Although it is best to keep your eyes on the road while driving down the winding roads, it is amazing that sometimes you can see some of the wild life that is usually hidden in the shadows of the thick trees. 

     At a quick glance I thought I spied small stray dog, and pulled my car off the road to get a better look.  With windows rolled up, this was the scene that was camouflaged by the tall grass.  Sad and unpleasant, it was still a fascinating see a fox.  The small deer must have been a victim of being hit by a vehicle.  It was a rare look at the circle of wildlife in Connecticut.

    I grabbed my camera and snapped a few photographs. 

   Some of you have read about my father-in-law, and that we are moving him out of his apartment of many years into a new house.  (Not a home!)  We are packing things up, and taking things off the wall.  Well, in doing so, I found this ultra-fantastic super picture of him, and I had to do something with it.  

    Dad couldn't remember his 88th birthday in February because he was a little under-the-weather at the time.  I believe all birthdays should be remembered (except mine-wink).  I got an idea of what to do with that great picture, see below:

  Dad was so thrilled with the cake that we didn't get to eat much of it.  He guarded the cake with a butter knife.

  A frivolity that was priceless moment and chocolate, too.  :)

April 15, 2009 - 77807

   I admit inbetween the emails and the phone calling yesterday, I was hooked on playing the video of Susan Boyle, a contestant from Britains Got Talent.  I felt like I was a kid again listening to her.  It was fresh even though she was a young 47.

  YouTube - Susan Boyle - Singer - Britains Got Talent 2009 (With ...

    Even this morning, I planted myself in front the of the television to watch her interview on GMA.    

   Susan Boyle is real and unspoiled. 

  Why would I write this on a real estate blog??  I think EVERYONE can recharge their life's battery by listening to her sing.  It is a positive experience!

     I am having the wonderful privilege of getting to know my father-in-law better.  We are taking care of my father-in-law because being in a nursing home was destroying his spirit.  Even though his body was deteriorating, his mind is as sharp as a tack.  He really would not have lasted long in that environment. 

    (I have to admit I am selfish, too.   I get enjoyment and satisfaction helping him.  I know, and many other people who care for their parents know it is work, but for me it is a labor of love.)

     We are moving his things from his apartment which has been his long time home. There is quite an eclectic  collection of items everywhere.   I decided to tackle a walk-in-closet of long forgotten things.  Mind you, as a child, the attic was my favorite place in the whole world, so digging around in the closet was like being a kid again. 

     As I plundered and packed, I would bring out items for Dad to look at.   Stained shirts brought back memories of parties, shoes, red, white and blue shoes were part of his Fourth of July ensemble.  I was tickled to have found the patriotic shirt, and matching socks.  Dad told the story how my mom-inlaw threw away the matching pants.  I guess he rescued them from the garbage, but has not seen them in years.  Sadly, I didn't find the 1776 pants in my excavating of the closet.   Note to self: go on eBay, and complete his outfit so he can wear it this July.

    I  found a couple of tuxedos.  One with tails!  I put on the tails, went into the living room and performed for my father-in-law Young Frankenstein's "Putting on the Ritz".

    I feel like I just discovered something exciting when my father-in-law tells me stories about his life.  I was amazed when I learned that he went to France and bought a ventriloquist puppet!  I asked my husband if he knew that, he said no.  See, I discovered something amazing!

    There is more to pack-up, so I guess the show continues:  "Bob Ruthman - This is Your Life", and it not over. 

This is a very interesting article. It made me think and ask questions. 

Commission rates up, but agents earn less

Study reveals reverse trend in seller's market

By Bernice Ross, Sunday, March 29, 2009

My comment was as follows:

Is this an advertisement for Keller Williams?

..."KW reported a 2 percent increase their per-agent productivity while the National Association of Realtors reported a 2.9 percent decrease.

What's fascinating about the KW numbers is that during the time that commission rates were falling, agents were actually making more in the average amount commission amount they were earning."

Is that a subliminal recruitment post for Keller Williams?

COACHING WITH COOL-AID*

What is the goal of this tactical maneuver of mentioning your book? Book sales or home sales?

Declaring War on Discounters sounds more Wall Street than Main Street. This is not a time for war. This is a time for entrepreneurs, independent thinkers, go-getters, and good old American gumption. Competition and capitalism are part of what made America great, healthy and thrive. Not greed.

How does paying a higher commission help the nation's housing market to recover and economy to mend. It doesn't. But it may save the any real estate companies that are financially wounded that could possibly end up casualties during this economic time.

*In case some don't know, "drinking the Cool-aid" is a catch phrase when someone (usually a corporation) can convince people to believe their way of thinking...like the Jim Jones followers. Jim Jones was able to convince his followers to drink poison cool-aid. It was a mass suicide. But they believed it was the right thing to do.

This is the way I perceive (not believe) what the article is not saying:

The big real estate companies need to convince the home buyers and home sellers to spend more money to sell their homes because the big real estate companies need that money for agent RETENTION.

How AIG!

Could it be a subliminal marketing bail-out plan for financially struggling real estate companies?

