Well, it's that time of year again and most people are probably struggling a little with finding the silver lining right now. I know for those of us in the real estate industry it is certainly a challenging time. In spite of that I thought I would take a minute to reflect on what is good in my life and I hope you will too.  I have five, two of my own and three stepkids, children that are healthy and happy. They do not go hungry. They do not worry about being bombed while they lie in their bed at night. They have jobs or are in a good school. My wife is crazy about me. She's also crazy but that's another story. I can run ten miles without emergency medical services involvement. I never have a bad hair day. My cat has not enacted her secret devious plot that I know she is working on because she is a cat and thats what they do. I have an orange kitchen floor. My scooter has gas in it. I dont live in Alaska and own a scooter. Cary's tree lighting ceremony, http://www.visitraleigh.com/event.details.php?id=13084, is coming soon. It might actually snow one day. I have a sled. My wife is crazy.....sorry, I digress.  I work in an industry that can legitimately make a difference in a family's life. My clients answer the phone when I call. My daughter in Boston answers the phone when I call. My son in Greenville still has a phone.  I am cooking a trashcan turkey in three days,http://www.thetrashcanturkey.com/ . I have friends, more than one. All in all things are really good. My Dad once told me, son, thats what he called me, things are never all good or all bad so learn to live with both. Dad, got it covered. 

Oh yea, and if you need me you know how to get me.

http://www.MissionPossibleAgents.com

http://www.ysuhomes.com

It's done. It's over. No more running at 6am, swimming in freezing waters and risking life and limb on the highway. This past Satuday, 11/01, marked the first ever Beach2Battleship Ironman and Half Ironman Triatlon in Wilmington NC. As a 50 year old triathlete wannabe I was more than a little relieved to cross the finish line 7 grueling hours after beginning the half. The upside was the setting of the race. Wilmington NC is a port city and home to the Battleship North Carolina which serves as a museum and icon of another time in our history. The event starts with an open water swim in the sound of Wrightsville Beach. Victims I mean contestants then bike through four counties on their way to the battleship park where they begin a scenic run around the river waterfront of downtown Wilmington and return to the battleship for the finish. It was the hardest thing physically I have ever done but I am very glad to have finished. Now the question is do I continue training for the full or do i regain my sanity and stick to shorter races like normal humans. Stay tuned.

For more info on the race or Wilmington go to:

http://www.ci.wilmington.nc.us/

http://www.beach2battleship.com/

For more info on me or my partner/wife go to:

http://www.MissionPossibleAgents.com

Thanks

Just two more days of the "Woman With The Body of A Snake" or the worlds largest pig or horse or fried ice cream cone.....you get the idea.  In the appx thirty years that I have been attending this event it has never ceased to entertain, http://www.ncstatefair.org/2008/. I think the biggest kick for me is not all the silly sideshows or the ring the basket with the softball from h_ll games but the people watching. Did you know that it is physically possible to carry a stuffed animal larger than your car while consuming mass quanities of fried dough, while talking on a cell phone, and yelling at your kids. The only feat even close is when  I see commuters headed to the Research Triangle Park, http://www.rtp.org/main/,  reading their paper at 70mph. No they are not shaving. Dont be ridiculous, you cant shave while reading a paper and driving. You can drink coffee however. Its also fun to watch the teenagers come off the rides in varying shades of green. I, for one, do not partake of anything that spins faster than my spinning class at the gym. I do like the up and down stuff like roller coasters and bungee jumping but thats only because i go unconcious just before the moment of truth.

Attendance has been down a bit this year due to some rain and probably the economy but it is still a great time. If you ever have the chance make sure to stop by and get you some of that fried pecan pie, amazing stuff. If you or your friends want to know more about the Triangle in general or Cary/Raleigh in particular feel free to contact us. We are The Mission Possible Team of York Simpson Underwood Realty. You can visit our website at:

http://www.MissionPossibleAgents.com or http://ysuhomes.com

Ciao!

For many people, whether they be sellers, buyers or brokers, Days On Market has historically been a good indicator of value and sellability(word?) for a home. With the current market however we are seeing significantly longer marketing periods for homes in good neighborhoods with upgraded features and no major negative aspects. This means that when you walk into a home and you find that the home has been on the market for 90 days or longer it may be an excellent choice but is simply a product of fewer buyers and too much inventory. For those of you thinking of selling your home this simply means preparing yourself mentally for the extended marketing time.  Of course there are many motivations for selling and you should have an in depth conversation with your broker concerning your timeline and any other factors that will influence your selling experience. An experienced broker will be able to provide you with lots of data to paint the market picture for you. They will also help you understand what to expect from the process and how best to deal with the roller coaster ride that may be coming your way. A good broker will help to soothe the bumps so to speak by arming you with realistic expectations in regard to selling your home.

On the buy side you should not assume something is wrong with the home simply because it has been on the market for an extended period of time. That does not absolve your broker from the responsibility of practicing due diligence for any property that you may be seriously considering. The facts are the facts and if there is a problem and there is anyway to find out what it is your broker must tell you. The fact that is has been sitting for several months is more a result of excessive inventory and decreased demand than anything else in most cases.

Remember, your best bet for a win/win experience in buying or selling your home is in employing a professional, experienced broker, knowledgeable in your area of the market. The process can be a positive thing for all sides. In fact we believe it is our Mission Possible.