out the short video with Indianapolis as the city of interest and let us know when you are ready to move here.

Jon McLaughlin - For You From Me - OFFICIAL VIDEO- thank you to dad who forwarded the video to me and to Carole who forwarded it to him, you both are awesome!