Not In Kansas Anymore Accepting The New Normal

I don't really write political posts as I tend to not want to be judgmental about things other than in private conversations. After all we all are entitled to our opinions and they are shaped by our life journey. But I do like to live in reality and not stay with wishful thinking other than planning for a terrific future. So this is the closest writing on the state of the world you will probably ever get from me LOL.

Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz when she and her dog Toto landed their house on top of that wicked witch commented that she didn't think she was in Kansas anymore. She went from black and white to color in a new world all in one fell swoop.

Well like that I think we all are

Not In Kansas Anymore Accepting The New Normal.

You know the new normal. It is that media term for quite a drastic shift in things that may be shocking, surprising, or on the surface because we liked the good old days we refuse to accept. Getting to acceptance of this is where we are TODAY, like it or not, helps us deal in

REALITY. A good thing.

Take some examples from real estate and also life just to reset to you the NEW NORMAL:

• We have high unemployment, at over 9% AND it may go higher. NASA layoffs, US Postal Service layoffs, the drumbeat continues...
• Many house values around the country from their peaks have declined 50% or more and may take MANY, MANY years to get back to their peaks if they get back at all
• Interest rates for borrowing on mortgages are at near historic lows. This MAY be a good thing as they are projected to be low for maybe two years now, although on your savings accounts this is not helping you EARN interest
• We are becoming a nation of renters, bad if you want to buy a home but can't due to wrecked credit and good if you are an investor or a Landlord
• The world is moving very fast with information overload, Internet speeds, and technology in general. Look at the proliferation of smartphones used by many if you gaze around a shopping mall or airport. This fast pace getting faster shows no slowing down
• For some people, things are getting better. The haves and the have nots. The middle class seems fractured with more people floating to the bottom and the rich getting richer
• Gold is expensive now per ounce and seems a safe haven investment
• More foreigners are taking jobs here with the increased number of H1B visas
• It is taking longer to find a job, less good paying jobs, and keeping a job isn't easy either
• Many families are bundling their savings by living together. There also is a downsizing trend with less is more with people moving OUT of large houses, empty nesters or not
• Many people are going back to school or starting NEW completely different field careers
• Lenders continue to have tight credit lending practices which means even people with pretty good credit still can't get a mortgage. FHA loans have been more popular with their 3% down and easier qualifying but sometimes the processing can take 90 days and loan processors ignore real estate contract dates
• Retirement may seem to be just a dream to some people as they can't save their way to a large enough nest egg with savings, 401k's or investments

There is uncertainty and maybe more anxiety with the future than in recent times, but just understanding the status quo of things and adapting and making decisions best for you based on REALITY and not being in the Kansas of ten or 20 years ago lets you handle the NEW NORMAL. Never pity your situation, just keep looking for solutions that work best for you. The world KEEPS changing. That is for sure!!!