Today’s Housing Headline News:

When was the last time you read positive headlines about housing? 6-YEARS AGO!!!

Is there a shift taking place? YES – not in a submarkets but the supply is now the kicker!

Will housing price start to increase? YES but gradual

Will new housing starts increase? YES when the economy really picks up steam

Are there still too many issues causing the housing industry to flounder? YES

As Housing goes……………..So goes the Economy!

Home Prices Show Strongest Gain in 6 Years: NAR
dsnews.com - Existing-home sales rose to 4.62 million (seasonally adjusted annualized rate) in April from a downwardly revised March rate of 4.47 million, the National Association of Realtors ( NAR) reported Tuesday. Economists had forecast...


Zillow: Home Values See Highest Monthly Increase Since 2006
dsnews.com - Zillow issued a released Friday reporting that both national home values and rents rose in the month of April. According to the April Zillow Real Estate Market Reports, national home values rose 0.7 percent in April to a Zillow...


Home prices rise in most major U.S. Cities
usatoday.com - First substantive increase in 7 months is latest evidence of a slow recovery taking shape in the troubled housing market.


Mortgages - Speeding Up Short Sales
nytimes.com - With rules that take effect next month, federal regulators have hopes of greatly streamlining the short-sale process. Starting June 15, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, will...


BofA tries turning distressed homeowners into renters
latimes.com - Unable to qualify for modifications on Bank of America mortgages, a few of California's most distressed homeowners are being offered one last chance to stay in their homes: Become renters instead.

I know this graph has alot of information but the data is clearly showing a trend in the Charlotte housing market. Typically, the Charlotte market seems to lag the national trends. There are positive and negative trends illustrated above.

Positive: The median price of homes in Charlotte are trending higher in the majority of price points.

Negative: The supply of homes on the market from 2009 to 2012 is declining in all price points except for the lowest median price level. The lack of supply will start to pressure median prices higher.

Conclusion: We are seeing a shift from a buyers market to a sellers market.

If you are a buyer, it is time to think about getting off the fence and getting into the game!

Housing Market Revisited

Over the next two weeks, I will be providing a critical in-depth review of the housing market. the current status and near term projections will be explored for your information. If you were thinking about buying a home, I would suggest now is a good time. The economy is slowly improving. Global forces may still have a serious impact on our way of life. Pray for the best and prepare for the worst. it is time for you, your family and friends to focus on your "shelter" needs. The market is changing and don't say "I should have...................."

The following is a passage by John Hagee:

I want you to close your eyes and picture in your mind the soldier as he holds his gun in his bloody hands. He stands barefoot in the snow, starved from lack of food, wounded from months of battle and emotionally scarred from the eternity away from his family surrounded by nothing but death and carnage of war.

He stands though, with fire in his eyes and victory on his breath. He looks at us now in anger and disgust and tells us this ...

I gave you a birthright of freedom born in the Constitution and now your children graduate too illiterate to read it.

I fought in the snow barefoot to give you the freedom to vote and you stay at home because it rains.

I left my family destitute to give you the freedom of speech and you remain silent on critical issues, because it might be bad for business.

I orphaned my children to give you a government to serve you and it has stolen democracy from the people.

It's the soldier not the reporter who gives you the freedom of the press.

It's the soldier not the poet who gives you the freedom of speech.

It's the soldier not the campus organizer who allows you to demonstrate.

It's the soldier who salutes the flag, serves the flag, whose coffin is draped with the flag that allows the protester to burn the flag!!!

"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen."

10. Online Video Can Help Captivate, Engage, and Stimulate Your Audience – Bob Tripathi


Videos are great because they captivate the viewer’s attention and stimulate their senses via sight and sound. They keep the viewer engaged. In most cases emotion is easily conveyed and thoughts are easily spread. It can be consumed on a variety of devices, making it also easily accessible. People are able to engage with this media by liking, sharing, and commenting, making this a valuable tool in persuasive efforts.

11. What Can Be Found, Can Be Optimized – Bob Tripathi

If there is any content found on the internet, there is a way to enhance its searchability via the web. Whether it be a blog post, video, or a website be sure to use the right keywords, tags, and phrases to ensure those who go searching will find you. Know what your audience is searching for and how they go about looking for it. There is always a way to enhance your content by way of optimization whether be it your web site, videos, images, or any other digital asset.