Convince home buyers and sellers to spend more. Brilliant, huh? Transparent, well, if you are really looking.

Real Estate Agents are the foundation of any real estate company. If a foundation is starting to crumble, cracks will appear then the above structure is knocked off balance, and without quick repair it is risking collapse.

More money from home sellers and buyers is the mortar to repair and restructure real estate companies, because the real estate companies have sucked their agents dry.

Real Estate Agents are the real VALUE to a real estate company. The agents are the money makers.

Traditionally, an agent gets a lead and closes, then splits the commission with the company, pays an additional marketing fee to the company, and pays for out of pocket expenses. In the end the only entity making money is the company.

Real Estate Riddle Me This:

If real estate agents are not making any money, then what is the real estate company's VALUE to the agent?

How can real estate companies satisfy the agents, and not become a casualty of these economic times?

How can real estate companies retain agents and still convince their agents not to become independent brokers, or go to another company?

Possible answer: convince the home buyers and sellers they need to spend more money.

If hurting real estate companies can convince the home sellers and buyers to pay more money for their services, the real estate agents could possibly walk away from the closing with a little more money , and the real estate company will still get their tidy sum, and get to stay in business.

The other side of the coin, is that a real estate company advertises they charge more because of value, and then negotiates. The home sellers and buyers think they are getting a better deal. You know, like the price sticker on the window of a new car.

Since 2005, what's the number of real estate agents that are officially in-active?

How many agents took part-time jobs to make ends meet?

What is the number of real estate professionals who are not renewing their licenses entirely?

How many agents are getting their broker's licenses?

How many independent brokerages are there now compared to 2005?

Bernice's  closing paragraph:

"...Will commission rates go down when the market improves? Based upon past markets, the answer is probably "yes!" Will agents make more money per transaction when the market improves? If the past market trends predict the future, the answer to that question will be "yes!" as well."

Corporate cool-aid code:

The real estate company desperately needs to retain agents during this difficult market, and charge a higher commission.

With that said, if the market improves, and an agent's production goes up, the agent's commission split usually does, too.

The underground is grumbling with underpaid real estate agents. Obviously, real estate agents want their just share.

Continuing on with information regarding real estate commissions, services and value:

Consumer Reports August 2008:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cu-press-room/pressroom/archive/2008/09/0809-eng0809reb.htm?resultPageIndex=1&resultIndex=1&searchTerm=consumer%20reports%20survey%20real%20estate

Quoted from Consumer Reports:

"...We found that paying an agent a lower commission rarely had any effect on the sales price. And readers who paid commissions of 3 percent or less were just as happy with their brokers' performance as those who paid 6 percent or more. People who paid extra, in fact, were more likely to say they had regrets about the selling process. The biggest regret? Nearly one-third said they should have been more assertive in negotiating their agent's fee."*

"... We asked survey respondents who had sold homes how much commission they paid, then compared that with what they said they received for their money. The results show that the higher commission didn't always translate into more service or better results."*

Oh here is something new and interesting for real estate agents thinking of leaving a large company and going with an Independent Brokers, becoming an Independent Broker..the consumer report states:

"All the major chains and independent brokers did very well in our survey."

Independent Brokers means a smaller real estate companies, or individuals. (Hey, like me!)

"... Consumers Union accepts no outside advertising, no free test samples, and has no agenda other than the interests of consumers. Consumers Union supports itself through the sale of our information products and services, individual contributions, and a few noncommercial grants."

I do have a question have one more question.

Could an article written by Consumer Reports be edited or altered because of pressure by real estate companies waging war on real estate discounters?

I hope not.

There is no HOORAH for a change in housing.  Just a steady hum of hope for better days.

I was reading the housing market headlines, and was trying to do the math. What is the public perception of the housing market based on these stories?     

I see that home prices rose in January and home sales fell. Then I see home sales up, because prices are declining.

These headlines are not so motivational to either the buyers or the sellers.

 US existing home sales fall 5.3% in Jan - Reuters

WASHINGTON - The pace of sales of existing home in the United States fell 5.3 per cent in January to a 4.49 million-unit annual rate, while home prices dropped to a six-year low and inventories shrank, the National Association of Realtors said

First-Time Buyers Lift Existing-Homes Sales 5.1% - Business Spectator

 "The big complaint during the housing-market boom years was that middle-class home buyers were priced out," said Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors. "Now that prices are declining, it's giving them a chance to enter the market

 Home prices rise for first time in a year - Newswatch

U.S. home prices rose 1.7% in January compared with December, the Federal Housing Finance Agency reported Tuesday. It was the first monthly increase in a year.

Home prices were down 6.3% for the past year and were down 9.6% from the peak in April 2006, the FHFA said. In December, the year-over-year decline was 8.8%.

Connecticut - Housing Predictor - Check out the information

 Edited by Robert B. Ruthman

    If you have ever read any of my posts you know that I have grammatically faux pas'd here, and misspelled there.  My mind is faster than my fingers. But good fortune has smiled upon me.  I have my own professional editor.  My father-in-law, Robert Baron Ruthman. 

