Lake Mary Homes for Sale – Now Is The Time To Buy!

Yes, Lake Mary Homes for Sale - Now is the time to buy! You may read this and say to yourself, "What is this guy on drugs?" No and hardly are the answers. But let's look at the facts and take a couple of things into consideration. If you have decent credit and have some available cash for a down payment, then you will most likely be able to get a loan at a decent interest rate.

You think I must be joking, but that's because you've been reading and hearing and have now succumbed to believing all of the doom and gloom about the mortgage and real estate markets. Truth be told, now is an excellent time to purchase a home. With the availability of so many homes on the market in varying sizes, shapes, location and condition - the choices are abundant.
OK, so you are still a little skeptical. Let's look at the facts a little. The median price in the Central Florida Greater Orlando area for homes for sale is $235,000. Let's take this a step further and put it a little more into perspective. The median price in Seminole County for homes for sale, where Lake Mary is located, is just a little over $240,000.

Now to my point. You can buy a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car-garage single family home with over 1500sf that has been totally renovated with a brand new kitchen, brand new bathrooms including tile surrounds, wood laminate flooring in the living and family rooms with a fireplace located in an ‘A' rated school system close to shopping, major highways and rated by CNN as # 1 Best Place to Live in Florida and the # 4 city in the U.S for less than $240,000.

This home would have sold for approximately $275K+ a couple of years ago. This home will most likely appraise for much more than the asking price. Automatic equity in your new home, something many have not seen in the last couple of years. And with the market stabilized, you should see a continued growth of such.

Stop listening to the doom and gloom and look at the facts! Now is a great time to shop for and purchase that dream home of yours.

For more information on Lake Mary real estate and Lake Mary homes for sale in addition to Lake Mary relocation contact Marc Grossman, your Lake Mary Realtor @ 407-463-1034. Additional information is available for Seminole County real estate and homes for sale, Orange County, West Volusia County and South Lake County.

To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his profile & website.

Marc Grossman, GRI - http://www.OrlandoHomes-4u.com/ - 407-463-1034

Marc donates 10% of his net proceeds to Hospice of the Comforter.

Marc It Sold!

Real Estate Contract – Right of First Refusal – Who Benefits?

This post came about because of one by Jessica Horton entitled, "Why put a carton of milk on layaway when your old dairy cow doesn't have any takers?" In it she discussed about receiving a lot more real estate contracts as of late with contingency clauses for the sale of a buyer's home with no kick-out clause.

Let me preface this by stating that I make it a point to follow-up and follow through. From the get go I get the buyers information in regard their lender, etc. and put calls through until I hopefully get more information back. For the many that have come to know me, I do not like surprises and I can only gather that my sellers would not be too thrilled with them either.

Considering the present market conditions, I will not take a home off of the market if there is a contingency clause for the sale of the buyer's home. For the purposes here, I'm assuming the fact that the buyer's home is already listed with a real estate professional and priced accordingly for the market. Granted, I would prefer it to be under contract and then obviously feel better about the situation. Of course if that was the case, I would respectfully request all the information as to their buyer's lender and follow through on that as well.

The reason that I'm writing this is not as much in regard to what's just been written, but more so to how this affects your seller's home being shown after the contract is executed.

I have found that the majority of the time the home is basically passed over for consideration and that the showings generally cease or slow to a trickle at the most. I'm not aware of other MLS's, but in the Mid-Florida Regional MLS we can keep the home ‘active' but the first thing that has to be mentioned in the public remarks section is that you have a ‘Contingency Contract' and I usually add that it's a ‘Right of First Refusal' with a certain number of hours denoted. This appears to essentially take the home off of the market.

With the number of homes available in today's market I have to wonder if our seller's are hindering themselves by accepting some of these contracts. Like I've said I try to do my homework, but what about the person that does not? I try not to talk negatively in regard to others in our profession, but are they performing a disservice to their client?

For more information on Central Florida real estate and Central Florida homes for sale in addition to Central Florida relocation contact Marc Grossman, your Central Florida Realtor @ 407-463-1034. Additional information is available for Seminole County real estate and homes for sale, Orange County, West Volusia County and South Lake County.

To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his profile & website.

Marc Grossman, GRI - http://www.OrlandoHomes-4u.com/ - 407-463-1034

Marc donates 10% of his net proceeds to Hospice of the Comforter.

Marc It Sold!

Mortgage Bailout – Who’s Getting Bailed Out & Who’s Bailing Out!

OK, let's start with a brief understanding of the mortgage industry. You buy a property and obtain a mortgage. The lender then packages that loan with many others and then they are sold to investors. Simple, right! OK, so now we come to the mortgage debacle that we are seeing in the subprime market and we've all read about the bailout that President Bush is proposing.

So now let's get back to our investor. They bought a package of loans at a certain rate of return expected. But if the rates are frozen, then this investor is going to get a lower rate of return on his money. This is akin to you having a Certificate of Deposit and the bank suddenly telling you that they are going to give you less interest because they've run into a bad stretch there for a while. I don't think we need to discuss how you'd feel about that.

But let's go back to our investor again. So, he's told that he's going to be making less on the securities that he bought. Not only that, the government is stepping and is going to preclude all of these lawsuits that would have been raised. You have to understand - when the investor bought those securities they basically had a contract which has now been broken.

So let's take this to the next step, when this happens to these investors - well let's just put it like this - do you think that they will be investing any more of their money into these Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS's)? No, and this further leads to the mortgage markets further drying up.

The fact is there will not really be that many homeowners who will benefit from this. Now, don't get me wrong, I do not wish to see anyone lose their home for any reason and that includes foreclosure. Oh yes, one other factor, all this is only a voluntary measure for the mortgage servicer (not even the original lender in most instances) to decide upon.

OK, so let's say all this gets worked out and there is a five year temporary freeze. This leads to many more questions, such as will the borrower face a reset in rate later on? What is the cost of this going to be and who's going to pay for it?

Now, granted, there is a partial win-win situation here, but only slightly and for very few. If this ‘bailout' does go into effect, there will be some homeowners that will get a break on their mortgage and avoid foreclosure, while at the same time the investor will not lose that particular loan to default.

There was a commentary in the Orlando Sentinel by Beth Kassab on 12/12/07 entitled, "Who really will be helped in mortgage mess?" At one point she mentioned that she called U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's office in regard to this proposed freeze. His office in turn told her "to call the American Securitization Forum - the group that represents the investors, loan services," etc. Hmm, can you spell L-O-B-B-Y-I-S-T-S?

