Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!

Hi Sarah,

That's right - it sure does look like it to us.  Howzabout by you?  Thanks for stopping by to comment.

I have been so busy!  In Texas, we have an extra 3 weeks this summer as school isn't allowed to start anymore until the end of August instead of the beginning... I have had appts out the wazoooo!! Every single day next week I have appts, and I've had several this week as well.  5 people in town this month... Bring it on!!  I'm gearing up to take November and December off... but being a workaholic, probably not!

It seems our market is picking up here too.  Not like it used to be, but at least the showing are picking up and the offers are coming in.  

We've picked up  a little bit but Jay posted the stats for our town and it looked pretty bleak.

Donna - That's great!  Hey, aren't you taking off for some "family" stuff or something? :)

Kay - Glad to hear that it's happening around your area as well.  We thought perhaps it was just us.

Monika - we hear you - this year has been crazy.  Let's hope it's on an upswing with hope for a great Spring 08'!  Thanks for stopping by.

Lisa....  I have seen a little more activity and my office overall is very busy. We are hiring a new processor. We just interviewed 8 processors, that many were let go, because so many other lenders become slow.

Donna.. that is awesome. I guess the Texas market has really picked up.....  hhhhmmm

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for stopping by!  Good to hear from ya' and glad to hear things are starting to pick up again.

Glad to hear things are picking up on the Northern side of town!  I've started to become busier with buyers the last month or so...but we're still seeing more houses being listed then are being sold each month!

Hi Ravi,

Thanks for stopping by.  It's still a bit of a quirky market but it's moving an that's the important thing!

Hi Lisa and Robert,

I think there is a core part of our market that is going to move due to divorce, financial or health problems, job transfers, or I just need a bigger house itch. As long as the interest rates are stable, people will find logical reasons to back up the emotional decision to move.....

Jack

Hi Jack,

Thanks for stopping by!  You bet and there are always reasons to buy and sell real estate and people will always need the services of real estate professionals. 

Just wanted to let you know that I do believe the buyers are starting to move a little.  Prices have continued to drop in our area so the buyers are looking a lot closer now.  Also have picked up two new buyers in the last 2 weeks, which is great.  Haven't had any for awhile now.  Good luck to you.

That's great Linda!  Thanks for stopping by and sharing the good news in your area as well.

Lisa

ABSOLUTELY - The market has picked up with the rate movement....   I think all the "fence sitters" are making a move and jumping into contracts... which hopefully eats up some of our abundant inventory.  Hope all is well with you

From this post, to God's Ear.....

I think it is my open houses the last couple of weekends have had over 20 people come in each weekend. Havent' had that in months. 

Hi Desiree,

Yes, we are also witnessing the buyers who thought the prices would take some sort of a nose dive come to the realization that with rates climbing, it's sort of a wash.  Thanks for stopping by to comment.

Hi Kelly,

Wow!  That's a great open - 20 people.  Good for you!  Good luck with them and thanks for commenting.

I'm showing 8...yes EIGHT houses tomorrow to the same couple. I must be sick! I think 8 is too many but they want to see everything they can. Wish me luck!

Thanks woderful!  We really wish you the very best of luck with your appointment.  Go get em'!

LOL...What a day and thank good that Jay bought (don't tell him I said so) a GPS!  That thing is a life saver! Tomorrow we're going to the beach...I need to do a follow up post to my sandcastle one.

Sounds like you had an exciting day!  Yeah, we have one of those GPS things too and they certainly take some of the stress off of the running around we do in this business.  Hope it was a successful day for you.

Not yet but we're getting close I hope...

Go Monika & Jay!!!!!  I'll say alittle prayer for ya's!

It is going well here

I am still waiting.  I am hearing that things are picking up but until I see it, I will just keep prayer and doing my marketing strong.

Hi Margaret - Thanks for stopping by!  Glad to hear your area is picking up as well.

Hi Rosemary - Just keep plugging along and things will come back around to you!  Thanks for commenting.

I think it may be.  Calls are up slightly and I do have some showings scheduled...here's hoping!!!

That's great news Chris!  Good luck to you in your market!

Yeah!!  Blow some of the steam this way!!  LOL  Love your meez of you singing and Robert drumming. Looks like you guys are playing - "Here Comes The Sun" by the Beetles!  :-)

Someone once said: We can either learn from our own history or be doomed to repeat our mistakes.

