So, it's been months since I've blogged.  Now I can give you all the standard excuses - not enough time, couldn't think of anything to write about, etc.  But the true reason is that I have been suffering from a serious case of self doubt.  Now I know those of you who know me are probably saying "No way!  You, doubting yourself?  Not possible."  But it's true.  I haven't been able to blog because 1) I didn't think I was able to add anything of value and 2) I was worried that I was going to offend someone. 

I had plenty of material to write about and often started my post but seldom finished it.  I would start a post and then while doing a little research for it would realize that everyone and his uncle were writing about the same thing.  I felt redundant.  What could I add to the plethora of information already out there on this subject?  Why would anyone want to read my stuff?  And what if they were offended by what I wrote?

I got myself tied into knots worrying about having original material and presenting it in a way that would not offend the world at large.  And then I came to a realization....  I wasn't suffering from self doubt.  I was suffering from an extreme case of hubris.  Who am I to think that I can write original material that would please everyone?  Wow was I full of myself! (And I can see those of you who know me smile and say "now that's more like it"). 

I realized that I was lucky if I had a small audience, if any.  And, to misquote someone, I can please some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time but I can't please all of the people all of the time. 

Blogging is about sharing your ideas, thoughts and knowledge with anyone who might be interested.  And it's important to be true to yourself in your blog posts.  It's a way of letting people get to know you before they ever get to meet you in person. 

Think of the blog like the agent photo.  We've seen the ones that are from 20 years ago or the glamour shots one that doesn't look anything like the agent now.  Your blog should reflect the real you, not be a glamour shot.

What better way to celebrate your love - of each other, of travel, of nature, of adventure - than with a free vacation? 

Virginia is giving away 40 FREE Vacations to celebrate the 40^th Anniversary of their tourism slogan "Virginia is for Lovers".  Yes that's right, FREE!!!  The grand prize even includes airfare! 

Here are just a few samples of what you could win.

Adventure in Page County - explore mountain trails on an ATV, try a little fishing from a canoe or kayak or just drift down the river on a tube.

Eastern Shore Ecothusiast - take a guided cruise and see the wildlife on Chincoteague Island, including the wild ponies!

Pontooning Around Southern Virginia - a relaxing vacation at Occoneechee State Park pontooning on Virginia's largest lake, Buggs Island Lake, with 5 of your nearest and dearest for an entire week!

Feel the Thunder in Martinsville - NASCAR fans, this one's for you.  Tickets and pit passes!

Elope to Virginia - Big wedding not your style? Elope to the White Fence B&B in Shenandoah Valley.  Cake, flowers, photography and a gift certificate for your first anniversary return visit all included.

Golf, Beer & Battlefields - take a tour of Fredricksburg, play a round of golf and sample 300 beers at the Capital Ale House.

Thrills and Chills at Wintergreen Resort - 3 days of fun in the snow for 4 people including equipment rental and private instruction.

For more information on these and other great prizes and to enter for your chance to win, go to www.Virginia.org/40.  The website also offers other vacation tips and discounts for travel to Virginia.

Happy Vacationing!

The Daily Press today released their "Top Ten Virginia Attractions".  Coming in at #1 is Colonial Williamsburg followed at #3 by Virginia Beach and Busch Gardens at #4.  Of course I don't think the Daily Press was ranking these in any particular order, just making a list of 10 Attractions.  But having been to all three places I can't say I'm surprised they made the list.  Here are the other top ten locations.

1. Colonial Williamsburg (Williamsburg)
2. Luray Caverns (Northern Shenandoah Valley)
3. Virginia Beach (Virginia Beach)
4. Busch Gardens (Williamsburg)
5. Natural Bridge (Lexington)
6. Monticello (Charlottesville)
7. Mount Vernon (Mount Vernon)
8. Kings Dominion (Doswell)
9. Hollywood Cemetery (Richmond)
10. Wintergreen (Central VA, off Blue Ridge Parkway)

I can't help but think it must have been difficult for the Daily Press to narrow the list down to just ten places.  There are so many wonderful attractions in Virginia.  I can think at least ten in the Hampton Roads area itself!  But instead of just listing what I think are top spots, I would like you input.  So Hampton Roads locals, send me your top ten list of local places that are a must "visit" and next week I will post the "Top Ten Hampton Roads Attractions".

