Okay, a good friend of mine told me that I should not use the Phase ''Merry Christmas!'' Instead I should use Happy Holidays. because in this land of many people there are many different celebration's. I am like are ''You are kidding me Right! Have we even went political correct on SANTA CLAUS? just a little warning this holiday season If I see you on the street please don't be offended if I wish you a Merry Christmas. Only a few things I still believe in... God, The U.S.A. and Christmas!  I'm trying to believe in a housing market turn around in Florida, But I will have to get back to you on that one in 2009.     MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!

I was in the store shopping yesterday and went to pay for my purchases.... the salesman started asking me a handful of questions. Do I have their credit card, would I like to receive the store specials, my E-mail address, my Zip code, do I need a gift Card? If I apply for this I can save 20%. Does anybody remember when you walked up and gave them you items, handed them the cash and got your stuff? I believe these days are gone? Well, Merry Christmas to All and a Happy New Year!

THINGS AGENT'S WRITE FOR THEIR LISTING OR WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?

I am amazed how the real estate industry keeps coming up with new phases every day. We sit around reading some of the broker's remarks and try to find the true meanings.

Cozy = Stick the key in the door and break out the back window

Won't last long = this one is made of Ice Cream

Must See = or you will go blind?

Bigger than it looks = How could that be?

Handyman Special = Oh my favorite, A total dump ready to fall down

This house needs a new owner = what happen to the old ones?

One of a kind = did they make only one?

Fixer upper = Means you have to gut the whole place

Motivated seller = Isn't everyone motivated they are trying to sell aren't they?

Make offer! = Okay some jacks 25 cents and half a pack of gum!

Priced to sell = Sorry I am only looking for the one that is not priced to sell.

Real charmer! = confusing the agent or the house?

Don't miss this one! = will there be others?

24 hour notice to show? = Does it take that long to clean it and remove the chalk lines off the floor?

No reasonable price refused! = What is reasonable? How about 100 bucks

Needs Paint? = what happen to the old stuff?

Walking closets? Where do they walk to (old enough to buy beer?)

Easy commute to downtown? 1,2,3 hours?

Bright and shiny! Is it a penny or a house?

Light and breezy = no roof or windows?

I could go on and on but what about 1# agent! Where? I meet 10 different 1# agents a week, where am I in all this? Did I miss the boat?

Hey waterfront property = when it rains!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Up and coming neighorhood! Crack house just got shut down!

We were all talking about the big General Motors saga, and wonder if they were going to get bailed out? Another agent suggested that NAR should get Realtors some bail out money. I thought it funny but I think she was serious about it? She has a plan all laid out! These are crazy times, but I don't think NAR is coming to your Rescue. My friend had a small business that failed and nobody came to his rescue. It is easy for me to say let GM go under because We do not have a plant in Florida. I know a lot of people will lose their jobs, but I read the leader Wagoneer gave himself a 67% pay raise in 06-07? Failing company pay raise sounds like Wall street to me. What they are doing is not working, I believe they need NEW leadership.

 Are banks really thinking of renting out the inventory to lighten their loses? Okay it is illegal for a bank to Rent property. LOOP hole? Of course they form a holding company which allows them to do it? Will Realtors be involved with the process? Will this help the Market or is it just a new can of worms to deal with? It will reduce inventories and allow prices to stabilize?Or is Time the only real answer for today's market problems?

Remember what a foreclosure looked like to your Grandfather? These were beat up run down houses ready to fall over. I went to a couple foreclosure yesterday that were move in ready. Cut the grass and change the name on the Mail box ready! Somebody even had the carpet cleaned! Then the funniest thing happened,I went to a listing presentation just 4 blocks away. I explained that the foreclosure around the corner was selling for 80k less than what they thought their home was worth. They piped up yes! but that is a foreclosure! I showed them the pictures of it and I saw reality smack them like a moving freight train. So is your home worth only what the foreclosure down the street is selling for?

I was in the office working on a listing and decided to call the bank on one of my short sale listings. I put the phone on speaker and listened to the music as I waited and waited. My phone has a timer, so I went about my business listening and waiting. After 74 minutes SOMEONE with a PULSE picked up the phone and asked me if they could help me? I forgot who I called at this point? What really amazed me was after I got it together and asked if they received my Documents they told me no they didn't see them in the computer. I needed to re-Fax the Docs and wait 5 days to call them. (Some one scans them into the computer, you cannot E-fax them to this company).

Recap- fax docs wait 5-7 days and call and wait over 1 hour to be told to re Fax docs again?

This is crazy, I am trying to learn as much as I can with these Short Sales but every bank seems to have a different system? Am I the only one feeling this type of pain?

Ailing Washington Mutual bank the sixth largest in America fell yesterday as it was seized by the Feds. This was not a big surprise because they were looking to sell the bank for the last couple months. JP Morgan stepped in and bought 1.9 billion dollars of the company and will now run the branches.

Mr Alan Fishman the new top Dog was hired just 3 weeks ago to find a buyer is reportedly going to keep his 7.5 million dollar signing bonus? Not bad for 3 weeks work. But unbelievable to this stock holder who now holds worthless paper?

What do you know about the Mouse House?  The Rat Trap?  Walt's Wonder...or as most tourists know it as the most magical place on earth. Okay I have been over say... 300 times. I love it what's not to love but the prices? Here are some Real Estate facts (this is a real estate blog right?) Walt bought the land just 15 miles OUTSIDE Orlando (not really in the limits) under different companies so there wouldn't be a land rush. It was worthless swamp back then(1965). 30,000 acres or 47 square miles for  1.5 million dollars. Hey DID YOU KNOW  it is the size of San Francisco. Walt died before the dream came true. But Brother Roy! okay this is the real reason we have Disney World Walt dreamed it and Roy got the financing and made it happen! It was supposed to be named Disney World after the brother, but Roy changed it on the opening Oct. 1^st 1971 to Walt Disney as a memory to his brother. Roy died just 3 months after the opening.

Back to some facts... when you walk down Main Street you are REALLY on the second floor (yesthere is a whole 1^st floor under you with golf carts buzzing about.)

The Castle does not have a single brick...It is all stucco.

The Streets are steam cleaned Every night...It received over 47 million guests last year...It sometimes closes because too many guests are in the park FULL!

There are 32 Resort hotels, 22 on the property 10 run by other companies...try to name them all...

There are over 500 buses operating in Disney, they have their own electric company and fuel farm.

Part of the parking lot use to be a runway.

What is the ONLY thing you can NEVER buy in Disney World properties.......GUM!!

It cost over 100 million dollars to run and operate the Mouse House  a year with over 63,000 Employees!

My famous Disney Joke!   Do you know the Real Disney Magic?   They make your money disappear!

I truly love it there and have had some great times with my family over and over again!

I have noticed that a lot of companies are going away from the standard post signs. I see more of the new metal frame ones, you know the old jump out of the car and stick it in! I know this is a easy way out but most get knocked over by the wind or moved by the lawn guy? I feel if you take the easy way with the sign, what about the rest of your services as a Realtor? I even saw a cheap paper version with a wire on it today? What do you think Realtors?