12. You Cannot Qualify a Gain Without the Ability to Measure It – Marshall Sponder

Not all social media marketing efforts lead to a ROI. You might need to examine your goals and modify them in order to measure your ROI. Figure out your goals and determine how you will measure progress. The ROI comes from tracking what was invested to execute your plan against the results as outlinedby way of Social Media Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s). Find a practical way to measure and qualify your gain.

8. For Small Business Owners, Word of Mouth Starts With You – Sima Dahl


For a small business owner, no one is going to retweet for you or share your posts like it usually is the case with big brands. So the conversation starts with you ….Creating memorable moments starts with you. Select a social media channel, assess your content, start a conversation, and be creative. Be a real person with real honest opinions. Find people, engage them, and tell them what you are up to. Encourage the conversations that proceed.

9. Our Networks Are Our Most Important Assets – Neal Schaffer

Our personal and professional networks are the most important assets we have and so we should treat them as so. LinkedIn is a great way to access and form that network. Our network provides us with credibility and possible opportunities. On LinkedIn you can join groups, participate in events and even be introduced to new people that your friends and colleagues know. We have a platform to listen, engage, and connect. It’s simple and a great way to tap into one the most important assets you have.

5. Content Isn’t Great Until It’s Shared – Lee Odden

Give your audience something worth talking about. Create content that is music to their ears. You can create this share worthy content via a blog and re-purpose it in many fashions. Participate in the conversations that form and engage the growing network to motivate your audience to share.

6. Twitter Golden Rule – Give Before You Get – Hollis Thomases

You need to give your followers things of value to them. Don’t just ask for a sale – instead give them thoughts, ideas, and tweets worth re-tweeting. You want to give your audience information that is of value to them. It is then that they will pay closer attention to what you have to say. Just don’t expect to receive anything, and give, give, give. If it is done right, you will start to naturally get the attention you want.

7. Figure Out Your Customer’s Dream & Sell Them – Brian Carter

Remember that the medium is the message. Something that you might share in an email might not be as well accepted as it would be on a Facebook wall. Whatever it is you share, you want it to be memorable. Selling the dream doesn’t mean the product itself, but rather what it represents for your audience. Sell them awe, connection, belonging, fun, happiness.

3. Collaboration is necessary for Social Media success– Chris Barger

“No other business strategy executes independently; social shouldn’t either”.

All of your social media efforts should align themselves with the same purpose and remain consistent. Along with that, your whole team should also be on the same page with what their role is in order to work together effectively. Involve your legal team, build social media policies, and keep everyone in the know.

4. Life Is Not About Being Liked, It’s About Being Effective – Chase McMichael

The goal with Facebook and social media is not just for people to merely nod their heads in agreement and throw a thumbs up, but to take action. It’s about getting your customer to be actively engaged with your product or organization through social media. You need to have the right content to facilitate the greatest interaction. Find the common interests that your brand’s audience shares and give them what they want. The goal is that through their engagement people would have a great sense of what your company is about and choose you when given the opportunity.

12 key Social Media Marketing Takeaways by 12 Social Media Experts

Posted by Nancy Bradley on Tue, May 08, 2012

Source: Social Media Today

Social media experts provided several pearls of wisdom during recent social media training sessions at the “Social Media for Business” Web Conference and Certification event. Particularly, this event included some really good advice about keeping all social media efforts aligned with the same consistent message as the rest of your marketing efforts in order to be effective.

During this event, there were more than 23 live social media training sessions conducted by over 18 leading social media experts with some pearls of wisdom thrown out by experts over the course of 6 weeks. Of this, we compiled 12 key takeaways from the event that can be implemented right away for your business.

1. Act – If you aren’t getting pushback then you aren’t pioneering – Erik Qualman

Don’t be afraid to try new things and get reactions. Every pioneer makes a bold statement which not everyone always agrees to initially. Often people will hesitate to try new things, but don’t let that discourage you. Act, make bold choices and interact with your audience.

