What if a well-informed, trusted authority figure said you had to make difficult and enduring changes in the way you think and act?
If you didn't make those changes, you would die soon. A lot sooner than you had to.
Could you change when change really mattered?
Yes, you say? Try again. Most likely you wouldn't change.
Don't believe me? Let me share with you the odds - 9 to 1. That's 9 to 1 against you.
Do you realize a SMALL percent of the population consumes the VAST majority of the health care budget for diseases that are very well known, and by in large behavioral? We are sick because of how we choose to live our lives, not because of any environmental or genetic factors beyond our control. They say it could be as much as 80% of our health care budget is consumed by these behavioral issues - smoking, eating, drinking, stress and lack of exercise.
Could behaviors be driving issues in more than one area of our lives? Could we ultimately be in control of the aspects we felt were a product of conditions outside our control?
Do you want some more proof of the challenge we all face in change?
There was a study done back in 1995 of people who went through bypass surgery (open heart surgery). Of those studied, within 2 years from surgery 90% went right back to their old unhealthy lifestyle. So, if the fear of DEATH doesn’t initiate change - is there any hope? More importantly how do we get our stubborn brain to stop resisting change so tenaciously. Why do we fight it even when we KNOW if we don’t it will kill us?
Well, knowing that motivating people with the fear of death wasn’t the right approach because 90% went right back to where they were before, the study tried a different approach. They decided to change the patients focus. Have any idea to what? The joy of LIVING.
The study took 300 patients and put a 100% daily effort into focusing their minds on all the daily things that make life great. They coached them on their mindset, their attitude, their daily habits, and surrounded them continually with the RIGHT influences. It was this change of focus - taking it away the fear of death and into the joy of living - that allowed 77% of the patients to sustain the lifestyle changes.
What changes do we need to make? Where is our focus - in fear or in joy?
Its time to make some changes now!
Download and read Alan Deutschman's complete Change or Die article, my inspiration for today's Mojo. It's an eye opener - definitely worth taking the time to read.
It’s happening. Bit by bit, little by little, new life is being breathed into the California real estate market. On Monday, October 26, the California Association of Realtors posted its sales and price report for the month of September, and it held some very, very encouraging news.
For the seventh straight month, resale home prices in California increased.
This stretch, which follows a period in which sales had decreased for 22 consecutive months, is a clear indicator that things really are improving. In addition to the increase in resale prices, the unsold inventory index – the index signifies the number of months needed to deplete the supply of homes on the market at the current sales rate -- fell to 4.2 months, compared with 6.5 months for the same period in 2008.
Not only are homes now selling at somewhat higher prices, they are also taking less time to sell. In September, the median number of days – the number which is exactly in the middle between the most and the least amount of days it has taken to sell a home - to sell a single-family home was just shy of 34. In September 2008, the median was almost 47 days.
For the sellers of real property in California, this news is nothing but good. While home prices might not be at the levels of 2007 (it will likely be quite a while before we get there again), this steady increase will alleviate much of the pressure and worry being felt at watching home prices fall and dwindle. Sellers, and their Realtors, will be able to price their homes with greater confidence of achieving their listing price.
For buyers, too, the news is good. Because it very clearly points out that for those considering purchasing a home, the time to do so really is now. Prices are still very low, by comparison to the standards of 2006 & 2007, and mortgage rates are still at record lows. As we’ve (and just about every other news outlet) pointed out, too, the Homebuyer Tax Credit, unless Congress decides to extend it, is set to expire in just about a month. Combining the tax credit with low prices and low mortgage rates is an opportunity that first-time homebuyers might not have again.
The bottom line: while this news shouldn’t give us cause to think that the hard times have come to an end, it is very encouraging. Things are getting better. Slowly, but surely, we are getting there.
When you are driving down the road it’s okay to glance in the rear view mirror, but don’t stare.
Our eyes are supposed to be on the road ahead of us and if we look in the rear view mirror too long, we’re going to crash. This analogy applies not to just driving a car, but to anything in life.
I can’t remember exactly what the circumstances were, but this was advice I received from my good friend and chairman of our company Bob Moles several years ago.
So many people live their life in the past. It may be in past successes or past failures. Many just can’t let go. If it was a bad experience - often it paralyzes them with fear to do anything. And if it was a good experience they hold on to it and can’t stop relishing in it, which also stops them from doing anything.
Not that we should forget the past completely - because that is not what I am saying. Our past experiences are the building blocks of our future, and they are simply that - building blocks. Unfortunately, when people hold on to the past and aren’t willing to focus on the future and change, they’re in for a major collision.
