This title may evoke a zen-like peaceful feeling, but it describes the opposite. It has to do with the frenetic pace of building in the cities of China. I just returned from a 9 day visit to Beijing and Shanghai with the New Haven Chamber of Commerce. As a real estate agent, I was astonished by the size and continued growth of the cities, the need for housing and China's approach to the problem. Look in any direction and you are going to see not one, but dozens of construction cranes builiding new office and apartment towers. Beijing is building new housing projects the size of cities in Connecticut. In Shanghai, there are over 5000 buildings 30 stories or higher. All this to accomodate a population of 22 million.

Our group was treated to a "snapshot" of China. I say snapshot, because if we return in a few years, the places we saw will probably be unrecognizable. They will have been swallowed by new, even bigger, construction. This is an economy on steroids.

Why do I write about this? Because what is going on in China is going to affect our lives and our livelihoods. China is gobbling up the world's resources for all this development, just as the United States did when it had its own industrial revolution and growth spurt. To see China today is to look at the rebirth of a nation. It is also a glimpse back to what it must have been like to see the U. S. a century ago. China now consumes 48% of the world's steel. (Mortished, Times Online 10/13/09) and almost an equal percentage of the world's cement. What I witnessed was limited to the constuction in the cities. Most of the construction is industrial, so we can only imagine what that looks like. China also has a lot of cash. It can pay whatever it takes to acquire the raw materials it needs.

There is opportunity here. The world comes to China to manufacture, because the Chinese can make anything. We visited silk, pearl and jade factories, and saw the remarkable skills of the weavers and carvers. The world also visits to learn about an exciting culture. The juxtapostion of ancient and modern is quite striking. My photo of an Buddhist temple shows cell phone towers in the distance. In the middle of modern Beijing we visited herbalists whose collective experince goes back thousands of years. Then there is the art and design - there is such beauty in the decorative arts and gardens.

As enjoyable as the trip was, we were happy to return home. When you travel abroad, you return with an added appreciation of the life we have here. The Chinese pay a steep price for all this development. The air is toxic in the cities. Most of us returned with respiratory ailments. When we first landed in Beijing, we saw what looked like a pea-soup fog. It was smog. The local paper in the hotel had an article about people dying of black lung disease, and they are not miners. On a real estate note: the government owns all the land. It will allow you use for 70 years. This may explain why the Chinese are buying up real estate in Hawaii, California and Vancouver. Despite this, young people want to own their own apartments for the freedom and extra space it offers them. 70 years for them seems a long way off. The weather is doing some funny things in China. On the morning of our flight to Shanghai, it snowed. Later we learned tht the government had seeded the clouds hoping for rain. The unforeseen consequence was a snow storm that eventually closed the airport. We got out just in time, but the second half of our group spent 7 hours on the tarmac before their flight was cancelled. Their experience may not be as joyful as mine. Hope you get to visit China someday. It is well worth the trip.

On Sunday morning I looked out of a second story window at home and saw something sparkling in the distance, where Quinnipiac University is building the new 250 acre York Hill Campus in Hamden. The sparkles were coming from the new "windmills" which the university has erected to generate power for the campus. On Monday, I decided to check things out. A few months ago there was only one windmill, and now it looks like there are a dozen or more.

As you can see, there are no blades on these structures. They are verticle axis turbines, manufactured by Mariah Power. Not only do they have a distinctive look, their design allows them to run silently. There will eventually be 42 of these 40' turbines at the site, adding architectural interest to a garden below. It should be a fascinating gathering spot for students and visitors alike. And an example of what new energy can look and sound like. Eventually this campus will be one of the "greenest" in the United States.

 We neighbors of Quinnipiac U. watch   with fascination as the university continues to gobble up and develop large tracts of land. There are now three campuses - two in Hamden and one in North Haven. Quinnipiac University is known for its excellent health science majors. The school is well positioned to meet the growing demand for health professionals. Graduates with majors in physical therapy have their pick of jobs anywhere in the country.

 Hamden enjoys many benefits being a college town. Quinnipiac U. is the largest employer in town. The school hosts cultural events open to the public, and thousands of students bring life to the many small business in town that cater to their needs.

It is worth a trip to see the York Hill  campus, which currently boasts two stadiums, dormatories and a parking garage. The views of the surrounding countryside and New Haven harbor are magical. It will be fascinating to see this campus develop over the years.

Despite billions of tax dollars poured into banks that are "too big to fail", bank lending is down for the year. TARP money flowed to banks in the heat of the banking crisis a year ago, but the government placed no specific  requirements for the use of the funds, other than for banks to have adequate reserves. The FDIC has released some statistics, and they are troubling, particularly to real estate agents. The largest banks in the U. S. have curtailed lending this year, despite a large growth in deposits. Tight lending affects small businesses that hire, and home buyers.