The criteria that will be used to identify the homeowners that might be eligible is limited. Government intervention is not the answer for negligence, etc. Mortgage reform is something that should be talked about. We have a lot of excellent mortgage professionals out there, but at the same time we had lenders giving away the bank so to speak. You see, that once the lender sells that loan, they no longer have an interest or liability in that loan.

We need more accountability.

Till next time - Marc It Sold!

Lake Mary, Seminole County, Florida

Lake Mary has been ranked by CNN as the # 1 Best Place to Live in Florida and the # 4 city in the U.S. It is located in Central Florida abutting Longwood and Sanford in Seminole County straddling I-4 (a major thoroughfare reaching from Tampa, on Florida's West Coast to Daytona Beach on its East Coast). Lake Mary is just minutes away from downtown Orlando, the Orlando Sanford Airport, Orlando International Airport and the major theme attractions.

Lake Mary, which is an actual lake, was named for the wife of Major William Randolph.

Lake Mary is geographically located between Orlando and Daytona Beach. Shopping abounds from upscale boutiques and shopping centers to department stores. Right next door there is the Seminole Town Center. You will find a wide-range of dining choices from fast food, as would be expected, to fine dining restaurants with some of the best in Central Florida.

Lake Mary is a very unique in its mix of commerce and residential areas. It includes Heathrow, a gated residential golf-course community of approximately 2000 homes started in the mid 80's by Jeno Palucci, who is well known for such brands as Chun King, Jeno's & Luigino's foods. Next door you will find Heathrow International Parkway, an office park which includes being the home of AAA.

Lake Mary is home to the Lake Mary - Heathrow Festival of the Arts which is held in the fall each year and you will find a Farmer's Market on the weekends.

Lake Mary boasts some of the best golf country clubs in the Central Florida region including Heathrow, Alaqua, Timacuan & Magnolia Plantation. Lake Mary also has a park and recreation system in addition to a Community Center which is being joined by a 19,000 square foot Events Center.

Lake Mary is a great place to live, work & play!

For more information on Lake Mary real estate and Lake Mary homes for sale in addition to Lake Mary relocation contact Marc Grossman, your Lake Mary Realtor @ 407-463-1034. Additional information is available for Seminole County real estate and homes for sale, Orange County, West Volusia County and South Lake County.

To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his profile & website.

Marc Grossman, GRI - http://www.OrlandoHomes-4u.com/ - 407-463-1034

Marc donates 10% of his net proceeds to Hospice of the Comforter.

Longwood, Seminole County, Florida

Longwood is located in Central Florida abutting Altamonte Springs in Seminole County straddling I-4 (a major thoroughfare reaching from Tampa, on Florida's West Coast to Daytona Beach on its East Coast) and State Road 434. Longwood is just minutes away from downtown Orlando, the Orlando Sanford Airport, Orlando International Airport and the major theme attractions.

Longwood is rich in history including that of its early settlers John Neill Searcy & Edward Warren Henck. Longwood has a historic district with many structures dating to the 1800's. There is the Bradlee-McIntyre House, which was originally located in Altamonte Springs and is on the U. S. National Register of Historic Places, as well as the Longwood Hotel.

Because of Longwood's geographic location, you can enjoy a wide range of shopping available to you not only in Longwood, but also in neighboring Altamonte Springs including the Altamonte Mall, one of the larger shopping malls in Central Florida, or the new Uptown Altamonte, a mixed-use development which abuts the Altamonte Mall and Cranes Roost Park where people can live, work, play and enjoy the outdoors. In addition to shopping in Lake Mary & Sanford with their wide range of shopping choices from discount department stores to high-end boutique shops including the Seminole Town Center. Dining choices abound in Longwood and the surrounding communities with some of the finest dining available in the Central Florida area.

There are several parks located in Longwood with some having lighted baseball fields, tennis courts, basketball courts & playground equipment. Longwood is also home to The Senator at Big Tree Park, which is the largest Bald Cypress of over 3000 years old.

Longwood is a great place to live, work & play!

For more information on Longwood real estate and Longwood homes for sale in addition to Longwood relocation contact Marc Grossman, your Longwood Realtor @ 407-463-1034. Additional information is available for Seminole County real estate and homes for sale, Orange County, West Volusia County and South Lake County.

To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his profile & website.

Marc Grossman, GRI - http://www.OrlandoHomes-4u.com/ - 407-463-1034

Marc donates 10% of his net proceeds to Hospice of the Comforter.

Altamonte Springs, Seminole County, Florida

Altamonte Springs is located in the geographic heart of Central Florida in Seminole County straddling I-4 (a major thoroughfare reaching from Tampa, on Florida's West Coast to Daytona Beach on its East Coast) and State Road 436. Altamonte Springs is just minutes away from downtown Orlando, the Orlando Sanford Airport, Orlando International Airport and the major theme attractions.

The first settlers of Altamonte Springs, which is Spanish for ‘high hill,' were a group of businessmen who intended to create a tourist haven at Snow Junction, as it was then called. It has evolved into a residential community with its strength lying in its many retail and office centers.

You can enjoy a wide range of shopping available to you in Altamonte Springs including the Altamonte Mall, one of the larger shopping malls in Central Florida, or the new Uptown Altamonte, a mixed-use development which abuts the Altamonte Mall and Cranes Roost Park where people can live, work, play and enjoy the outdoors.

There are many activities at Uptown Altamonte and Cranes Roost Park, with the Eddie Rose Amphitheater for the whole family including the Fourth of July celebration, Red, Hot & Boom which has an attendance of approximately 100,000 people. There is almost always something going on a weekly basis including Jazz concerts and other musical attractions, Karaoke nights, comedy, and Streetmosphere, the Russian born members of CirqueMosphere, an artistic troupe of performers.

The park system in Altamonte Springs offers so much including Lake Lotus Nature Park, Eastmonte Park, Westmonte Park with its outdoor Therapeutic Pool, and Merrill Park to name just a few.

Altamonte Springs is a great place to live, work & play!

For more information on Altamonte Springs real estate and Altamonte Springs homes for sale in addition to Altamonte Springs relocation contact Marc Grossman, your Altamonte Springs Realtor @ 407-463-1034. Additional information is available for Seminole County real estate, Orange County, West Volusia County and South Lake County.

To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his profile & website.


Marc Grossman, GRI - http://www.OrlandoHomes-4u.com/ - 407-463-1034


Marc donates 10% of his net proceeds to Hospice of the Comforter.

