2009: Mixed Emotions

It's been a while since I've updated this blog. I'd like to say it's because I've been so darned busy selling homes that I just haven't had the time. And while I was quite busy for several months (I had 5 closings in April alone! and I moved in September), that really wasn't the reason for my blogging absence.

I've had a hard time defining my purpose here. Do I want to locate and provide information for my clients to help them understand the inner workings of the buying and selling process? Do I want to keep my readers up on the ever-changing market conditions, the ebbing and flowing of this crazy business? Or is it my goal to share my impressions and experiences with you so that you can get to know me better before you call on me to assist you? Maybe you're already working with me and just want to see what I'm writing about today -- is that what I'm trying to focus on? I'm leaning towards -- yes, yes, yes and yes.

I've seen some blogs that are too informal, too casual and chatty; and while I can see some value in that, it's important to me to be as professional as I can be, since I take my career very seriously. On the other hand, I really really like what I do; and I think that's really important to share, as well.

So you see my dilemma.

I titled this posting, "Mixed Emotions" for several reasons, some of which are now clear. But I also have those feelings because -- despite the crappy market conditions -- I've been blessed with the opportunity to work with some wonderful people this year and make a little money along the way.

This year hasn't been good a lot of Realtors ®. Many other professions are suffering, as well. But better times are ahead.

I'll be devoting more time here in the future. I'll try to keep a balance of informative postings with occasional narratives on something that happened to me that I simply wanted to tell you about. Let me know what you think.

This piece ran in today's (Dec. 10) St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Don't let the headline fool you; this is good news.

Home Values Decline

By Tim Logan

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Thursday, Dec. 10 2009

The average St. Louis-area home lost 4.3 percent of its value in the past year,
but those losses are stabilizing.

So says Zillow, a Seattle-based real estate firm that sifts a wide range of
data to estimate the value of every house in many major real estate markets.
Its average estimate for metropolitan St. Louis in November was $141,100.
That's down half a percentage point from October, and 9.3 percent off its peak
of $155,600 in the first quarter of 2007.

But the good news, Zillow says, is that value declines are stabilizing. Some
parts of the country — markets such as Boston, Atlanta and Denver — have seen
their overall values increase in 2009. And losses in St. Louis were much less
sharp in 2009 than they were in 2008.

As for 2010, the group's chief economist was wary. He predicted that the
eventual end of the $8,000 tax credit for first-time buyers and the inevitable
rise in interest rates will create headwinds for housing next year. How strong
those winds blow remains to be seen.