This is the history: The 89-96 crash had three dead cat bounces, at 24, 36 and 48 mos. in. Each bounce was progressively smaller and was followed by further degeneration in the market. And right now, we're just about 24 mos in.

Coincidence?

<a href="http://tinyurl.com/yq7vgh">Home Prices 1989-1996</a> 

Full story here: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2nfefd">The Long Life Span of a Housing Downturn</a>

It never really slowed down for us - that said - May closings were more than double April closings for us - so I would say it's getting busier than it was - but it wasn't "slow" before....

Lisa, Still pretty bad in Poinciana Fl. With the amount of inventory on the market I'm not expecting much of an improvement this year. But we'll see. I hope I'm wrong.  

Our stat's say otherwise, but I am very gratefully busy and yes in the last month in Ann Arbor it has picked up. We still have triple our inventory but picking up.

To paraphrase Mark Twain, it seems that  the death of the housing market has been exaggerated.

yes, the market is picking up here in Atlanta too!  In the last week I sent offers over for 3 different clients.  There is movement and I am excited!

Hi Lisa - hard to say. I am hearing mixed things. Mortgage brokers are getting lots of calls, inventory is stable, but no observable change in the rate of sales that I can see. Prices have increased 2-4% since Jan. on average (at least in my community) but some of that seems to be due to more high-end homes selling. New home builders are saying things are pretty slow but resales seems to be faring better right now. Showing activity has picked up some, according to people I have talked to, so this all may be tied into the changes in rates. Good to hear things are improving for you there. I think any changes for the rest of the year may be conservative...we'll see.

Jeff

It's tought for me to determine the direction of the market right now.  I'm hoping for the best but am preparing for the worst.

Hi Brad,

Tell ya' what - we'll send some good vibes your way in the hopes that your market picks up too!  Glad you like our Meeze people!

Robert

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us.

Hi Tony,

That's great!  Glad to hear that it's booming in Arizona.

Hi BB,

We'll say alittle prayer for you for your market to turn around!

Hi Missy,

Thanks for stopping in and we're happy to hear you're doing well!

Hi Brian,

We agree that perhaps things have been exaggerated in some parts of the country more than others.  Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Hi Ava,

That's great!  We hope it stays strong for your market as well.

Hi Jeff,

It is definitely a tougher year but as long as things start moving again, it's all good!  Thanks for stopping in.

Hi Tim,

Good idea.  Perhaps things will turn around or just creep up slowly.  We'll all just keep plugging along.   Thanks for stopping by!

Seems the market here is moving too.  Interest rates are still aroun 6.5% for conventional financing.  Buyers need to act before they get left behind.

sadly, the market here in Northern Michigan looks like it is still turning down. May sales for SFR in my county were off 12% from last year and a whopping 26% from the year before for a total of 38%! SAdly, hte inventory is higher than it has ever been. If it werent for the foreclosures back on the market heavily discounted by the subprime fallout, we wouldnt have 1/3 of the business that we do have. But, at least this Michigan market isnt declining like metro Detroit!

So what do we do in Northen Michigan when sales are down? We spend the day at the Lake admiting the crystal clear spring fed waters, sandy bottoms and oh yeah, it was only 80 degrees today with a negligable amount of humidty. It is good to be here!

Hi Kay,

We agree with that point for sure.  Thanks for stopping by!

Hi Ricardo,

Sounds like a great place to spend time!  Thanks for commenting.

Florida has been horrible for the last 9 months however I recieved 2 offers this  this week-end on  2 different listings and that hasn't happen in a year or so. A long summer is a good thing!! 

I feel it picking up s-l-o-w-l-y. I'm showing a lot of property....have several escrows brewing and MANY calls on an ad I had in the paper this weekend (one of my listings). Now that is a first in a long time!

I an happy to see positive news! Love to hear people are busy. This has been a great year so far and keeps picking up more steam as the school year comes to an end and families start to make a move before the new school year starts. Plus I am seeing buyer take advantage of sellers that are willing to make deals. Best of luck for the rest of the year!

I sure hope it is. That would be the best news in the world.....