Till next time - Marc It Sold!

It's All About Meme...Marc's Book Meme

I received an email from Midori Miller informing me that I am now tagged and need to write a post "It's All About MeMe..." I hope you don't mind if I take you on a journey and do this a little differently. Too many things are going through my mind. I know, that's a scary place to be!

While typing the words ‘MeMe,' I had a jolt back to a dear friend that always used the phrase "It's All About Me!" - and for him it was. He used to kid that it wasn't true, but the truth be told... In fact, I found this saying in one of my favorite stores in Ft. Lauderdale, called Seldom Seen on Las Olas and just gave it to him for his birthday. I've never been a ‘Me' person. I don't think others could consider me self-centered. That is just a turn off for me. I generally try to think of the other person.

OK, so now to what I'm supposed to be writing about. I have to change this around a little. I'm supposed to be telling you of my five favorite books of all time. That is extremely hard for me, but I will tell you of the books that I'm currently reading in a little while.

I remember that the first book I read by myself, without having to do it for school, was Rosemary's Baby written by Ira Levin, who was better known for being a playwrite. Holy moly that was 40 years ago. About the same time we were reading Lord of the Flies by William Golding and if I'm not mistaken he wrote a sequel to that, but I can't remember the name of it.

I've read J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit (always thought Bilbo Baggins was so cool) & Lord of the Rings twice and hopefully will reread them again in my later years.

Reading has been a very important part of my life. I generally only read fiction and mostly love international intrigue and mysteries. So, what I'd like to do at this juncture is to share with you some of the many authors that I quite enjoy. They are in no particular order and there are many more..

Robert Ludlum - fantastic author of international intrigue. You've probably seen many of the movies. There were only 1 or 2 books of his that I thought were so-so. Have not read any of his works that were published post-humously since they were finished by others.

Tom Clancy - Loved his earlier works, but have not read him since The Sum of All Fears. Maybe it's just me, but I felt that his books were just getting overwrought and boring. And it appeared to be that either he was getting full of himself and just having to push out more books because that is the nature of that business.

John Grisham - I have not read him in many years, but his first books were absolutely awesome. I felt that his books just appeared to be repetitious. He was obviously churning them out quickly.

Herman Wouk - Some absolutely fantastic novels including The Caine Mutiny, The Winds of War & War and Rememberance.

Philip Roth - I remember the first book of his I read was Portnoy's Complaint. There was a lot of sexual content & eroticism and I was only a teenager at the time, but underneath all that this was a very good novel at the height of the sexual revolution. But he wrote many other excellent books including Goodbye, Columbus.

Leon Uris - What can I say, Exodus, Mila 18, Topaz, QB VII, etc.

Chaim Potok - Most of his books involve Judaism, The Chosen, My Name Is Asher Lev and Davita's Harp.

Ray Bradbury - What can I say about him? I read The Martian Chronicles in school. He wrote books such as Fahrenheit 451, The Illustrated Man & Dandelion Wine.

John LeCarre - I must admit that sometimes his books took a little to get through, but that could have been a ‘me' thing. But just look at some of his writing: The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Smiley's People and The Constant Gardner.

Jonathan Kellerman - Love his Dr. Alex Delaware series with his detective friend Milo Sturgis in books such as When the Bough Breaks and Blood Test.

Faye Kellerman - The wife of Jonathan Kellerman and the writer of a series of Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus books. He's a detective with his Hasidic wife. There are 17 in the series and she's written a couple of books with her husband including Double Homicide.

Martha Grimes - She wrote a series of Richard Drury books, whose a Scotland Yard inspector, with his friend Melrose Plant. All the titles of these books are names of pubs.

Mary Higgins Clark - An excellent writer with books such as A Stranger is Watching, The Cradle Will Fall and A Cry in the Night. She has also co-authored a couple of books with her daughter Carol Higgins Clark.

John MacDonald - Loved his Travis McGee series. All of them had a color in the name. Very easy and quick read. The Deep Blue Good-by and Nightmare in Pink.

I could keep on going on and on. There's Elmore Leonard and Sidney Sheldon. Who could forget, The Other Side of Midnight, Master of the Game and The Doomsday Conspiracy.

It's obvious that I love reading and especially my fiction, but I also love what I do - real estate. It doesn't bother me that I'm not reading the way I used to, I'll be able in the future hopefully. I quite enjoy reading about real estate. There are two magazines that I always read and are very informative, but are only local. One is Florida Realtor Magazine and the other Agent News Direct. There is so much to learn and they offer a lot as well. It's important for me to learn because it not only helps me, but it also helps my clients and friends in the business. I have no issue sharing what I learn with others - OK, well maybe sometimes I like to keep things to myself.

So, with all this said, the books that I presently have on my coffee table (yes, it's a mess - strewn with newpapers (read it daily) & books) are:

I think all of these books are quite self explanatory. There is one more book that I would like to include. Now, it may not be considered a book per se, but there are many stories to be read. As with each chapter of a book, some you may like more than others, but it is definitely a collection of sorts. Obviously, I'm referring to that of Active Rain.

Hope you enjoyed! Till next time - Marc It Sold!

For more information on Central Florida & the Greater Orlando area including Seminole, Orange, West Volusia and South Lake Counties contact Marc Grossman @ 407-463-1034.

To learn more about Marc and services he has to offer, visit his profile & website.
Marc Grossman, GRI - http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/ - 407-463-1034

Marc donates 10% of his net proceeds to Hospice of the Comforter.

Seminole County - Florida's Natural Choice

Seminole County is situated between Orlando's Central Business District, the Theme Parks and the Volusia beaches on the east coast. The county can't be beat for accessibility to the best that Central Florida has to offer.

Seminole County is one of the fastest growing counties in Florida. It is a collection of comfortable bedroom communities with housing ranging in price from very affordable to among the most expensive in the area.

Seminole County has carefully protected its natural resources. These include Lake Monroe and the scenic St. John's River, with its alligators and moss-draped cypress trees; Wekiva Springs State Park and the Central Florida Zoological Park, not to mention the many large lakes that dot the county. There are parks that offer jogging trails, athletic fields, even a pet park and many miles of trails throughout the county.

For shopping there are three major indoor malls: Altamonte Mall, Seminole Town Center and Oviedo Marketplace. This is in addition to many other shopping areas and mixed-use developments.

Seminole County is the home of the Orlando-Sanford International Airport and the Amtrak Auto Train which originates in Lorton, VA.