Kermit the Frog used to sing "it's not easy being green" but even he would be pleased to see how important it's become to be "green". 

Green is definitely the new hot issue.  And in support of the "green movement", I would like to bring a great organization to your attention.

It's the Freecycle Network.

The Freecycle Network mission statement.

Our mission is to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community. (From the Freecycle Network website www.Freecycle.org).

This is a terrific online community that gives members the opportunity to "gift" various items they no longer want or need to other members of the group.  How many times have you put something at the curb that was completely usable but you didn't want to have to try and sell or keep stored somewhere until the next yard sale?  All you have to do is "offer" your item to the group and someone (usually more than one person) will respond to request your "gift".  You can also post a "wanted" request for an item you need but don't want or can't afford to purchase new.  I have seen members gift clothes, toys, books, furniture, firewood, computer equipment, appliances and even vehicles.

This is also a great way for home sellers to get rid of their excess belongings to better stage their home and to reduce the amount of things they have to move.  And for new home buyers, it's a great place to find some much needed items for your new home (maybe a gently used sofa, dining room table or even a refrigerator).

And the beauty of all this is not only are you keeping things out of the landfills, you are helping out other people! 

And remember, at the end of the song even Kermit was singing 

I am green and it'll do fine, it's beautiful! 
And I think it's what I want to be.

Yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity to meet NAR's Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun at the Virginia Peninsula Associate of Realtors (VPAR) General Membership Meeting.

He gave an excellent presentation that I found to be rather refreshing.  It was neither the "doom and gloom" of the media in general nor the "NAR cheerleader" mentality that he (and other NAR members and supporters) have been accused of.  He was very realistic in his presentation of the current state of the economy and the housing market, the issues that brought us here and what the future holds. 

Dr. Yun talked about the new economic stimulus package and some of its various components.  One of the main concerns is the need to remove the repayment feature of the current Home Buyer Tax Credit of $7500 (which he felt had a very good chance of being implemented) and making it available to all home buyers, not just first time home buyers (which he didn't believe had quite as good a chance).  He also spoke on the need to bring the interest rate down and to increase FHA and VA loan limits.  And the need to address foreclosures, although preventing foreclosures alone will not work to move inventory.

Some other areas that need to be addressed are loosening restrictions on investors, who are a key component in reducing inventory.  And also the need to address property insurance issues as many companies have either stopped issuing new policies or have drastically increased premiums, especially in coastal areas.

The housing market is the key to turning the economy around and buyers are the key to turning the housing market around.  But despite the dropping home prices and very low interest rates, buyers are still hesitant.  More action needs to be taken to help ease the buyers off the fence.  Buyers need to understand that the bubble market (and subsequent crash) was only in limited areas.  Most areas had more modest price booms.

For example, this first chart shows the comparison between Columbus, Ohio (green line) and Ft. Myers, Florida.  You can see how Columbus shows a steady increase with a small corresponding decrease starting in 2006.  Ft. Myers on the other hand, obviously peaked sharply and fell just as sharply.

 And in this chart comparing Hampton Roads, VA to Washington DC, we can see that the price difference between the two areas stayed fairly consistent until 2002 when both areas experienced a rise in home prices.  However, the DC area had a far greater increase resulting in nearly triple the difference at the peak of the market.  In 2008, it shows the prices starting to converge back to a more normal variance.

Another rather interesting point is that in 1998 the monthly mortgage payment percentage of a median income household was 19%.  The monthly payment in 2008 was....... 19%.  This was because although home prices are higher, mortgage rates are significantly lower.  Thus further drastic drops in pricing will result in an overcorrection which could lead to further credit crisis.

