and Tired Always Follows Sick! Goodmorning America

Welcome back to the Land of "I'm no longer depressed."

It's so nice to have you all back, the party has been very quiet without you, hence the reason we waited for you to get here! I get the feeling everyone is Tired of being Sick and Tired. Why even the media has grown weary of perpetuating the gloom they once seemed to enjoy so much. maybe if they play nice we will advertise with them again someday. LOL

Seriously though I love this country and America's spirit. We have learned to make lemonade from lemons. Reflecting back on mistakes and try to find ways not to repeat them. The reason I write this is I have seen a noticeable difference in folks. As a Realtor I am busier than ever. Hmmm...

I believe at some point you just decide to pull yourself up by the boot straps and come up fighting because life isn't waiting for you. Take buying a home for instance. Do you want to make a wise buying decision YES of course. Is your house a Bank, NO. But that became the mentality of consumers over the last 10 years.

Let's reflect for the younger readers. Do you remember the day when you saved your 20%, looked for the home you wanted to raise your family in, make your own over the years and create your memories? Then you focused on paying it off. Well welcome to the new millennium, That became such a dated idea, "I mean who does that?" (note the sarcasm)

The new idea was move every 2-3 years, use your home as in investment. Well that worked for a select few that carefully timed the market. But using your personal residence in your investment portfolio is probably not a good plan. (hindsight is always 20/20).

I see folks having a completely different mindset these days. I'm tired of the bad news, I'm not going to waste money on renting, I'm going to make a wise buying decision that I can afford, how can I pay off my home and plan for college for my kids and what payment do I need if one of the wage earners decides to stay home? Do I hear LONG TERM PLAN? You bet ya! It's really the best thing that's happened in a long time.

The best inventory is selling in under 30 days (that's great), Gas is finally heading in the right direction, rates are still historically low, elections will be over soon, (maybe then we can move ahead without having to worry about who gets the credit)

So yes there are some turbulent times ahead as we work our way through the inventory, the unemployment rate and energy. But I'm encouraged and not suprised to see that America is up for the fight. So as you put away your cartons of Haagen Daz, and step out into the sunshine make sure you tell someone it's gonna be alright!

Real Estate Acronyms? Can Someone Speak English?

I was working with a first time buyer the other day and realized that the longer one is in the real estate business you begin to speak in code. Not on purpose mind you just a bad habit. Oh it makes perfect sense inside your own head. Ah, but if you could only hear yourself speaking in consonants you would realize that your customers are mearly nodding at you and smiling.

I have decided that to put together my Top 10 Realtor Acronyms. Not to steal a Mortgage Lenders thunder I will leave those for one of you to reply. I realize there is another unique list.

• DOM Days on Market - How long a home has been listed for sale or rent
• HUD (Department of) Housing and Urban Development -The Government Regulated closing statement
• CMA Comparative Market Analysis - Market Value Range a home will sell in
• CDD Community Development District - (a tax collected for the infrastructure and usually the operations and maintenance of a planned community (PUD-freebie planned unit development)
• CO Certificate of Occupancy- House is in compliance with building codes and is suitable for occupancy
• FSBO For Sale by Owner We (Realtors) pronounce this as if it's a word
• HELOC Home Equity Line of Credit (sometimes I will ask a seller if they have a HELOC (also pronounced as a word) , I usually get a puzzled look as if it's an exotic pet. Then you realize when they went to the bank they went to get an Equity Line.
• REO Real Estate Owned - By the bank after an unsuccessful auction on the court house steps. Which is happening more often due to a homes value being less than what is owed.
• SFR Single Family Residential
• ASHI American society of Home Inspectors "Make sure you get and ASHI inspector" What is that? Especially in Florida we encourage some form of certification. Not until 2010 will Inspectors be required to be licensed.

There are 30 others to choose from, this was simply to get the wheels turning.

Often times folks do not want to tell you they don't understand, so they just agree. It's kind of like me talking to the Doctor. Don't dazzle me with terms I don't understand, speak to me so I do.