The many cities of Seminole County include:

Altamonte Springs

Casselberry

Lake Mary

Longwood

Oviedo

Sanford

Winter Springs

For more information on Central Florida & the Greater Orlando area including Seminole, Orange, West Volusia and South Lake Counties contact Marc Grossman @ 407-463-1034.

To learn more about Marc and services he has to offer, visit his profile & website.

Marc Grossman, GRI - http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/ - 407-463-1034

Marc donates 10% of his net proceeds to Hospice of the Comforter.

My Guilty Music Pleasures

Guys, I apologize for crashing your party. I know that everyone is invited and normally I would just be a wallflower and comment. Unfortunately, I realized how lame I am while commenting on Adam Waldman's and Jason Crouch's posts.

The reason that I'm posting an entry is because I basically outed myself on those two blogs. And then as I was heading to a function this evening and changed stations, there was a song and it was like - my goodness!! Now, let me preface this by stating that in no way can I top Jason's "Ben." I apologize but that is just to 'gay' for me. (Sorry, don't attack me, I have nothing against homosexuals, this is just a word of choice.)

So, there I was driving along and bam this song is on. You'll remember him instantly. He's not only a musician but also an actor. Yes, the woman loved him, I guess he was dreamy on General Hospital playing Dr. Noah Drake. Yes I know, I'm ashamed as I well should be. So here I was singing along to Rick Springfield doing 867-5309 - Jenny's Song. I can't imagine what it must have been like for anyone with that phone number, because I'm sure there were many people that tried it.

But it get's worse, just remember "Jessie's Girl." And I further go down the tubes because I knew that I had a Rick Springfield record and so I had to go looking. And there it was a 45rpm of "Don't Talk to Strangers." Now, I don't remember why I bought this. It is in a picture jacket and I did buy 45's for that reason back in the 80's, but at the same time I also bought ones that I usually liked. So, I plead - GUILTY!!

OK, so the glass of wine that I'm drinking - hic - is making this a little easier. In fact, it's a little cathartic, but in a sick sort of way. Which as many of you know just suits me fine.

So with this find I did a little thinking and remembered a few gems - old and new - that I have. With that said, my next death knoll is an actor, musician, singer & songwriter. He wrote the screenplay for "When Harry Met Sally." Yes, and this is a double whammy because I have a cassette of him. And yes, it is Harry Connick, Jr.

OK, just poured a second glass and yes it's making it easier because I didn't have to look any further.

This next group started before some of you were even conceived - couldn't think of putting that any nicer. They started in 1969. They got a lot of airplay and remember distinctly hating them. You just kept on hearing their damn songs all the time on the radio - over and over. For some reason and I have no foggy idea why, I started liking them in the mid to late 70's and have more albums of theirs than I really wish to tell. In fact, I refuse to go to my LP collection and count them, but I know there are several. Some of you older folks like me, will remember that they started out as the Chicago Transit Authority, but shortly afterwards shortened their name to Chicago. Oh yeah, the song, "If You Leave Me Now."

A few more and I'll try to go through these quickly or at least quicker, but I've never been able to make a long story short - I only make is longer!

Now, I've always been a Rod Stewart fan. Definitely some awesome songs like "Maggie May" with the 'Faces' and "Reason to Believe" to just name a few. No, that's not the Rod Stewart that I'm talking about. Over the past few years he's put out a number of CD's entitled, "The Great American Songbook." These are all of older music - 50's and older, such as this one with Cher - "Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered." Now, maybe these don't belong in here, but you'll note shortly why I mention them.

Now, the reason that I brought Rod up is because of the next one. I would never admit that I liked him. Yes, this artist was definitely annoying as hell. And to make matters worse I recently bought two of his CD's. In one he "Sings Sinatra," which I couldn't find on YouTube & his other one is entitled "Greatest Songs of the Fifties." But you would know him better for songs like, "Mandy," "I Write the Songs," & "Looks Like We Made It." Oh yes, I'm sure you've gathered that this is Barry Manilow. Yes, I can't believe that I'm finally admitting this and maybe some might feel that I should be tarred and feathered.

Now, a drum roll please... OK, I need to pour another glass of wine. Can't believe that it is taking over two hours to compile this!

See, there I guess it shows that the wine is probably - hic - kicking in.

OK, back to our drum roll..... Without further ado - some may and some may not remember songs such as "Cherry, Cherry" (OK guys, be nice!) & "Cracklin' Rosie," but also albums such as "The Jazz Singer." Now, I have to honest here, I have not listened to that in while, but I do have it on my hard drive (just checked - still there)! Yes, we are talking about Neil Diamond. Now, that still doesn't touch Jason's "Ben," but....

OK, so my soul is bared! I can't imagine the abuse that I might receive from this, but...I'll just have to click on The Jazz Singer while I'm reading those comments. I must admit that this has also been an enjoyable ride down memory lane for me. Hope you enjoyed as well, that is if you can relate to some of this. Yeah, I know I can't play with the younger kids, but some of us never grow up.

Till next time - Marc It Sold!

Bloggers Beware!

OK, so now that I got your attention. Normally I read the comics in the morning and we won't go any further than that. This morning was slightly unusual in that I was busy putting together my installment of Links in the Active Rain Chain. With that said, I just read a comic, Pearls Before Swine, that is just so apropo for us bloggers.

Yes, TLW, it's stolen as usual! I guess that's one of my downfalls, or at least the one that I'll talk about on the Rain.

Till next time - Marc It Sold!

I Have A Big Mouth - One Way To Have A Deal Go South!

Here's the deal or what may have actually been the deal! I have several acres of land listed for sale. An agent asked me to walk the property with her and her clients.



No problem, while we were doing so it was talked about them possibly considering subdividing the property in the future. Their Realtor, nor myself, thought that there would be an issue with this and further thought that they would be allowed to deed the property with it having ingress and egress via the other parcel.



OK, so long story short, which is extremely difficult for me. On Monday, I called the Zoning office and asked questions about the possible subidivision of this property. I found out that the county no longer allows them to have a common drive and that each property has to have its own dedicated driveway.



Since I knew that this was a possible concern, I informed the other Realtor of such. She told me that they were planning on making an offer, but she would have to contact them about this information and let them know. Well, needless to say, there is no offer forthcoming.



I look at this several different ways & would like your take on such. Some will think that it was not my responsibility to let the other Realtor know what I had found out, since it was most likely her duty to do such for her clients. Others will say that once I found out this information, it was my duty to inform all parties of such. I can also see others saying that I should not have called at all & that was my fault for doing such.