I am 45 - and I know people who still can’t let go of things from High School, much less last year, last month or last week. It is amazing. Look, I get it, I know it’s hard to let go of the past, but to grow and get more of what we want in life, is critical to future success.
So next time when you have a big win, take a little time to celebrate and then move on. And when you lose, take a little time to grieve and then move on. Just don’t stare at it, or you will be in for a major collision in the future.
For as long as most of us can remember, buying and owning a home has been the hallmark of The American Dream. For some time, though, a significant part of that dream has been the ability to bank on a big return on investment, on the ability to “cash in” on the appreciation in your home’s value if and when push came to shove.
It would seem, however, that the time for reevaluation in priorities might be upon us. It might be time to stop looking at a home purchase not so much as vehicle for quick financial gain, but as an investment in the happiness and security of you and your family. It’s time to start, once again, thinking of it as your home.
For the past decade or so, it’s been the pattern of many Americans to buy a home, wait for its value to increase and, about 7 years later, move onward and upward, or simply to cash in on the equity that one’s home had amassed. While home sales have recovered somewhat from their low points last year, prices are down significantly (in California, for example, the median home price for a single family home is down 16.9% from this time last year), and may take a some time to return to the levels that we saw in the early part of the 2000s.
Your home will still increase in value, most assuredly, but this increase will happen at a far more gradual pace than it has in recent years. Given this reality, making sure that you buy a home in which you will be happy and comfortable is more important than ever.
Remember, unless you are an investor, it’s likely you’ll live in the home for at least ten years. As such, you’ll want to ensure that it’s one to which you’ll be happy coming home. One in which you’ll be comfortable. One in which you’ll want to raise your family. Perhaps the most valuable things aren’t the square footage and lavishness of a house, but the things that speak to our core values. Providing stability. A greater sense of self-esteem. Pride of ownership. These things are the cornerstones of our very society, and the ones to which we should consider returning.
Talk to your Intero agent. Talk to your financial advisor. Talk to them about making the greatest investment you’ll ever make: an investment in your health, security and overall happiness.
By Gino Blefari President and CEO, Intero Real Estate Services
It’s been reported by everyone. By Intero. By government entities. By every news outlet from CNN to the smallest small-town newspaper.
The Homebuyer Tax Credit.
It’s the thing that -- so far -- has motivated 1.2 million first-time homebuyers to purchase their first homes. It’s been a boom to the languishing real estate market, and helped stimulate our nation’s economy on the whole.
But time is running out.
The big question is, why? If there’s a program in place that can help consumers and help the still-weakened economy, why bring it to an end? Right now, the program is set to reach its termination at midnight on November 30, 2009. But several members of Congress are trying to extend that.
Enter Senate Bill 1678.
Introduced this past Wednesday by Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the bill has the support of several members of the Chamber who carry some pretty heavy clout. This bill seeks to extend the credit to June 1, 2010.
The extension would give members of both houses a bit of time to work on a solution that would not only extend the credit, but open it to homebuyers in general (not just first-timers), increase the amount of the credit from $8,000 to $15,000, as well as change the income restrictions currently in place.
It’s great to know that members of our government are working to help hardworking Americans. It’s also important to realize that, as things stand right now, the Homebuyer Tax Credit is still set to expire in a few short weeks. Since the home buying process can often take an extended period of time, there’s no time to waste.
Talk to your Intero agent, as well as your tax or financial advisor, so you know the facts.
It might be a little early to start cheering, but we are seeing some signs of recovery in the real estate market. Yes, even in California! Though home prices have fallen to levels not seen since 2003, there is news that might have us exercising cautious optimism about improvements in the real estate market. The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index Survey was released on August 25th, and we're encouraged by their report. Nationally home prices, while still down almost 15% from the second quarter last year, rose almost 3% from the first quarter of this year. That's good news. One of the biggest reasons for a positive outlook is that this marks the first time in three years that there has been a quarter-over-quarter increase. Since this Spring, market activity has been markedly higher, and we expect that trend to continue into the Fall. What does this mean for consumers? Well, recently, fewer homes on the market have had price reductions than compared to Spring this year, which is typically the busiest time of the year for real estate sales. This is good news for sellers, as it means that their end point, while not at the level it might've been three years ago, is likely not going to keep declining. Only time will tell. The next couple of months will be critical in determining if we're on a true upswing. Generally, the market sees a nice burst of activity in the early Fall, prior to the Holiday Season, and December 1 marks the end of eligibility for the Homebuyer Tax Credit. Those events will likely have a surge of buyers flowing into the market. Only time will tell. But from where we sit, we hope that time will have good things to say.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
;)
;)
