As a good friend of mine put it (too cheerily I think), "what an interesting time to be alive!"  It depends on your comfort with ambiguity and uncertainty I guess.  But, to be honest, in this economy where we are getting so many mixed signals- the recession is parked/bottoming out/starting recovery;  housing is flat/picking up/only deteriorating at a slower pace; we should be optimistic/remain cautious/brace for more to come.  One example is the recent article by Anthony Mirhaydari of the strategic Investment newsletter, Housing crisis set to enter new stage.  In it, he outlines how the housing upticks we've seen aren't normal, and that foreclosures are starting to spread from subprime mortgages, caused by increases in rates, to prime mortgages, based on lost employment.  Meanwhile, global stock markets rose today after upbeat comments from Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke regarding further signs of an improvement in the U.S. housing market (AP news)

 How are we supposed to make any sense of all this?  I wish that todays blog was to tell you exactly how, but I'm just trying to make a few observations.  In general, it seems like things remain pretty tough, but a lot of people have found ways to adjust in order to weather the storm.  There was a great article this weekend in the Seattle Times discussing that after the latest credit card cuts- banks freezing limits and closing accounts- they also aren't getting many new customers- people aren't seeking loans or credit from them.  People remember the feeling of getting burned, and are learning to adapt so that they won't get burned again. 

 It feels a lot like people are in a wait and see mode.  In the Seattle area, some people are moving up to new homes, some of the really lucky ones are moving into the area with some of the few new jobs we have, some are moving down to save money, some back with parents or with roommates.  Many aren't moving at all right now.  But with the conventional wisdom that all things that go up must come down; so too must all things that go down also bounce back up.  So, my thinking is that we will recover someday; how, how quickly and when- well that's why Ben Bernake earns his pay

 Ok, so while the economy does what it's going to do, we have to press on as life continues.  For those who are moving, or will be doing so in the future, RD House Property Management has been hard at work putting together a pretty nifty resource- the Rental Guide, that can help those who are moving- whether it be up down or sideways.  It's designed as a step guide for uncovering your real needs in a new rental home, using a range of tools to search for one, and tips to make your new surroundings more comfortable.  It' full of articles, worksheets, and area information which includes tons of links to neighborhood blogs, city resources and other great stuff so it's a site that is actually interactive and useful in a number of ways- more than just "tips" or ads dressed up as content.  For example, there's a detailed article on how to make a budget for yourself, connected to a worksheet that you can print and use.  We'll be adding to it with up to date topical information and new resources that develop, so be sure to check it out! 

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About RD House Real Estate and Property Management:  We are a leader in relocation, in-town condo and executive Seattle rental properties, working with Microsoft, Amazon, Fred Hutchison Center, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Alaska Airlines, Nordstrom and others. Many of our listings have video blogs/tours, and can be found on our website at www.rd-house.com.

 If you are a Corporate relocation specialist and in need of help placing clients or employees, please contact our relocation team at (206) 728-6063.