The top five banks in the U. S. now control 37% of the nation's deposits. Their deposits rose by 29% for the year ending June 30th. (Colin Barr, Fortune) Only one bank, PNC of Pittsburgh, increased lending in proportion to increased deposits. Lending at Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo was less than their deposit growth. The prize goes to the bank that received the most bail out money - Citibank - which reported a decrease in lending.

Are the banks really the culprit here, or is it lack of government oversight? Sadly, both are to blame for bad decisons. The economy was in dire straights last year and something had to be done to keep the financial system from collapsing. On a side note, the British economy is in the tank right now, and economists are placing blame on their government's lack of an agressive response to their banking crisis. France and Germany poured money into their economies, and are on the mend today. Our government requires banks to have adequate money in reserves as more loans continue to underperform. These were bad loans to begin with, so this is the banks' responsibility. Sadly, we are the ones to pay. and pay we do. Banks are getting "fat" from the increased level of savings and huge overdraft fees. We need a return to fair and logical banking and governance.

Whether attributable to the $8000 tax credit or an improving economy, NAR announced today that sales of previously owned homes rose to their highest level in over two years. There is always a pickup in sales in September, when kids go back to school and parents re-focus on house hunting. This year, however, featured the perfect trifecta: the tax credit, low prices and historically low interest rates.

According to NAR, home sales rose 9.4% from August levels to an annually adjusted rate of 5.57 million units. Sales were highest in the West, but we are seeing inventories drop here in Connecticut too. This has to benefit our local economy. More buyers mean that our sellers can finally move out and/or up. This creates momentum that I hope can carry us through the next few months.

These government incentives are obviously very expensive. It would be wonderful to see the expected pay-off come to fruition. I don't think our economy can afford to extend or expand this tax credit program for purchasers, but am delighted with today's news. It shows optimism. The sky is not falling. We will see our way out of this recession in the coming year.

People often ask me what is takes to be a successful real estate agent. The above referenced skill set comes to mind. In a market like this, it takes experience to know that the economy will eventually turn around. We need to convey that sense of hope to our clients, and particularly to our buyers who are frozen with fear at the thought of putting their hard earned dollars down on a property that may drop in value. We seasoned agents have seen downturns before. Over time, the market bounces back.

Here in Connecticut, there is a sense that the dark clouds are lifting. We may have dodged the bullet, economically speaking. It feels like we will survive this downturn and start the slow climb back up. This is not to diminish the realties of people undergoing foreclosure or job losses. Our unemployment rate was at 8.1% in August, according to the Connecticut Department of Labor. At the time, the U.S. rate was  9.7%. According to Realty Trac, there are 7640 foreclosed properties in the state, but the trend is down. Check them out at http://www.realtytrac.com/states/Connecticut.html. What gives me hope, is that lots of those foreclosed properties are being bought up. There are real buys out there, low interest rates, and great incentive to buy in urban areas.

I am working on a deal right now, where the buyer is a professional in New Haven. He is going to benefit from the $8000 tax credit and a City of New Haven program that will give buyers like him up to $20,000 to repair older homes they are buying. The program is called the CHFA U R Home Program. It encourages people who work in New Haven to buy in New Haven. There may be similar programs, backed by the FHA, in your local markets. There is more paperwork involved with these mortgages, but it is well worth the effort. These incentives can go a long way to ease the worried minds our our buyers. Even if the market drops a bit more, they have made a wise investment. Happy selling!

There is a spot on New Road that has been a favorite with locals for centuries. It's Clark's Pond, a calm oasis in a busy part of town. Today the Pond is bordered by Quinnipiac University. Its beauty offers students and town folk alike a respite from the quick pace of life. As you can see, the surrounding foliage is putting on its show for Fall. The colors should be at peak in about one week.

Visitors to our area of often struck by the variety of landscapes in town. The northern part of Hamden is rural and rugged. There are horse farms and large estates for those favoring privacy. Most of the town, however, is made up of neighborhoods which reflect the era in which they were constructed. We have neighborhoods built at the turn of the last century, which feature multi-family homes and houses with rich woodwork trim. There are the mid-century suburban prototype neighborhoods such as Spring Glen, with its three bedroom, one and one half bath colonials which were so innovative in their day. As the town has grown, subdivisions have come in, with each featuring larger and larger homes, peaking with the mini mansions of the last decade. There is something here for everyone, and a pleasant lifestyle to go along with it.

If you know someone transferring to the area to work at one of the universities or in the growing health care industry here, please let me know. I would be happy to help them relocate to our town.

We can learn so much from each other on Active Rain. For me, it's like continuing ed online every time I log on. Technology tips, dealing with difficult situations, marketing - all these topics are here for the taking. It's an information smorgasbord! I have a particular interest in economics, but there is so much to learn from the questions posed and the answers provided from agents who want to do better, more professional business. The sharing of best practices benefits every agent, and ultimately, the public.