Till next time - Marc It Sold!

Are You Courteous in Real Estate and Life?

What happened to good old fashioned common courtesy? Even if we are in a fast paced environment with so much so readily available, why should that have been the one simple thing to be thrown out - something that takes almost no time at all?

The definition of courtesy according to the Random House Unabridged Dictionary is the "excellence of manners or social conduct; polite behavior; respectful or considerate act or expression; help or generosity." We are in a social atmosphere and a social discipline. What else can real estate be considered? Unless you are totally isolated, then you will have interactions on one level or another with others.

I know that many will blame the change on the familial environment and make-up. Yes, that may be partially true, but it has to go much further than that into the fabric of our society.

Now, don't get me wrong, I must admit that there are times that I may be lacking in such myself, especially with telemarketers. Usually, I try to say ‘no thanks' and ‘goodbye,' but I won't deny that I've also just hung up the phone. Yes, they are annoying and shouldn't be calling you since you are on the DNC list. OK, so we know that's a joke - neither here nor there.

Do you say ‘thank you' to others? Now I won't deny that when I feel someone is rude, I may say ‘you're welcome' if they sometimes do not say ‘thank you'. And, maybe, that's rude on my part. Granted, I don't do things to be acknowledged, but...

Here are some questions to peruse:

Do you hold the door open for the next person or do you even look to see if there is someone behind you?

Do you allow pedestrians to cross in a parking lot or do you feel that they should wait for you? (You do understand that pedestrians do have the right of way most of the time.)

Talking about driving, are you courteous on the road? Do you make room for traffic to merge? Do you use your turn signal all of the time, not some of the time? Do you allow people to move into your lane when they have a turn signal on?

Do you thank a realtor for showing your property?

If a realtor calls you for feedback, do you return their call? Unfortunately, I find that most don't.

But more importantly, are you courteous with your clients - whether they be buyers or sellers?

A major part of being courteous is to take the time to listen and not to interrupt. Too many people, and I'm guilty here as well at times, just hear part of what is being said and then interject because they may feel they know what the other person is getting at. Listen completely, it's not only courteous but makes the other person feel important. Actually, by not doing so, you are indirectly telling that person that they are not worth your time. And, that is just downright rude, everyone has a value and none of us has the right to take that away from anyone.

How much effort does it really take to be courteous to others? We are entering the major shopping season with all the hustle and bustle. A little kindness to the next person goes a long way - and for both of you. They'll appreciate it and you should feel good about yourself. It's all about the aura that you project.

Being courteous in life and business is not something that takes a lot of effort or even a lot of thought. But the rewards, personally and otherwise, are just so great. People do remember the little things.

So, maybe, take a little extra time and send that thank you note. It's interesting, I have a listing and there appeared to be an issue with an upstairs bathroom. Neither here nor there, but I sent a short note to the owner and thanked him for being helpful, etc. The day he got the note he called me. It was obvious that he was taken aback and quite pleased that I thought enough to do this. Will you get a call every time? No! But is the effort worth it? It depends on what you want out of life and your real estate career.

Thank You & You're Welcome!

Till next time - Marc It Sold!

You Are What You Wear - The Psychology of Color in Dress

We’ve read much talk about the psychology of color in staging and decorating a home. But there is much to be said about our dress & what the colors evoke in others.

Colors affect us both physically and emotionally depending on their use. It has to be noted that color psychology differs from color symbolism, which in itself differs greatly between societies, cultures and religions.

Colors are basically broken down into two main categories –

Warm Colors – which are those on the red side of the spectrum including orange & yellow.

Cool Colors – those on the blue side of the spectrum including green and purple

Now to the colors themselves:

Blue – is probably the most popular color, but then one might expect that since it is the color of the ocean and sky. Blue is considered a business color as it reflects reliability. It also symbolizes loyalty.

Green – is probably only second to blue as a favorite color. Green is the color of peace and ecology, as it is found quite prevalent in nature. But let’s not forget that green is also the color of money. Dark green is considered masculine, conservative and is associated with wealth.

Yellow – is associated with joy, happiness and optimism. Remember, yellow is the color of the sun. At the same time yellow can be overpowering when used too much.

Red – is the most emotionally intense color, but it also considered the color of energy. Red is not a good color to overuse and will make someone appear a little heavier, but will also attract attention. A navy blue suit with white shirt and a red tie gives you just the right amount of energy to draw attention.

Orange – the most flamboyant of colors is associated with fun, happy and lively, but also ambition. The different tones of orange usually have a love-it or hate-it relationship.

Black – is the color of authority & power and at the same time makes people look thinner, but remember that it can be very overpowering. Black can be formal, but also can represent evil (think of the bad guys in the movies).

White – What can I say? White wedding dresses, white picket fences, white lab coats. Purity, innocence, clean and happy, but not a fun color to keep clean.

Brown – reliable, stable, solid. It is the color of the earth; and, therefore, associated with nature.

Purple – is associated with royalty, prosperity and wealth. Purple is a more feminine color, but young girls are more likely to choose it. Purple can also appear to be artificial.

Gray – is considered practical, timeless and solid, but also is sometimes associated with depression and loss, whether it be mourning or a general lack of direction. Gray is a great color to use because it mixes well with other colors.

Now, these are basically the primary colors. Different shades will elicit different emotions due to the combination of these colors.

Hope you enjoyed!

Till next time – Marc It Sold!

Wealth & Social Disparity and Real Estate - A Social Commentary

It’s the old story of the rich getting richer & the poor getting poorer. Even though the average living standards have increased considerably in recent times, the distribution of wealth has become more skewed. One percent of the richest people own 40% of the world’s wealth, while the bottom 50% of the world’s adult population own barely 1% of the wealth.

In the U. S. alone, the top 1 percent earn as much as the bottom 33%, which is equivalent to over 100 million people. While the U. S. economy has grown approximately 160% over the last 30+ years, the top 1% saw their income levels rise 250%. During that same period, the bottom 90% actually saw a drop of 11% in their average income. These are astounding figures and the wealth distribution disparity continues to widen.

Home equity is a very important form of wealth for most households. Only about half of those in the bottom quarter of the income distribution own their homes, while 88.9% in the top quarter do own their homes. Household debt has consistently trended upward, and it was over 130% of disposable income in ’05. As expected, this disproportionately plagues lower-income families moreso and attributes to about a fifth of their income and upwards of 40% for many.