    "Uncle Bob", as he is affectionately known, was a professional journalist, and television writer.  He has interviewed John F. Kennedy, and the likes of others. Wrote a play with his friend, the late Kurt Vonnegut, and even did stand-up with Phyllis Diller. 

    So you can imagine how much courage it takes to present a paragraph or two to my father-in-law.  I sit there eagerly waiting for some sort of praise, then notice his pen coming down upon the paper to strike through my words.  I cringe.  Then I notice a bit of excitement in the old wordsmith's eyes as he weilds the writing instrument.  He is back in his element. 

    Life is good. 

*Posts that have been edited by Robert B. Ruthman will be duly noted. 

    As I sit here philosophically pondering, I wonder:

    Are the people who never saved money, and spent money on "experiences" richer now than the people who saved their money only to see it virtually disappear in this economy?

    If your parents are "old school" (like mine), if you didn't have the money for "it", you didn't buy "it".  And if credit was used, you paid "it" off, and worried  until the debt was paid in full... celebrating with exuberant relief when the weight of that monetary burden was lifted. 

    Then there is the other side of the coin; the spendthrifts.  Plastic People living life for the moment and usually well beyond their means.   No doubt, these individuals are somewhat panicked by the economy, NOT because they are going to lose their own money, but because their parent's savings have dwindled.   They will receive a lesser amount for their inheritance, which they'd always assumed would be their retirement fund.

      I sympathize with the individuals who kept their nose to the grind stone, refusing to go on lavish vacations, or purchase expensive items.  These hard-working Americans scrimped, and saved,  of many Wall Street executives received raises and bonuses.  For those who fleeced these good citizens, shame on you.

      AIG Gives Connecticut's Blumenthal Data on Bonuses

Edited by Robert Baron Ruthman

          Forget Joe the Plumber, Joe Public is wanting America's businesses to hear him, and he is doing it on Craigslist.

     The ads on Craigslist may have caused a stir with their Meat Market  media, but there is a new buzz.  Employers thinking that there is a smoke screen of discretion when advertising on craigslist, is going to learn that the smoke is coming from previous or presently employees burning bridges.

     Employers are advertising available positions for much lower pay. Emloyers seem to be hitting a proverbial bees nest when advertising lower pay, and it  is obviously causing quite a sting in potential employees wallets. The buzz is sure to get louder as the unemployment rate rises.

     Anonymous and angry "Joe Public" is advertising their disdain for these ad posting employers.  I am guessing that entrepreneurs will rise from the ashes of burned bridges.  With that said, there will be men and women "steel workers", to recontruct the bridges, and perhaps keep these companies going for less pay(?) 

     In just this one article I found on cragsist, (there are more),  the venting even goes as far as to call someone out by their first name.  I deleted the alleged perpetrator of pain's name who is called out, and cuss words have been edited, or crossed out.  Any misspelled words are not mine, (this time).  

          See actual angry ad below:

 "We offer

No vacation time
No 401k
A chance to have your job thretanded every day
An operations manager who will lie to your face ( I mean get real (insert name here), we know how much everyone makes)
Best of all a chance to steal good paying union jobs, for 12 dollars an hour working with chemicals that could kill you.

A garunteed ass chewing everyday unless your a Golden boy who is more than willing to get on their knees, in that case you can spear totes cost the company 3 grand and be an overall idiot as long as you laugh at (insert name here)  jokes.

The only lien program Seva and Omentive are running is that of good pay and benefits. The economy may be dismal right now, however with all of the welfare, because let's be honest that's what it is, that is being pumped into to the economy and public works projects, your petty 12 an hour will be a joke in comparision to the prevailing wage for let's say, bottom of the totem pole, a laborer. Omentive has no plans on staying in their current location. So to Seva, you can act like you will be here for a while, but you won't, plan on finding a new job in a couple of years. As far as getting over on the hard working men and women that actually get thier hands dirty,I say, F&* YOU, yup right up the line take your bullshit asscompany, all of the out of state workers from wisconsin,and virginia ect that you fly in, to employ and whom probally do not pay NYS taxes and go back to FLA and Texas you scumbags! "

Compensation: You'll owe us money at the end of the week

• Telecommuting is ok.
• This is a part-time job.
• This is a contract job.

Here's another craigslist (town) cryer:

SLAVE SALARIES FOR LABOR (Upstate, NY)

New York Post Article: 

Mon Amour!

MONROE, CONN. IS LIKE FAIRFIELD AT A DISCOUNT

Additional Monroe Connecticut Market Information provided by Ruthman Real Estate:

January 1, 2009 to March 18, 2009

as per and limited to the Greater Fairfield County MLS:

12 Homes - Single Residential Properties have SOLD .

Monroe, Connecticut Market Report - March 18, 2009

The average days on the market were 104.

The average price is approximately $458,375.

The median price is approximately $390,000.

8 Homes - Single Residential Properties are PENDING.

The average days on the market, 116.

The average price is approximately $374,813.

The median price is approximately $352,450

100 Homes - Single Residential Properties are ACTIVE. (For Sale)

The average days are on the market are 115.

The average price: $515,828

The media price: $484,900