Great post by Paul Slaybaugh. Right now interest rates are low, the homebuyers' tax credit has been expanded, and to my way of thinking, it's a great time to buy if you don't plan to sell for the next 7-8 years. The market will certainly appreciate over time, but probably not at the fast clip that it did from 2000 to 2005.
Housing will not fully recover until 2012. That is when the glut of backlogged foreclosures is expected to be phased out of the market.
Housing will recover by the end of the year. Now that inventory has contracted to average levels for what constitutes “normal” regional markets in major metropolitan areas where prices have declined as much as 50% in the past three years, and month to month sales have steadily increased over the past six months, demand has realigned with supply to arrest the freefall in values.
The housing recovery began in early 2009. Median price increases in some markets indicate that even while many pundits were openly wondering when the bottom of the market would appear, it was actually several months in the rearview mirror.
Many factors and variables, and just as many divergent opinions to boot. So many, in fact, that you almost have to choose amongst the purported experts to determine whether you fall in the half empty or half full category. Job rates, interest rates, unemployment rates … psychiatric rates, for spending too much time poring over the data and extrapolations will render one in need of a head exam.
Overanalysis 101.
You don’t need flow charts to tell you where things stand at the moment. You won’t need a market report to tell you when things are better.
You’ll know the market has recovered when you no longer dread the trip to the mailbox or evening phone calls.
You’ll know the market has recovered when you can confidently re-enable automatic bill pay from your checking account instead of prioritizing which ones get paid this month by how far past due each is.
You’ll know that the market has recovered when you don’t have to decide whether you or a loved one is really ill enough to warrant the cost of a trip to the doctor.
You’ll know the market has recovered when you no longer have to explain to the kids why you can’t go to the zoo or stop for ice cream today.
You’ll know the market has recovered when sleep comes as readily as worry formerly did.
You can stop looking to someone else to tell you when the market is fully healed as the housing implosion is the root of these greater ails. It’s far easier to take stock of your own life, and those of your friends and family, to see where along its arc the pendulum is currently settled. As the finance/housing sector dragged our economy into the muck, it will again lead us back to dry ground. No need to watch the stars for celestial clues. Just do what no pundit can and watch your own life for improvement. You’ll know housing has recovered when both of your own feet are planted squarely on terra firma.
Most importantly, beware the forecasts that don’t jive with your own internal index. Those who would adamantly assert the rosiest or bleakest prognosis are likely more interested in influencing your behavior than in your well being.
“Buy now before prices shoot back up!”
“Sell now before prices erode further!”
When you stop listening to yourself, you risk placing all of your trust in the megaphones of those who have a vested interest in your fear.
Is the housing market improving? Is now the time to buy? The time to sell? For months, I have been asked to provide the answers to these questions. I have dutifully provided my vague predictions with the obligatory caveat that no one truly knows how a free market will behave from one day to the next. I realize, though, that in supplying answers to those who actually give the market context, that we have all been looking at this thing from the wrong perspective. It makes zero difference where I think the market stands at present, and where it is headed. The very consumers who ask me these questions are the ones who will ultimately provide the truth or fallacy to my various hypotheses. So I turn the tables and ask the consumer, the actual authority, the very same question.
“What is the state of the Real Estate market?”
Feel free to comment here or send me an email with your thoughts. Looking for opinions from consumers and laypersons, not agents or financial wizards (all comments welcome, though). I will post the results in a follow-up piece.
Mr. Homeowner & Mrs. Homebuyer, the floor is now yours.
Happy Thanksgiving and Thank You from the Black Rock Food Pantry. It is that time of year again when we pause, count our blessings and give thanks for what we have. During this time we also look outward and realize that there are many families that struggle each day to provide for their families the most basic of necessities. The volunteers at the Black Rock Food Pantry work throughout the year on a mission to seek out, help and feed families in need.
Over the last year we have had the privilege of serving over eight hundred families with an ever increasing demand. Last month alone we handed out a record 7,400 meals. Although we are proud of our accomplishments, we feel that we receive in personal satisfaction much more than we give. This holiday season we are most thankful for the community in which we live. We have been helped by many local people and organizations, organizing such events as Soup Bowls for Hunger hosted by Private Parties, and the Pogey Concert by the Norden Club and Black Rock Community Council raising a whopping $6,000.00 for their neighbors that needed their help, these events along with many food drives and personal contributions led to our great success this year.
We have truly been blessed with the ever growing list of volunteers. It is humbling to be in the presence of this special group of people to watch as they minister to each other while ministering to our clients. Thank you all.We ask that throughout the year you continue to keep us in your thoughts, continue to drop off food, visit our web site www.BlackRockFoodPantry.com and make a small donation, sign up as a volunteer and help us to seek out those who may need a little extra help.Please help us to promote our pantry by passing this e-mail along to your friends and family. May God continue to bless us all.Black Rock Food Pantry.