I too hope it is.. I have been getting mixed views some believe it is while others think it;s not...

I wouldn't really call it steam in the Las Vegas market, but we have warmed a little. Now if we can put a couple of months like this together, we may be able to turn the corner and get back to a balanced market.

Things are warming up some in the Phoenix market. It will be great come fall, as summer is always slower here because of the high heat and many people not here.

Things are weird here.  Pendings go up and down.  Prices are sliding. Rates are going up.  Rental prices are hitting the roof.  I think there may be equilibrium in the future soon but I keep saying that.  Sometimes I feel like Dorothy "there's no place like home".  If I keep saying it to myself it will happen?  Showings seem to be increasing but I don't want my hopes too high!

Thanks, I hope you mean vibes as in "Positive Affirmations" or did you mean like the instrument? LOL :-)
We'll take either at this point!!  (Big Smile)  :-)))

The market in the NH Lakes Region is weak but we are seeing a little more activity than a month or two ago.

Gosh - I thought the reason all of our houses here in Phoenix were selling, was because of the exceptional staging.  I'm shocked to think it would be for any other reason?!

Business is definitely picking up for me in west metro Atlanta

I talk to a lot of other Realtors and everyone seems to be slower than normal and experiencing different busy times and slow times.  Some weeks I'm slammed, others I wish I was slammed but at least I'm steady enough to have business coming in.

Hi Lisa & Robert

Even though I am commenting almost 2 weeks after you posted I have to agree with the returning market . In our area several things have happened to give the market a stronger pulse. The first would be a price correction for most of what is selling, the second being we are in a resort market and most buyers like to get in to enjoy the summer, the third is that there are alot less Realtors out there that didn't make the winter.

What ever it is I am liking the change. By the way your slideshow of Hillsdale is a great tool.

Take care ,

Dave

Lisa & Robert,

I think it may just be you, but then good agents should be busy.  Headlines today say that existing home sales are at a four year low, and that home prices have fallen for a record ten straight months.   

The market in Reno, NV has been picking up aswell.  Although we havn't seen any major increase in prices, we have seen things really start to level off.

Things are picking up here in Charleston too but there never really was a huge downfall I believe because we're coastal, just the homeowners insurance has skyrocketed!!!

Whoa!  This was a surprise getting a Feature.  Wrote this post over a week ago and then suddenly we started getting alot of comments.  Guess we struck a chord and for the most part it looks like most parts of the country are experiencing some flurry of activity after a dry spell.  Thanks to the Active Rain Moderators for Featuring us and thanks to all who commented.  Would like to respond to each and every one of you but guess what?  We're so busy suddenly that it became difficult to answer everyone.  For this, we're very sorry but thanks to all of you for commenting on our post!  We're going to add everyone who has commented to our Associates List!

Hi Lisa & Robert,

Certainly hope things are picking up for all of the AR family !  I have been tracking basic stats for Fort Myers Beach, Fl for the loast 17 months.  I recently put them into graph format to have a better way of depicting the data.  One element of the data is  " Solds " .  It has been, and remains, very flat.  Far below the rate of sales when the market was much stronger.  Looking at those numbers I can't see any significant change.  Now and then a small flurry of activity which we all hope signals the beginning of a turn-around but over time the numbers are still very stagnant. 

Hi Bill,

Thanks for your comment and for stopping by.  We know that the 07' market is not as hot as the past but we're happy to have it continuing to move.   It's a great market as long as we can continue to make a living and help people to realize their dreams of home ownership!

Hi Lisa, yes like Moni said we have picked up here too. I just chalk it up to a late spring. The buyers Moni said she showed 8 houses to are meeting with me tomorrow to buy new construction. They will be getting a nice house for the money. 

Hi Jay,

That's great news!  Congrats and good luck with a quick and easy close! 

Lisa,

Thanks for the post. I would not say that the market is picking up steam. More like it is struggling to get into gear. belated happy birthday wishes.

Happy B Birthday and I agree with William.  But also with you, patience is a virtue.  I practicing for virtue.

William,

Thanks for the BD wishes.  Suppose you're right about the market and is probably different for everyone.  Thanks for stopping by.

Rosemary,

Thank you for the wishes and once again, it really is different for everyone.  But you are very right and we also believe that patience is a virtue!