Current credit guidelines have become too stringent.  In the past we lent money to people "you would never loan $20 to".  Not only were lenders giving money to just about anyone (no money, no credit, no problem), consumers were buying homes way beyond their means. Everyone seemed to have forgotten that "becoming a homeowner not only requires financial responsibility but also a certain level of mental responsibility."  But now we've gone to the other extreme and even buyers with strong credit are having difficulty obtaining financing today.

SO WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

New housing starts are in the tank, foreclosures will continue throughout 2009 and we face a trillion dollar plus deficit.  However, with the implementation of the new economic stimulus package, existing home sales should slowly increase 10-20% in 2009 which more activity noticeably in the second half.  So yes, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Our country has been overtaken by fear.  Fear of what the future holds, fear of further collapse of the market, fear of recession, fear of further personal financial loss.  The problem with fear is that it is insidious and self propagating.  It is important that we, as Realtors, help educate people in understanding the housing market and our local market in particular (yes all real estate is "local").

To sum up what I got out of the presentation (besides all the terrific information).... 

Yes there are still tough times ahead but if we keep our chin up, stay informed (not misinformed) and continue to provide the best service we can to our clients, we - our clients, us, our country - will come through this a little "battle worn" but also a little wiser. Yes, this too shall pass.

Every year my family and I visit Busch Gardens in Williamsburg Virginia.  After all, it's only a 10 minute drive for me.  We usually get season passes.  Busch Gardens has some amazing roller coasters, including Apollo's Chariot and the newest ride, the Griffin.  It also has terrific shows and special events.  The theme at the Williamsburg location is Europe (or rather The Old Country).  Here you can ride the "Loch Ness Monster", hoist a tankard of beer at the Festhaus, travel through the ruins of Pompeii and even pet the Budweiser Clydesdales.  It's a great place to take the whole family and definitely a "must visit" for those amusement park fans out there. 

And that's one reason why I was pleased to hear that Busch Gardens would once again be offering free admission to our military families. 

Anheuser-Busch InBev recently announced that it will continue its "Here's to the Heroes" program in 2009.  Sponsored by Budweiser, the program was first offered in 2005 as a tribute to the service provided by our men and women in uniform and the sacrifices they and their family have to make. 

The program provides a free one day admission to the service member and up to three dependents.  Participants can choose from among the following parks:

• Busch Gardens, Europe - Williamsburg VA
• Busch Gardens, Africa - Tampa FL
• SeaWorld Florida - Orlando FL
• SeaWorld California - San Diego CA
• SeaWorld Texas - San Antonio TX
• Sesame Place - Langhorne PA
• Adventure Island - Tampa FL
• Water Country USA - Williamsburg VA

Participation is simple.  You can either sign up on line at www.herosalute.com or just show your Department of Defense photo I.D. at the entrance of the park.  The program is open to all active duty, active reserve, ready reserve or National Guardsman.  

So go and enjoy a wonderful day at Busch Gardens (or any of the other great parks) on the house!  

Busch Gardens also offers special rates for Virginia residents and you can also get discount coupons at their website.  For more information visit www.buschgardens.com.

Why is "bad" news so popular?  And are you guilty of perpetuating it?

I was watching the news this morning and there was a short sound bite about how gas prices are going up again.  Regular is now up to $1.48/gal.  GASP!!  Horrors!  According to the reporter, who was trying to sound properly concerned, that's a whole 1 cent increase from last week.  What will we do?

This is newsworthy?  Didn't anything more important happen over the weekend?  Seriously, I remember when gas was almost $4.00/gal.  And I remember when gas prices were rising there was constantly something in the news about it.  I remember in particular the reports of long lines and shortages in certain parts of the country.  And people in my area (Hampton Roads, Virginia) panicking because there was a shortage in Georgia.

Hmm, sounds a little like the housing market crisis doesn't it?  Now I'm not denying that the market is definitely having some problems, but you can't take what's happening in California and apply it to Kansas (right Dorothy?). 

And where were all those reports when the gas prices were dropping? 

The media tends to focus on negatives because that's what sells. 