2. It’s not about creating accounts, It’s what you do with them – Krista Neher

There was once a time where companies and organizations created accounts just to say that they had them. Now, it is imperative to use them to connect well with your audience. Make your company one that can be personable and one that people can connect with.

Supply & Demand

Yesterdays graph showed the price trends for the housing market in Charlotte for the first time homebuyer price point from $80,000 to $180,000.


Over the past 3-yrs, the median price has remained relatively stable for this price point. Other higher priced homes did not fare as well and has been reported on by the national media.

Yes, you might find a great deal but you will have to compete with investors which will close quickly and with cash. Or you may have to work with banks on a short sale or foreclosure and required to buy the home “as is”.

The bar graph below clearly illustrates trends.

Red --- indicates homes listed on the MLS for sale. It clearly shows the homes for-sale (inventory) has been decreasing. When supply decreases to a point, the market turns from a buyer’s market to a seller’s market! We are starting to receive multiple offers on homes!!!

Purple & Green – this represents homes under contract and homes sold during each quarter back to 2009. In 2010 the homes under contract and sold during the last quarter of 2009 and early 2010 represent the federal $8,000 contribution for first time homebuyers. Without any market stimulus, there is a definite increase in homes under contract and sold.

This chart clearly shows a reduction in supply and an increase in demand!


This may be the initial switch from a buyer’s market --- which means you don’t have to make concessions, plenty of homes to choose from and everything is affordable.

To a seller’s market----which means that the number of homes to choose from is less, prices will start to increase, and interest rates will affect your buying power.

The Housing Market is Changing

Every market is different but in the Charlotte market, the first time homebuying product has stabilized and changing!!

The following graph shows the median price of homes SOLD in the Charlotte MLS area for homes priced between $80,000 - $180,000.

For the past 3-years this market segment’s pricing has been fairly stable. At least the sold price of homes is not continuing to go down and not as volatile as other price points.

The median price in the first quarter of 2009 is $127,000 and in 2012 it is $126,000.

Don’t wait for prices to come down but will soon start to increase!!!! Tomorrow I will show you the supply and demand graph that clearly illustrates the dynamics in the marketplace.

Compare:

$136,000 Loan at 4.75% interest rate
Estimated Monthly Payment (PITI)                             $990

$116,000 Loan at 5.25% interest rate
Estimated Monthly payment (PITI)                             $940

As interest rates increase your buying power is reduced!

Interest rates are BELOW 4% NOW but what happens as home prices increase? You buy a house with less features, not the best of locations and you start to make buying concessions.

If you know a first time homebuying, please talk to them before the market does turn --- NOT in their favor!

9 Signs the Housing Market is Turning Around ---REALLY?

Wall Street Journal BUSINESS

Updated May 10, 2012, 11:00 p.m. ET

J.P. Morgan's $2 Billion Blunder

Bank Admits Losses on Massive Trading Bet Gone Wrong; Dimon's Mea Culpa

JP Morgan Chase is the largest bank in the United States. They lost 2+ billion but still earned a profit in the billions for the quarter. However, Dimon is supposed to be the Wiz Kid of Wall Street. So should we listen to “experts” or do our own research?

The following was prepared by Associate Editor Jeff Zagoudis of the Housing Zone summarized JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon's optimistic outlook on the housing market in Dimon's recent annual letter to investors.
I have added my comments.

The existing supply of single-family homes and condos has decreased from 4.4 million units in May 2007 to 2.7 million today, one sign offered by JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon that the housing market has reached a turning point.

I do admit, there seems to be a new energy in the real estate market. It could just be the spring time and buyers are coming out and the supply is down. You need to check your local market but in Charlotte, there seems to be a change. I will research and let you know.

In his annual letter to investors, JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon offered an optimistic outlook on the housing market for 2012. Despite the continuing trend of low home prices and an excess of homes in delinquency or foreclosure that are still NOT on the market, Dimon offers these nine indicators, as reported by Business Insider, that things are starting to turn around:

1. The U.S. population has grown by 3 million people per year since the housing crisis kicked off four years ago. He projects additional growth of 30 million people over the next decade.

He doesn’t mention the lack of housing formations.