Ted Grabarz, Deputy Director of Public Facilities, has provided us with his notes from the November 12th community meeting on Ellsworth Park which was co-sponsored by the BRCC and Black Rock NRZ. These notes are attached in PDF format and can be printed out. We have also included them in this post for easier access. There were approximately 180 people at the meeting which was held on November 12 at the St. Ann's School Auditorium. The Parks Department reports in to the Public Facilities Department. Mr. Grabarz was present at the meeting and took notes so that the City of Bridgeport can address concerns about the proposed improvements to Ellsworth Field. The major concerns focused on the lack of parking for users of Ellsworth Field, accompanying safety issues for kids and residents, and that the planned improvements don't address this issue and may, in fact, increase the usage of the park and the size, location, and look of the concession/storage/rest room building, which will be approximately 30' long and located across the street from the end of Seabright Avenue.
There were few changes to the plan first presented at the special BRCC meeting on Ellsworth Field. The look of the building was changed to conform to Historic District requirements, but otherwise the plan was pretty much as presented in the first meeting.on September 24.
Ted Grabarz's notes are provided below...
Parking issues
Parking wasn't part of Phase I program. Will get meeting with Police Chief
Number of fields has increased over the years leading to over-use
We recognized that in the Master Plan and are attempting to make people aware of all the other parks in City
Suggestion of bleachers and solar panels We can look at both
Too much noise
Police enforcement
Signage that prohibited dogs, alcohol and gold (sic) has been removed
It will be replaced
Splash park concerns It will at least be an add alternate so that it may be removed
We will have City Engineer re-visit
Suggestion of One Way street with diagonal parking Previous studies indicated that it wouldn't noticibly increase
We will have City Engineer re-visit
Why does building have to be so big? Reduce size. Toilet rooms, handicap accessible. Storage close to work thus increasing city personnel productivity.
Need to look at plan to reduce
Why doesn't building fit more into historic character? Needs to be durable to last a long time.
We will look at further detailing, size reduction
Why can't use other areas to share parking, i.e. St. Ann's Many communitys are trying to do that to reduce impermeable surface
We will explore
Need to decrease police response time Will arrange meeting with Police Chief
I will contact Auden Grogins
Need to meet the needs of the community as a whole as opposed to just the Little League That's why we used the NRZ program
Verify NRZ program
Why is there security lighting? Get rid of it. Only shown at entrances
Set on timers and will relook on removing
Is there a way to block off the street during Little League times? It's a public road. Doubt we can do that
More police enforcement
Create a "non-building" i.e. with berms, etc. and depress building footprint to hide Issues with grade changes make it difficult to do
Move storage to the back of the site, closer to boat yard
Can look at
Have lighting go off at 11 PM We can look at that
Boat yard is beginning to intrude onto park space
We will look at
Planning and Zoning issue
Building is ugly, make it more appropriate to the Historic area
We can look at changes and perhaps reduce bulk
Why can''t building be moved? Sewer connections and setbacks necessitate general location
Can we use waterless toilets, etc. and hide building more with foliage
Get ready to roam the Streets of Black Rock! Saturday, December 5th. To participate you must pre-register & pay online at www.BurroughsCC.org by December 1! Sign-in between 12-12:45pm at the Black Rock Tavern. 21+ is a must. $20 includes an event t-shirt & food at each restaurant. Drink Specials will be offered. Wear the craziest, most festive Holiday Sweater you can find! Prizes will be awarded! Any questions, please contact Laura@BurroughsCC.org . Restaurants include: Taco Loco, Viale Ristorante, The Field, The Black Rock Tavern, Lady Luck, Ash Creek Saloon, Matty's Corner, Ray Kelly's Pub & Frankie's Sports Lounge
The new provisional Black Rock Rotary Club is hosting its first community fundraiser December 5th - a jazz night to support the Friends of the Black Rock Library from 7 to 9 PM at the Black Rock Branch Library. There there will be Jazz music, a wine tasting sponsored by Harry's, hors d'oevres, and dessert - all for $25 per person.
The invitation reply form is at www.blackrockonline.org. Please fill out and mail with your check to:
Black Rock Rotary Club
1730 Commerce Drive, Suite E
Bridgeport, CT 06605
If you can't make the event, tax-deductible checks payable to the "Friends of the Bridgeport Public Library" will also be much appreciated. For more information or tickets, contact me or Catherine Milton at camilt@gmail.com. Thank you,
Outliers is a book written by Malcolm Gladwell in 2008. In Outliers, Gladwell examines the factors that contribute to high levels of success. Throughout the publication, Gladwell repeatedly mentions the "10,000-Hour Rule", claiming that the key to success in any field is, to a large extent, a matter of practicing a specific task for a total of around 10,000 hours. He gives examples such as Bill Gates and the Beatles.