Many and especially the middle class have been utilizing the equity in their homes for continued consumer spending – vacations, vehicles, remodeling, etc. – while salaries have not increased at the same level. The problem is that the equity is running out with lower home prices equating to lower household wealth.

This greater disparity has to affect us as realtors. Each and every day we are shutting more and more people out of homeownership. I’ve been saying this for years. Here in Central Florida we’ve been mostly a service-oriented industry. As prices were rising within the last several years and even before then, we’ve daily locked more and more people out of the market. Our appreciation was approximately 12-13% a year before the last couple of boom years hit. Yes, that has been much better than the national average of approximately 8% per annum.

It is widely believed that one of the main ways to address this gap between the have and have-nots is to improve education and training. But this is not something that can just happen overnight. Our education system has been failing us, but it goes way beyond that to the familial system.

Can this trend possibly be reversed through social and economic policies? This further leads to the question that if such reforms are possible, are they either practical or feasible? I don’t know what the answer is or even if there is one. But that doesn’t mean that we should just forget or ignore that this is occurring to the fabric of our society.

Till next time...Marc It Sold!

Florida’s Property Tax Fiasco, Like the Energizer Bunny, Goes On & On….

Unbelievable! After all of these months of wrangling, town hall meetings, etc, this is the best that they could come up with. The major points of the proposed property tax amendment, which the citizens of Florida will vote on 1/29/08 are as follows:

The homestead exemption will be increased from $25K to $40 or 50K depending on who you speak to. According to the Orlando Sentinel it will be $40K, but a news report on TV and an email from Governor Charlie Crist both refer to “doubling the homestead exemption.”

There will be some portability of the Save Our Homes, whether you are trading up or down in the market.

Businesses will now have a $25K exemption on tangible personal property; and,

Businesses and non-homesteaded homeowners will have a 10% annual cap on their tax increases.

For the past six months we’ve been hearing all of this ballyhooing about property tax reform and this is what they are giving us? To most, this will only amount to an approximately $240 savings. Big Deal!! What happened to the supposed roll-back of our tax base to 2004 levels?? Now, that would have been a savings of sorts. But this is going to do very little for most people that are already experiencing a crunch.

To further exasperate the matter in today’s Orlando Sentinel, they are quoting Gov. Crist as stating that “taxpayers ‘should have hope in their hearts because it’s only going to get better and better and better. This is what they want. This is what they deserve.’”

Damn, I would like some of those drugs that he must be doing. OK, just kidding, but you obviously get my point. I can only think that the governor is alluding to the idea that there will be more tax cuts in the future. I think this is bogus. Once a tax cut is voted on and enacted, that is all we are going to see for quite a while. If this is all they can come up with now, do you seriously think that they’ll add to it in the near future? Look what they’ve done with the property insurance crisis, that should give you an idea.

The sad thing is that this will probably pass because people will be willing to settle for a little something than what they may perceive as nothing.

The legislature did do one thing right in that they’ve included portability of your SOH. Yes, this should increase sales in that people will not feel as ‘trapped’ in their homes as they may be now. But this is not enough. Do we demand more?

I have to wonder how much power we have as voters. I apologize if I appear cynical here, but… Yes, we do have the power to elect our officials and even vote them out of office. But what happened to ‘of the people, for the people, by the people.’ Unfortunately, but politics appears to be just another form of Big Business and the pandering to of such.

Look at the data, but distance between and have’s and have not’s is ever so widening. Moreso, then ever before and there is no end in sight of this abating.

Since I’m getting off the topic somewhat… Crist signed his letter ‘May G-d bless you…’ Now, don’t get me wrong, I do believe in g-d, but that is neither here nor there. What the heck ever happened to the separation of church & state? More and more we see the two intermingling.

Till next time – Marc It Sold!

Real Estate – Still One of the Best Investments Around – Do You Believe It?

You should! Yes, we’ve read and heard about the all the doom & gloom in the real estate and mortgage industries. And there is a lot of truth to this. But at the same time we need to look at the larger picture. I know that for some that may have gotten caught up in the fiascos of late, that this will be next to if not impossible to do; and, I can greatly understand that. The long and short of it is this - Real Estate was never meant to be a short-term investment and as a long-term investment, it has proven itself time and time again.

Let’s first look at what brought us to this point. Firstly, we found ourselves in a seller’s market, in which the demand was greater than the supply. Part of what led us to this was the attraction of ‘easy money.’ Lenders where making loans & people where procuring loans & in many instances neither should have. We’ve seen interest-only loans, 100% financing with loans, no documentation loans, adjustable-rate mortgage loans, etc. These in themselves are risky, nevermind that fact many did not see or in some cases were never shown the complete picture.

Then we come to the people that were trying to ‘flip’ houses. This is fine and dandy if you bought it at the low end of the market, but many were out there buying at the top of the market and are finding themselves encountering losses or worse yet, a foreclosure.

The lack of buyer confidence in recent months has been one of the principal reasons for holding back sales. That and the fact of high inventories and also that housing prices are out of sync with incomes in many areas. But we are now seeing an increase, unsteady as it may be, in buyer confidence.

It has to be understood that the market changed quite quickly. Builders in general do not have the ability to respond that quickly to market changes. It takes months of planning, permits are pulled, supplies are ordered, etc. This has added to our increase in available homes for sale and has pretty much dampened the existing home market. Builders have been discounting their homes to get rid of inventory. But, we are seeing a cutback in construction and this bodes well for the market in that it will lower the existing inventory & help to steady home prices.

It also appears that the mortgage market conditions are improving and that we are seeing more availability of loans. Granted, most of these are conforming and not subprime, but here we are seeing a resurgence of FHA backed loans.

Yes, we’ve seen a lot of doom & gloom, but there are also a lot of positive signs as well. Everything is relative and has to be put into perspective. This is not the first time that the real estate market has had to deal with a downside. This will also not be the last time. The real estate industry as with almost everything else is cyclical.

Right now interest rates are still relatively low at approximately 6¼%. We are entering an election year; and historically, this has also worked well for real estate sales.

We keep on hearing about the median price and lately we are hearing about it dropping. But much of this could be contributed to the fact that there are fewer transactions at the top of the ladder, so to speak; and, this will just distort the figures downwardly. I still feel that a better judge is the average sales price. Except if you purchased within the last two years during the market run-up, if you wish to call it; you will find what I consider a great deal of appreciation for most of us.