This brings me to my original question....  Why is "bad" news so popular?  Why are people drawn to the negative stuff?  Why do we have rubberneckers at every accident?  Why do people come out of their homes in the middle of the night to watch their neighbor's house burn down?  Yes, I know that some of them do so because they want to help in some way, but for most, it's just plain morbid curiosity.  And let's face it; gossip isn't really any good unless it's juicy.  But we do have moments when we are moved by good deeds as well.  Otherwise that email about the kid with cancer wanting to collect as many emails as possible wouldn't still be making the rounds on the Ethernet.

Well when it comes to Real Estate I think that we as agents have a responsibility and obligation to our clients and the general public to be honest about the current market.  Learn your local market trends.  Know the average market time in your area now vs. last year or even the year before.  Know how much the average home prices have dropped in recent months and years.  And when you talk to people about the market, talk about the local market, not national.  Don't perpetuate media generalizations. 

I remember when gas dropped below $2.00/gal.  I was thrilled!  Sure it was more than what I had been paying before the gas prices started to escalate but it was a lot less than the $3.80 I was paying a few months ago. 

Everything is relative, even real estate.

I have a challenge for you. 

Every New Year people make "resolutions".  And every year, most people fail to keep their resolutions.  Admittedly the top few resolutions are very difficult to keep - lose weight, stop smoking, get out of debt.  But what makes it so difficult to achieve these lofty goals?

I believe the main reason we fail to succeed is that these resolutions are too generic, too broad and not very tangible.  In order to achieve our goals, we must have specific objectives.  And even more importantly, milestones along the way to mark our progress.  And perhaps most importantly, rewards to acknowledge our achievements.

First let's stop calling them "resolutions".  A resolution is a decision or a pledge.  But being "resolved" already sounds defeatist.  Sounds almost like being "resigned" to doing something.  As if it's something we know we have to do but don't really want to so we are resigned or "resolved" to doing it but not really committed to it. 

Now think about how you feel when you are challenged to do something.  Go ahead, I double dog dare you. Remember when you were young and someone would dare you to do something?  And even though it might have been something as foolish as licking a frozen flagpole in the middle of winter, you couldn't back down on a dare?  Well I'm not asking you to lick the flagpole, but I am asking you to challenge yourself.

What do you want to achieve this year?  Determine what your final objective will be.  Then break it down into manageable steps.  And most importantly, don't forget to decide how you will reward yourself for each step that you accomplish. 

For example:

• Goal:  Pay off credit card before December 2009
• Method:  Give up Starbucks coffee and lemon pound cake (anticipated savings of $25/week)
• Milestones: Pay an extra $100 towards credit card every month
• Reward:  One trip to Starbucks for latte and pound cake every month - after paying the credit card bill!
• Final Reward: Credit card paid off and Starbucks once a week instead of once a month.

Now go back and re-examine your resolutions.  Change them to challenges.  Plan your strategy and don't forget your rewards!

And last but not least, I have a Challenge for you.  Did you see the movie "Pay It Forward" (starring Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt and Haley Joel Osment)?  It's presents an interesting concept of improving the world by one person doing something good for 3 people who would each then do something good for 3 people and so on....  Sort of a pyramid scheme or chain letter (or email) of good deeds. 

Anyway, I would like to challenge each of you to "pay it forward" this year.  It doesn't have to be anything major.  You'd be surprised how sometimes something seemingly insignificant to you can have a major impact on someone else.  So go out and be nice to someone, do something good for fellow human being.  And maybe in doing so, it will have an unexpected impact on your life as well.

So, any takers on my challenge?

I had forgotten the meaning of Christmas.  I don't mean the religious version or the commercial version, but the true spirit of the holidays.  As I rushed through my days trying to accomplish everything on my "to do" list, I get caught up in the hectic pace and worrying about all the things I didn't get to.  I worry about how I'm going keep my clients happy, pay my bills, get my family the things they want for Christmas and a million other things.  Christmas didn't mean joy and peace for me.  It just gave me a whole new list of chores I needed to get done.