Most people don't know that Bill Gates spent most of his early years in his school's computer lab. He had extensive access to a state-of-the-art computer lab, the likes of which very few in his generation would know until years later. By the time he dropped out of Harvard after his sophomore year to try his hand at his own software company, Gates had already been programming nonstop for seven consecutive years. He was way past 10,000 hours.
The Beatles were invited to play in Hamburg, Germany in 1960 when they were still a struggling band. What was unusual about Hamburg is that they had to play all night, eight hours straight, seven days a week, for weeks on end. John Lennon, in an interview after the Beatles disbanded, talking about the band's performances at Hamburg, said: "We got better and got more confidence. We couldn't help it with all the experience playing all night long. . . In Liverpool, we'd only ever done one-hour sessions, and we just used to do our best numbers, the same ones, at every one. In Hamburg we had to play for eight hours, so we really had to find a new way of playing."
So I decided to see if I'm an expert on real estate yet. Let's see 5 years x 60 hours a week x 52 weeks (no vacation yet) = 11,000 hours. Yes, I just made it!!! Whew! What about you?
Gail Robinson, GRI,e-Pro | William Raveis Real Estate | 203-521-0768
20 Haddon Street, #2, Bridgeport, CT
First floor co-op in desirable Black Rock. Updated plumbing, marble bath, some replacement windows. Co-op Bd approval req.
2BR/1BA Condo
offered at $129,900
Year Built
1918
Sq Footage
750
Bedrooms
2
Bathrooms
1 full, 0 partial
Floors
1
Parking
1 Uncovered spaces
Lot Size
Unspecified
HOA/Maint
$457 per month
DESCRIPTION
First floor, two bedroom co-op in desirable Black Rock on quiet, tree-lined street. Updated plumbing, updated bath with marble floor, enclosed porch, Douglas Fir floors beautifully refinished, and replacement windows throughout except for one in kitchen and those on enclosed porch. CC include property taxes, heat, HW. Subject to Board approval. Motivated seller.
New York Life Insurance Company will be sponsoring a free "Child Safety & Protection Festival" at the Black Rock Branch Library on Tuesday November 17th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
FREE ADMISSION
Activities Include:
Fingerprinting & Photos for Child
Identification Cards
* Children must be accompanied by parent or legal guardian to have an ID made.
For more information contact New York Life: Call (203) 385-5159 or (203) 521-0217
Happy Thanksgiving and thank you from the Black Rock Food Pantry. It is that time of year again when we pause, count our blessings and give thanks for what we have. During this time we also look outward and realize that there are many families that struggle each day to provide for their families the most basic of necessities. The volunteers at the Black Rock Food Pantry work throughout the year on a mission to seek out, help and feed families in need.
Over the last year we have had the privilege of serving over eight hundred families with an ever increasing demand. Last month alone we handed out a record 7,400 meals. Although we are proud of our accomplishments, we feel that we receive in personal satisfaction much more than we give. This holiday season we are most thankful for the community in which we live.
We have been helped by many local people and organizations, organizing such events as Soup Bowls for Hunger hosted by Private Parties, and the Pogey Concert by the Norden Club and Black Rock Community Council raising a whopping $6,000.00 for their neighbors that needed their help, these events along with many food drives and personal contributions led to our great success this year.We have truly been blessed with the ever growing list of volunteers.
It is humbling to be in the presence of this special group of people to watch as they minister to each other while ministering to our clients. Thank you all.We ask that throughout the year you continue to keep us in your thoughts, continue to drop off food, visit our web site www.BlackRockFoodPantry.com and make a small donation, sign up as a volunteer and help us to seek out those who may need a little extra help.Please help us to promote our pantry by passing this e-mail along to your friends and family. May God continue to bless us all.
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.
Ted Grabarz, Deputy Director of Public Facilities, has provided us with his notes from the November 12th community meeting on Ellsworth Park which was co-sponsored by the BRCC and Black Rock NRZ. These notes are attached in PDF format and can be printed out. We have also included them in this post for easier access. There were approximately 180 people at the meeting which was held on November 12 at the St. Ann's School Auditorium. The Parks Department reports in to the Public Facilities Department. Mr. Grabarz was present at the meeting and took notes so that the City of Bridgeport can address concerns about the proposed improvements to Ellsworth Field. The major concerns focused on the lack of parking for users of Ellsworth Field, accompanying safety issues for kids and residents, and that the planned improvements don't address this issue and may, in fact, increase the usage of the park and the size, location, and look of the concession/storage/rest room building, which will be approximately 30' long and located across the street from the end of Seabright Avenue.
Get ready to roam the Streets of Black Rock! Saturday, December 5th. To participate you must pre-register & pay online at 
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