According to the average sales prices in the Greater Orlando area, if you purchased a home 3 years ago, it would have appreciated over 32%. That isn’t too shabby! If you bought that home 4 years ago, we’re looking at approximately a 52% appreciation. Most people on the average own their homes for at least 5 - 7 years. If you bought that home in Sept. ’99, your home would have appreciated approximately 113%.

Again, this just goes to show you that real estate is a great long-term investment if not one of the best. There are many great homes out there & some great deals also. Most expect the value of their home to appreciate over the next five years.

In general, home sales and home prices should increase in 2008 as compared with that of 2007.

Til next time – Marc It Sold!

Let’s Remember to be “Thankful”

Lately, I've been back and forth between home & Memphis & have not had the time to blog. The following is an article from my newsletter that I sent out about one month ago & just wanted to share it with others.

Originally, I had planned to write an article that was real estate related and might be useful to you. But, then I came to experience a set of events and wanted to write on a more personal level and more to the point about time, life, awareness and being thankful. Forgive me if I tend to ramble for there are many things that come to mind. Additionally, many of the comments that I will make may pertain to some and some to others; in other words, there will be a lot of generalizations.

I don't know how many of us wake up each day and reflect on how thankful we are for what we have - intangible as well as materialistic - and where we are in life. Now, I'm sure that most of us are cognizant of this on some level, but do we really think about it? Or, do we, in most cases, just take it for granted?

Now, in the 21st century, more so than anytime before we find ourselves running from one place to another - trying to get this done, that done, take care of our family, work, home, etc. And, it seems that this list just goes on and on. We find ourselves with not enough time to accomplish just our daily living activities and even enough time to read this article. But, I thank you if you've gotten this far.

We hear about tragedies occurring daily in the news. More often than not, we think about this but do not even consider that it could happen to us, our acquaintances, our friends, our family. But it can and oft times it is too late to say the things that we might have wished; taken the time for that phone call that we would put off; or, even just to be thankful.

The reason that I am bringing this up is because a situation of sorts did occur to my family & myself and I realized while spending many hours bedside, who would have thought that this could happen to us. And then, when I came back home to Orlando for a respite I started thinking of all the things that I needed to be thankful for.

We know that life is not easy, but it is just what it is - Life! We've all had our ups and downs and some more of one than the other. But, generally, when you really get down to it, we are all so very lucky. Sorry to say, but there are usually many people less fortunate than us. I'm not saying in any way that this is fair, just generally a fact.

Life to me is made up of a series of patterns. We all have them - some good, some innocuous, some not so good, and some down right bad for us. Think of it and you might realize that this is so. Think about the way that you prepare for the day. Do you generally do the same thing step by step each day? Most of us do. Even the way we drive to work, or how about the way that we eat?

But on the other hand, I believe that patterns are meant to be broken - especially the bad ones. How many times have you seen someone doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting a different result. This will not happen. How about that friend that we have that keeps on making bad decisions with a mate. I know, I've been there myself.

Sometimes we have to be introspective. We need to take the time to look at ourselves and see what makes us tick. Why are we making that decision? What is leading us up to that outcome? If you look within you will note that there is a pattern. Once you realize this than half of the battle is completed. But, that isn't enough, then you have to want to change that pattern so you won't be doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result. You will be doing something different and yes, you will most likely come up with a different result.

We don't know what tomorrow will bring. Our situation and life can change in a nanosecond without any warning.

So why don't we take that time in the morning when we arise to reflect upon what we may have to be thankful for? Why don't we have maybe some sort of phrase taped to our bathroom mirror so that while we are preparing ourselves for the day that we can just remember to say something to someone; or remember to make that call; or just be thankful? Ten to one if we don't do it now, we'll just put it off again and again until it is too late.

I apologize if this upsets some for that is not my intention. It's just something that I felt writing about and to possibly make us more aware.

Til next time...Marc It Sold!

Disorder in the Court - R-ish rated

Now, mind you, I have nothng against lawyers, but this was sent to me & I had to share it with you. These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place.

ATTORNEY: Are you sexually active?
WITNESS: No, I just lie there.
____________________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
WITNESS: I forget.
ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot?
_____________________________________
ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?
WITNESS: He said, "Where am I, Cathy?"
ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?
WITNESS: My name is Susan!
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo?
WITNESS: We both do.
ATTORNEY: Voodoo?
WITNESS: We do.
ATTORNEY: You do?
WITNESS: Yes, voodoo.
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
____________________________________
ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?
WITNESS: Uh, he's twenty-one.
________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken?
WITNESS: Are you shittin' me?
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And what were you doing at that time?
WITNESS: Uh.... I was gettin' laid!
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: She had three children, right?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: How many were boys?
WITNESS: None.
ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?
WITNESS: Are you shittin' me? Your Honour, I think I need a different attorney. Can I get a new attorney?
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?
WITNESS: By death.
ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?
WITNESS: Now whose death do you suppose terminated it?
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?
WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard.
ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?
WITNESS: Guess.
_____________________________________
ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?
WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?
WITNESS: All my autopsies are performed on dead people. Would you like to rephrase that?
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
WITNESS: Oral.
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on him!
____________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
WITNESS: Huh....are you qualified to ask that question?
______________________________________
And the best for last:

ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.

On This Day in History...

On This Day in History...

1st lighthouse in US was lit in Boston Harbor in 1716.

The Gregorian calendar was adopted by Great Britain and the American colonies in 1752.

Star Spangled Banner was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814.

2 billion board feet of lumber destroyed in Tillamook Oregon fire in 1933.

Graf Zeppelin II, world's largest airship, made its maiden flight in 1938.

Ground breaking ceremony for UN world headquarters in 1948.

Western allies rearmed West Germany in 1950.

1st prefrontal lobotomy performed in Washington, DC in 1956.

Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi-Arabia & Venezuela formed OPEC in 1960.


Til tomorrow...Marc It Sold!

Uh Oh - I Must Be Getting Old!

On this date in history...

NY City became the 1st capital of the US in 1788.

1st loan to the US Government was from NYC banks in 1789.

US Gen. Winfield Scott captured Mexico City during the American-Mexican war in 1847.

1st naval battle of Civil War - Union frigate "Colorado" sank privateer "Judah" off Pensacola, FL in 1861.

Xavier University, the 1st US University for Blacks opened in New Orleans in 1925.

Margaret Chase Smith (R-Me) elected senator in 1948. She was the 1st woman to serve in both houses of Congress.

11 guards & 31 prisoners died in a take over at Attica State Prison in upstate New York in 1971.

Uh Oh - I Must Be Getting Old!