2. At that growth rate, there would typically be a need for 1.2 million additional housing units. Over the last four years, that demand has been cut by about half; as job conditions improve, the other half of that demand is expected to return.

The housing starts have been cut by almost 75% per year over the last four years. The lack of supply and increased housing formations will create a seller’s market and increased prices ---- when? Now you would expect something to happen after the election.

3. There has been slow employment growth over the last two years, with 3.45 million jobs added in that span.

He certainly doesn’t explain the reality. Not slow growth --- No growth, This number looks huge!! However, new jobs added on an average monthly basis for the past 2-years is 143,750 jobs or about 2,800 new jobs per state!!


The participation rate in the labor force in April 2011 was 63.9%


The participation rate in the labor force in April 2012 was 63.4%


More people filed for unemployment on a monthly basis than new jobs were added.


And the unemployment rate has been going down.

4. A surplus of housing — thanks to the creation of 845,000 new housing units annually over the last four years versus the destruction of just 250,000 a year in that same period (via demolition, disaster and dilapidation) — will be scooped up as these new households are created.

Say What??? What does this mean?

5. Since May 2007, the existing supply of single-family homes and condos for sale has been cut almost in half, from 4.4 million units at that time to 2.7 million today.

The supply is now the issue. See my previous posts about the over production of new housing starts during the “bubble” and the lack of housing since then. This will hit home buyers like a ton of bricks.

6. The inventory of homes with loans in delinquency or foreclosure has also decreased over the last few years. At the peak of the trend in 2009, 5.1 million homes were in this category; at present, the number sits at 3.9 million. Dimon predicts that number will continue to drop as more investors continue to buy distressed units and rent them out.

Rentals are at a premium in most markets due to foreclosures, deed-in-lieu, and short sales. These avenues for homeowners destroys their credit from 2-7 years. They CAN’T get a mortgage and enter the housing market until their credit is restored. Just about the time when the regular housing demand comes back rents will have increased significantly.


Do you really think a homeowner that becomes a renter will want to stay a renter? I don’t think so!


I have read that there remains a shadow inventory – foreclosures held by banks and not released for sale.


Bottom Line:


Lack of supply


High Demand


Result --- higher prices and shortage of materials!!!

7. In half of the housing markets across the U.S., it is currently cheaper for potential homeowners to buy than to rent — a condition not seen in more than 15 years — thanks to ever-growing rental rates.

So why is there a problem with buyers with interest rates at historic lows???


FEAR!

8. The household debt service ratio — which compares mortgage plus consumer debt payments to disposable personal income — is at its lowest level since the mid-1990s.

This is good!

9. Recent senior loan officer surveys by the Federal Reserve show that, while there are not yet clear signs of credit loosening for new mortgages, at least the rush to tighten mortgage lending standards has abated. Over the last two years, $2 trillion of mortgages have been refinanced, substantially aiding homeowner burdens. Dimon expects another $2 trillion to refinance over the next two years, with approximately 10% coming from recently announced government programs, and, at that point, we estimate that only 15%-20% of Americans will be paying interest rates over 6%.

WOW ---- and none of these mortgages are assumable!

WAKE UP AMERICA!

For Sellers – Top 10 Things Buyers find Objectionable

6. Too many personal items

Psychologically, when buyers tour a home, they're trying it on to see how it fits, just as they would a skirt or a pair of pants. If your house is cluttered with too many personal items, it's like the buyer is trying on those clothes with you still in them. A fit is unlikely.

Sellers should try to eliminate personal items, including family photos, personal effects and even unique colors, she says.

7. Snoopy sellers

Realtors and buyers alike generally bristle when the seller greets them at the door for a showing.

They will want to walk around with the potential buyer and put in their two cents' worth. It's not good. Normally, there are one out of 10 sellers where it's OK to have them there, and that's because they know what is up with the property and how everything works."

8. Misrepresenting your home

Misrepresenting your house online in the multiple listing service is a sure way to really upset buyers and their Realtors.

9. Poor curb appeal

Much is made of curb appeal, and for good reason: It's your home's handshake, the critical first impression that lasts with most buyers.