My inner Grinch was alive and well.  And nothing drove that home more than what happened today.  I haven't mailed out any Christmas cards or put up my tree yet.  So today, I tried to get my boys to help me get the decorations down from the attic.  After several attempts to get them moving over the course of a couple of hours, with no success, I got pretty angry and started yelling.  Next thing I know, I said "Fine, don't put up a tree.  See if I care.  We're not having Christmas!"  Yikes!  Holy Ghost of Ebenezer Scrooge!  I couldn't believe what came out of my mouth.  Move over Mr. Grinch, you've got nothing on me.  I'm going to stop Christmas from coming.

I decided to put my self in time out and think about how I got so out of hand.  I know I'm frustrated and stressed out but this was just ridiculous.  What happened to that girl that loved Christmas so?  That loved all the holidays and always wanted to dress up?  Where did she go?  How did Scrooge take over my heart and soul?

Though I tried to deny it, and even avoid it by doing some laundry, I eventually came to an AWFUL REALIZATION!  A terrible, horrible, awful truth that I had to confront. 

I had come to expect too much. 

And I don't mean that in the way people normally do.  What I mean is that I had come to expect others to share my needs and wants.  I expected others to want what I wanted.  Not just to anticipate my wants but to actually want the same things, the same goals that I wanted.  I was projecting my desires onto them and then getting upset when, for some strange reason, they didn't share my enthusiasm for that objective. 

And even worse, I realized that I had become selfish in my giving.  I was doing things for others with the constant thought in the back of my head of "what's in it for me"?   Ugh!  When did I become this self centered, demanding, egocentric, pain in the donkey?

I'm ashamed of who I've become. How far I've fallen from the person I use to be.  I miss the little girl that used to get up and check to see how many cookies Santa had eaten.  I know I can't go back, but I can move forward with a renewed sense of self. 

Acceptance means something different to me now.  It's not about accepting who I am but about accepting that I have limitations.  It's about knowing that I can't do it all and that I don't, and shouldn't, have to.  It's about accepting others for who they are without projecting my expectations on them.  And accepting the fact that they march to the tune of a different drummer (pa rum pum pum pum).

And Christmas, it's about sharing.  It's about giving freely of yourself, whatever you wish to share whether it be your time, talents or money.  To give without any anticipation or desire for recompense or even acknowledgement.  And to accept the wonderful gift that others have given us by choosing to be a part of our lives no matter how brief or flitting that moment may be. 

May your holidays be full of shared moments!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

There has been so much focus lately on the housing/mortgage crisis.  And we all know about the various "bale outs" and government assistance for the mortgage companies and for the delinquent homeowners as well.  But there seems to be one segment that has received little attention and even less assistance....  Tenants.

One of the aspects of my job that I hate the most, yet find very rewarding, is relocating tenants who are being evicted because their landlords have not been making the mortgage payments.  I hate the job because I am the bearer of bad news.  So many of them are caught completely off guard. Here they are making their rent payments in a timely manner and the landlord is pocketing it and allowing the property to go into foreclosure.  Then I come along to tell them the home has been foreclosed on and that they will have to vacate the premises.  Some of them suspected something was wrong, but most of them are caught off guard.  And they are so devastated. And with such sort notice, finding a new home is not always easy to do.  That's the part of my job that is rewarding... helping these people find a new place live. 

Renters are required to fill out an application form providing all sorts of details and undergo a credit check.  But what protection do they have from landlords who have less than stellar credit?  How about credit checks on landlords?  If I'm renting your house, what guarantee will I have that you are not a deadbeat landlord?  How will I know that you are not in arrears on your mortgage payments and that I will be evicted just a couple of months after moving in? 

In this litigious world we live in, yes the tenants could sue the landlord for return of security deposits, damages, pain and suffering, etc.  But at what expense to themselves?  And how long would that take?

Would landlords be willing to provide their credit reports as part of a lease agreement?  Or even just a statement from their lender confirming that the payments on a particular property are current? 

What can tenants do to protect themselves?