OK! So, I've never owned an iPod; never downloaded music; can only guess what an iPhone is. Need I go on?

I used to always consider myself quite technically savy. I was always a tech junkie, even had a computer in the late 80's. It was an AT&T and I think it was a model 6300. Definitely used to be an audiophile, but guess that I'm dated in that my stereo system (yes, isn't that also a dated word) is from the 80's as well.

Wow, now here's a concept, am I still stuck in the 80's? Have to admit that I still like vinyl records. Don't get me wrong, I have lots of CD's.

Can't get used to screw top wine bottles. There is something about uncorking a wine bottle & not unscrewing like a bottle of soda of Boone's Farm. Hope I don't into trouble with that. Do they still make that Apple or Strawberry Wines? And what about sniffing the cork? What am I supposed to do, sniff the aluminum bottle cap?

I've never had a cam, whether it be a cam recorder or the computer cam. Yes, I do have a digital camera and have actually had several. But I do still have a 30 year old Chinon SLR. Think the new digital SLR's are cool! Ut oh, is that a passe word. I still use it and still use the phrase 'cool beans.' Can't tell you why, it's just part of my vocabulary. Can't even remember when I started using it, but I like it.

Never had an MP3 player. Took me quite a while to understand what one was. But I always thought that I was technically savy. Is there a point in our lives that we reach and then boom we lose our saviness and then we are labled 'old'. OK, so I'm being somewhat sarcastic here. I surely don't consider myself old. I've always been young at heart & pretty much always felt that age is just a number. Granted, the body doesn't work like it used to, but it ain't ready to be thrown out onto the heap.

I think I understand what RSS is, yet don't know how or where to use it. This is something that I do need to learn & will. Don't have a Blackberry or similar product yet, but probably will. Have a Palm, a hand recorder and a regular cell phone. Yes, I know that I can integrate these, but for some reason am not ready. Can't justify the cost vs. benefits.

Definitely have seen quite a bit in my lifetime so far. Don't quite understand what happened to simple, basic manners and courtesy. When the hell did they get thrown out the window? I'm not looking to blame anyone, just don't understand the lack of common courtesy. Isn't this part of the 'treat others as you wish to be treated?'

Yes, I'm in my early 50's. I can still call it that because I'm 53. I'm even thinking of getting my SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist). I still strongly believe in education. I've been a member of AARP since I turned 50. I don't feel old. Don't think that I act old. Don't think I dress as some people might feel an older person dresses. But, then again I don't know what that is anymore.

Every decade of my life has seemed better than the previous one. I enjoy being in my 50's. It's funny because I've never written 50's before. On one hand it feels old or I should better say sounds 'old'; and, on the other it is just something that's 'cool.' For some reason, it appears to me that I've gained quite a bit of wisdom since I turned 50 or maybe just became more aware of it. Won't deny that I've a better understanding of myself, my wants & needs & I think life in general.

I know that I'm on the downward spiral of life. I've lived most of my life. I don't worry about the end, we'll all get there somehow & sometime. I do enjoy life & plan on living the rest of my life the same way that I have.

So, onward we go.

Thanks for reading my ramblings. If this was on an RSS feed, wouldn't you then be listening? I still have to try to get that right.

Til tomorrow...Marc It Sold!

On This Date in History...

On this day in history...

1st submarine was tested in London in 1624.

Lusitania arrived in NYC after a record 5 day crossing of the Atlantic in 1907.

World's 1st female cop, Alice Stebbins Wells, appointed to the LAPD in 1910.

Millionaire Howard Hughes flew his own designed plane at 352.46 mph in 1935.

John F. Kennedy married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier in 1953.

Nikita Khrushchev became the 1st Secretary of USSR Communist Party in 1953.

US Supreme Court ordered Little Rock Ark high school to integrate in 1958.


Honestly, I had thought of a post for today, but must admit that I'm having a major brain f__t. So with that said...

Til tomorrow...Marc It Sold!

The Dreaded 'R' Word - Recession

On this day in history...

Benjamin Franklin wrote "There never was a good war or bad peace" in 1773.

Alexander Hamilton appointed 1st Secretary of Treasury in 1789.

Stephen Foster's song, "Oh! Susanna" was first performed at a saloon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 11, 1847.

1st newspaper cartoon strip was printed in 1875.

1st commercially successful electric bus line opened in Hollywood in 1910.

Spain left the League of Nation due to Germany joining in 1926.

Boulder Dam was dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936.

Jewish ghettos of Minsk & Lida Belorussia were liquidated in 1943.

1st mobile long-distance car-to-car telephone conversation in 1946.

The twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City disintegrated after being hit by 2 commercial airliners hijacked by Al Qaeda terrorists in 2001 killing 2793 and unfortunately more due to health risks that occurred from this disaster.

I was originally not going to put this one in because we all should be so firmly aware of it, but an article in yesterday's USA Today entitled, "Is 9/11 Becoming Just Another Calendar Date?" brought back feelings that I had last year in wondering the same.

In December 2001, this date was also proclaimed Patriot's Day by the US Congress.


The Dreaded 'R' Word - Recession

Even the Fed appears to be concerned about the reality of an economic slowdown. It has to. The jobs report showed that August was the first monthly drop in four years. This almost solidified the fact that the Fed will reduce the rate by at the least of 1/4%. It really needs to be at least 1/2%, but...

The mortgage debacle and real estate slowdown are affecting other industries. There have been widespread slowdowns in many industries due to what's happening in these industries. The fallout is there. There have already been cuts with companies providing home siding, nevermind that of the construction industry itself. Kohler, a major plumbing supplier, is cutting back and therefore eliminating jobs. And there are more job losses to come from this. Unfortunately, there has to be. We are already seeing cuts in the automotive, furniture and wood products & semiconductor industries. We've even heard of Home Depot & Lowe's posting lower than expected earnings. You'd have to be blind to not notice that many of these are a direct reflection on what's going on in the real estate world.

So we have unemployment up and consumer confidence down. There is turbulence in the world financial markets because of such. You don't think that this could push the economy toward a recession!

Let's look at the big picture. Many have used the equity in their home for continued consumer spending. This market is tapped with lower home prices & higher interest rates equating to lower household wealth, people will have to reduce spending. We are seeing that with the retail reports.

I hope that we do not head into a recession. Granted, I don't know if the Fed has the ability to stop it. But then again the market can change around quickly. Time will tell. Wish I had a crystal ball, but...

Til next time...Marc It Sold!