10. Clutter

Whether inside or out, less is more when it comes to clutter

Kitchens and built-in bookshelves should showcase spaciousness by following the rule of three. For kitchens, there should be no more than three countertop appliances. Meanwhile, bookshelves should be divided into thirds: one-third books, one-third vases and pictures, and one-third empty. The home office should be very generic so any type of professional can imagine living there.

For Sellers – Top 10 Things Buyers find Objectionable

First Five (Author Unknown - from a panel discussion)

1. Dirt

Hands down, our panel agrees: Nothing turns off a buyer quicker than a dirty house.

"The No. 1 biggest mistake is not getting the home in the best possible condition.

2. Odors

Buyers, it's said, buy with their noses. Make sure your home smells fresh and inviting.

"Odors are a big one, especially kitchen odors,"

Some pet owners mistakenly believe pet smells to which they've become accustomed help make their abode homey. Nothing could be further from the truth.

"The living room - that's typically the room that has the most fabric, so that is where odors get absorbed."

3. Old fixtures

Want buyers to roll their eyes? Leave old fixtures on your doors and cabinets.

The same holds true for dated ceiling fans, light fixtures and kitchen appliances.

4. Wallpaper

Your grandmother may have had it in every bedroom. Your mom may have loved it as a room accent. But today's buyer wants no part of wallpaper.

Wallpaper is a pain to remove and simply adds another chore to a buyer's to-do list.

5. Popcorn acoustic ceilings

Times change, and with them home decor styles. Acoustic popcorn ceilings, once the must-have for fashionable homes in the '60s and '70s, now badly date your space.

If you can't stomach the cost or the mess to remove the overhead popcorn, be prepared to credit a buyer in certain markets in order to close a sale.

Will the 3.8% Tax on Real Estate Affect You?

As you may have heard, the federal government has implemented a new tax on real estate transactions that will become effective January 1, 2013. There are many misconceptions about properties and taxpayers that will be subject to this new tax – read on for some good news if you are concerned!

The tax is NOT on the sale or purchase price of the property. The tax relates to the capital gain (profit) realized between the original purchase price and the final sale price the seller received. It is NOT a tax to the buyer.

The seller will only pay (all or part) of the tax in very unique situations:

The seller must have a minimum Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $200,000 as an individual or $250,000 for joint filers

Anyone with income less than $200,000 AGI ($250,000 joint filers) will NOT be subject to the tax

There must be a gain (profit) between the original purchase price and the final sale price which exceeds $250,000 as an individual ($500,000 joint filers)

Any transaction with a gain (profit) of less than $250,000 ($500,000 joint filers) will NOT be subject to the tax

Qualifying Criteria: If the seller makes more than $200,000 ($250,000 joint filers) AND if the capital gain on the sale of the property exceeds $250,000 ($500,000 for joint filers), the tax needs to be calculated.

The tax is NOT 3.8% of the sale price

The tax is NOT 3.8% of the entire gain (in most cases)

Here is a real world example of how the tax is calculated IF the two qualifying criteria are met:

John and Mary Smith are a married couple filing jointly.

AGI before adding taxable gain $325,000

Original purchase price of home $150,000

Sale price of home in 2013 $675,000

Gain on sale of residence $525,000

Taxable gain ($525,000 – $500,000)$25,000

New AGI $350,000

The tax is calculated on the LESSER of

(a) the amount of the gain or

(b) the excess AGI over the $200,000 ($250,000 joint filers) amount.

Since the $25,000 is less than the $100,000 excess ($350,000 income less $250,000 joint threshold); the tax is calculated on the $25,000 gain.

$25,000 X 3.8% = $950 tax due on a gain (profit) of $525,000.

So, you see that this tax will have zero impact on most residential real estate transactions in our market.

Remember the take-aways:

• Your AGI must exceed $200,000 ($250,000 for joint filers)

• You must have a capital gain on the sale of your property which exceeds $250,000 ($500,000 joint filers)

• The tax is calculated on the GAIN (profit), not on the sale price

• The tax is calculated on the lesser amount of the gain or the excess of AGI over the $200,000 ($250,000 for joint filers) threshold

• The buyer never pays any portion of the tax

• Most sellers will not be subject to the tax – only those meeting the qualifying criteria in the first 2 points

If you need further explanation, please consult with your tax accountant or tax attorney.