I see our success as agents having three components: our sphere of influence, use of the internet for marketing, and expertise in our markets. Active rain allows our "public" to follow us through our blogs, and lends content to our websites. We should be doing more and more internet advertising. I just went on Zillow to update my profile, after reading a recent blog. These reminders from fellow agents allow us to stay focused and current, despite our busy schedules. With respect to expertise, we can have the top agents in the country "coach" us, as to how they achieve top status in their markets. All we have to do is read their postings.

So, thank you! To all my fellow bloggers, I appreciate the time and talent you put into your posts. Let us all continue to work towards an industry known for its excellence and experience. There is a reason that our model of real estate is being adopted worldwide. Its transparency and constant pursuit of excellence is the gold standard.

Early Fall in Hamden is a magical time. Nature provides the perfect backdrop for our town. We all feel energized by the cool, crisp air. Trees are giving their first hints of the blaze of color that is to follow. (October 15th is peak leaf-peeping time in Hamden). Now is the time to visit the local farms for fresh apples and produce. Hamdenites can also take advantage of two weekly Farmers Markets. In my neighborhood of Whitneyville, there is a new "pocket park" overlooking Lake Whitney. This idyllic spot is sure to please anyone who visits our corner of town.

The spot was made possible by the design of a local architect, Kari Nordstrom working with Town Of Hamden Designer Vince Conte, and Sharron Mitchell. It is located on Lake Street, just behind Books & Company. Pedestrians can grab a cup of coffee and a book, then pick a spot on a bench in the park. The lake and pines provide a soothing and relaxing environment.

This project is an example of how communities can work with their local governments to create open spaces to benefit all. There isn't much land involved here, just a corner with a beautiful view. Hamden is an old town, by American standards, incorporated in 1786. It is fully developed with almost no land available  for additional open space. Thanks to people with vision, this spot can become a cherished part of the neighborhood.

The darn house is back on the market again. For the third time. I put in an offer on this bank owned property last May. The offer was eventually accepted and the tome of bank papers was delivered to my client. No changes could be made to the paperwork, the terms were onerous and the closing had to occur within 30 days. My client wrote the bank to say that he could perform under the contract, but would need 45 days to close. With the economic situation as it was then, lending was taking longer than usual. The bank rejected our "accepted" offer and went on to the next buyer. My buyer was financially solid and capable of doing the necessary work to restore the house.

We all know that deal fell apart, as did the next one. Where is the logic in all of this? Every time the house comes on the market, it is priced lower. I think the low price is a "sale" price, a loss leader meant to attract buyers. Maybe this is effective marketing for someone, but if the house doesn't close, what is being accomplished here? The poor house continues to languish, empty and deteriorating, as neighbors look on in horror. My story is not unique; I have read many stories on Active Rain like this one. What can we do as Realtors to affect some change here?

I suggest we all take a deep breath and meditate about this bank owned situation for a bit. Remember: We are seeking enlightenment and search for a simplicity and clarity in dealing with this foreclosure mess. The purpose is to sell these houses, get them occupied, on the tax roles, and off of death row. Now we need to pool our best thoughts and forward them to NAR. It is impossible for one person to effect change, but a voice from NAR carries a lot of weight. I'm tired of these practices that waste time and deteriorate our neighborhoods. We have invested a lot of money in these banks. Let's demand better practices from them.

I'm wearing my Certified Residential Specialist hat right now and writing to invite you to the Connecticut CRS Chapter's offering of CRS 200 - The Business Planning and Marketing Course. Course dates are October 6 and 7, 2009. The class is to be held at beautiful Water's Edge Resort and Spa in Westbrook, Connecticut. This is a wonderful course for a newer agent, who wants to run his/her real estate practice like a business, not a hobby. It will teach agents how to create business and marketing plans in sync with their income goals. More experienced agents may want to use this as a refresher course. I took this course over a decade ago, and am going to audit it. CRS designees that took this course in the past are eligible to audit. These courses are updated as the real estate business changes, and offer lots of new, immediately usable, information. The fee is $350 for the two day course and continental breakfasts and lunches are included. There is also a networking cocktail hour on the evening of October 6th, immediately following the class. It's a great opportunity to meet agents outside of your market area for future referrals. Feel free to contact me for more information.

Managers may want to encourage their agents to take a course of this type. It will immediately identify who is in the business for the long term. Real estate is becoming increasingly more complex, as we deal with issues of financing, short sales, and how to market ourselves effectively. The public is well educated and expects excellence in their real estate agents. As a result, continuing education will be an ongoing process, to the benefit of the industry and the public. Please join us in Westbrook on October 6th.