By Joel Persinger
YourRealEstateDude.com
In every economic shift there are winners and losers. By nature, and with the help of the news media, most of us focus so strongly on the losers that we miss the winners almost entirely. This column is dedicated to those who are winning.
A couple of months ago, an old client of mine called me and said, “Joel, I want you to help my son to find a house he can buy.” Just over a week ago that same young man closed escrow on his first house. The property was a pre-foreclosure and had been left in terrible shape. But, this young fellow and his father work in the construction industry. They have lots of friends and contacts to help whip that house into shape. I’d be willing to bet that inside of a month, that place will look great.
Just yesterday, I had the privilege of having lunch with a fine couple who are looking for their first house. They both have great jobs and good credit and are so excited about the possibilities and their dreams that they can’t stop talking about them. She wants to have a home that she can call her own. He wants to have a garage with a work bench, so he can fix his own car and tinker with his own projects. After doing a little homework on their behalf, one of my loan officers felt very strongly that these folks are more than qualified to buy their own home. You never know, I just might be telling you about their new place in these pages soon.
A good friend of mine has wanted a house with a view and some elbow room for years. He grew up in Montana and likes to have a bit more than ten feet between his house and his neighbors. For some time now he’s been looking up at the house on the hill across from his place. You know the house. It’s the one with the 300 degree view and two acres of land. You probably have one just like it in your neighborhood. My buddy has been wondering what it would be like to live up there for years. Well, it looks like he’s going to find out. With any luck, my friend will own that house in less than a month.
These are just three stories of the millions that are out there. We never hear about them because good news doesn’t sell papers or increase viewership. Sure, people are losing jobs and homes. But, let’s not forget that when unemployment reaches 9 percent, it means that 91 percent of the people are working. Likewise, even if the number of foreclosures reaches 10 percent, it would mean that 90 percent of homeowners are paying their mortgages on time. News organizations and politicians make their livings by focusing on the negative. Here’s my advice: look for the positive. It’s easy to see, there is generally more of it and making it your focus will let you sleep better at night.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
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