Homeownership & % Participation in the Labor Force

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2012 (Associated Press) – The American dream of homeownership is at its lowest point in 15 years, the latest evidence of a housing market still far from recovering five years after the housing crash.

New figures released Monday by the Census Bureau show the rate of U.S. homeownership fell in the first three months of this year to 65.4 percent. That's down from 66.4 percent in the first quarter last year.

The last time the rate hit 65.4 percent was in the first quarter of 1997. The rate peaked at 69.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2004, during the high-flying days of the housing boom.


But according to an estimate embedded in the Labor Department’s household survey, only 63.6 percent of Americans age 16 and older participated in the civilian labor force.

That was the lowest rate of people who were working or actively looking for work since December 1981, when the nation was in the middle of part two of a double-dip recession.

There is a relationship between the two statistics. Unfortunately, families are considered statistics by the politicians. Families are being destroyed by the lack of political action.

WAKE UP AMERICA!

Benjamin Franklin was clearly a man who knew how to get things done.

Thea Easterby is a freelance writer. Her blog www.writechangegrow.com offers inspiring tips on writing, career change and personal development.

More Benjamin Franklin

o Act Quickly on Opportunities

“To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions.”

Opportunities are everywhere. The trick is being quick enough and smart enough to seize them when they arise. Instead of jumping to the conclusion that something won’t work or can’t be done, allow yourself the freedom to ask what if?

o Continue to Grow

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.”

We all have vices of some description. The key is to keep them under control or preferably eradicate them entirely. Be kind to those around you, whether they are neighbors, family, co-workers or friends. Never accept that you have finished growing as a person.

o Keep Going

“Diligence is the mother of good luck.”

Have you ever looked at a successful entrepreneur or business person and thought how lucky they are? Most of the time, luck has nothing to do with it. Hard work and sacrifice on the other hand have everything to do with it. Successful people deal with failure. They tackle their demons head on. They pick themselves up and keep going.

o Know Yourself

“There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one's self.”

Understanding ourselves is not easy. Sometimes we just don’t want to see ourselves for who we really are. It’s much easier to hold onto a romanticized version of ourselves or to simply view ourselves through other people’s eyes. Start by being brutally honest with yourself. Follow through with understanding, compassion and acceptance.

o Don’t Self-Sabotage

“Who had deceived thee so often as thyself?”

We spend so much time worrying about other people hurting us, yet fail to comprehend the damage we inflict on ourselves. If you are using negative self-talk, lying to yourself or indulging in addictive behavior you are self-sabotaging. Life can dish up enough challenges without us adding to the mix. Be kind to yourself. Treat yourself like you would a best friend.

o Don’t Give Up

“Energy and persistence conquer all things.”

Achieving our goals can be downright exhausting. There will be days when you want to give up. There will be times when your energy levels flatline and you wonder why you bother getting out of bed. Yet you push forward, day after day because you believe in yourself and you have the determination and strength to back up that belief.

o Wise Up

“Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.”

Benjamin was definitely onto something with this one. Who hasn’t had the thought - I wish I could know then, what I know now? Unfortunately there is no time machine; there is no going back. The key is to wise up as early as you can to start forging a life of purpose, achievement and happiness.

Benjamin Franklin was clearly a man who knew how to get things done.

Thea Easterby is a freelance writer. Her blog www.writechangegrow.com offers inspiring tips on writing, career change and personal development.

Here are 14 action-inducing lessons from him:

o Less Talk, More Action

“Well done is better than well said.”

Talk is cheap. Talking about a project won't get it completed. We all know people who constantly talk about the things they are going to do but rarely ever take that first step. Eventually people begin to question their credibility. Taking action and seeing the task through to completion is the only way to get the job done.

o Don’t Procrastinate

“Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.”

This is probably one of the first quotes I remember hearing as a teenager. With an impressive list of achievements to his credit, Benjamin Franklin was not a man hung up on procrastination. He was a man with clear measurable goals who worked hard to turn his vision into reality. What are you putting off till tomorrow that could make a difference in your life today?

o Be Prepared

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

You need a plan to accomplish your goals. Charging in without giving any thought to the end result and how to achieve it, is a sure way to fall flat on your face. Think like a boy scout. Have a realistic plan of attack and a systematic approach for getting where you need to be.

o Don’t Fight Change

“When you're finished changing, you're finished.”

Whilst many of us don’t like change, others thrive on it. Either way change is inevitable. The stronger we fight against it, the more time and energy it consumes. Give up the fight. Focus on proactively making positive changes, instead of having change merely thrust upon you. Wherever possible, try to view change as a positive instead of a negative.

o Get Moving

“All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move.”

There’s a reason we use the expression, movers and shakers. Movers are the ones who take action, the people who get things done, while the immovable are sitting around scratching their heads wondering how others could possibly be so successful. Which group do you want to belong to?

o Avoid Busywork

“Never confuse motion with action.”

We are always running around doing things. We rush from one meeting or event to the next, sometimes without achieving a great deal. At the end of the day, how much of our busywork are we proud of? How much of that running around improves anyone’s life (including ours) for the better? Make your motion mean something.

o Give Yourself Permission to Make Mistakes

“Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out.”

If we fear making mistakes, we become scared to try new things. Fear leaves us nestled in our comfort zone. Staying in your comfort zone rarely leads to greatness. Taking risks and giving yourself permission to make mistakes, will ultimately lead you to whatever your version of success may be.

A House Blessing by Welleran Poltarness

I bless this house and all those who dwell within it, and wish for them a full potion of life's beauty.

May the strength of its walls make you safe, keeping peace within and troubles without; but through its open windows and doors let nature come.

All who live and visit here shall be friends. Kindliness and harmony shall be the watchwords.

Let the mealtimes be far more than the fulfillment of a necessity. In this home food shall be prepared with grace, and eaten with gratitude.

May this be a place where the laughter of babies is heard and the gravity of children is answered with loving respect.

May this house warm in the winter, and by the fires of an open hearth let comradeship and imagination flower.

When the sun is ablaze, here shall coolness and shade hold away.

Let this be a place of peace, offering refuge from the chaos and doubt, and manifesting in its orderliness, a model for the larger world.

I wish for all of you the blessings of the night, which blanket us with calm, and through its burning stars and liquid moonlight allow our hearts to flower.

May beauty reign here, and lovely objects renew us by their silence and perfection.

I wish for you, in this sheltered place, the freedom, calm and leisure to play and explore.

May all celebrations be, in this house, feasts of creativity and companionship.

Bless this house. May angels guard its corners, and may gifts fall upon it as snow and rain falls upon a field. Let those within it share numberless passages of sun and moon, and happiness fill them to overflowing.

A home does and always will make a difference in people's lives.

Tight Supply & Rents High

A Reis report: Leasing activity showed little signs of slowing during the first quarter, partly because of the relatively mild winter in the Northeast. Net absorption, or the net change in occupied stock, remains strong with 36,488 units leasing up.

Tight supply conditions with only 7,342 apartment units coming online in the first quarter are helping the performance of apartment properties around the nation. National asking and effective rents remain strong, with effective rents (asking rents net of concessions) increasing at its fastest rate since end-2007.

Asking rents grew by 0.5% and effective increased by 0.9% in the first quarter. Reis expects effective rent growth to accelerate even more as vacancies tighten within the 4% band; with availability so scarce, landlords have little incentive to concessions.

Charlotte rent is increasing about 4% per year or more!!!.


Q1 2012 Winners                                                                      Q1 2012 Losers

                            Metro Area Rent % Change                                                Metro Area Rent % Change

Tulsa                               $596 1.1%                                             Fairfield County    $1,836 -0.4%

Charlotte                         $825 1.0%                                            N. New Jersey      $1,550 0.0%

Fort Worth                      $743 1.0%                                            Greensboro/Winston-Salem  $674 0.0%

Oakland-East Bay           $1,391 1.0%                                         Birmingham           $730 0.0%

Charleston                       $793 0.9%                                            New York            $2,953 0.0%

NOTE: At what sales price of a home could you afford and have a FIXED monthly mortgage of $825 in Charlotte, NC??