In the Washington Post on December 24th, 2008, Lawrene Yun stated. 

"We are crossing our fingers that sales rebound from these depressed levels," said Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the Realtors group.

Now John MacArthur wrote a post about that comment, which is worth reading.  JMac was skeptical about finger crossing as a viable strategy for economic recovery, but I disagree. As I got to thinking about it, I think finger crossing might be the key to a housing recovery and economic boom.

As such I've been inspired to to act!  I've decided to hold a "Fingers Crossed Across America" event.

On January 1, 2009 at 12:01 am, agents, lenders, mortgage brokers, appraisers, home inspectors, insurance folks, whomever... across the country join me in keeping your fingers crossed for recovery from the depressed real estate market.  Together we will pledge to keep our fingers crossed until the market recovers.

Think about it...

• Try typing on your keyboard with your fingers crossed...not easy...a whole new technological industry would be created just for finger crossing individuals...New keyboards, new phones, new door knobs, new spatulas...Innovation equals jobs...manufacturing of those new products equals jobs...sales and marketing of those new products equals jobs.  I mean...think of all the telemarketers you will have the opportunity to hang up on just by keeping your fingers crossed.

• With all of our fingers crossed and problems typing, the academia will have to get together and agree on a new keyboard.  Who is going to decide where the "F" goes?  Personally, I'm going to vote to move the "S" as I constantly mix that and the "A" up...anyway...Several meetings across the country will need to occur to discuss these issues.  In this current economic climate the "F" is a very popular letter and it's placement is not to be taken lightly...Conferences will spur the hotel/restaurant industry which means more jobs. 

• The judicial systems will explode with new cases as the "your honor, my fingers were crossed" defense is used to negate any promises made by real estate agents.  Judges so welcome this reprieve from the "liar, liar, pants on fire" defense that they start to invest in real estate.  Attorneys rake it in and purchase homes from grateful real estate agents.

• As finger crossing related injuries erupt across the country, inundating hospitals, the health care industry will need more nurses, doctors, and hospital staff.  Paramedics will be in demand  due to increased emergency calls as real estate agents across the country injure themselves while trying to hammer a nail with their fingers crossed. 

• The amount of physical pain incurred by finger crossers will spur the drug companies to act.  New, better, more less addictive pain medications will be developed to soothe all of those sore hands and fingers.  Carpel tunnel syndrome move on over...Phalanges Interlacetitis will be the new buzz disease for newspapers to cover.  Drug companies will make a mint spurring Wall Street.  Stock buying will rebound. 

You see where I'm going with this?

Now we all know that people with jobs are more likely to buy a house than people without jobs. Damn tight lending standards squashed that loophole...

If people can buy houses, then we can sell them...unless you don't know how to put up a decent photo on the MLS then your listings won't sell...but everyone else...we can make this work!  We can restore the economy...all with a simple little strategy...keeping our fingers crossed.

If you don't want to join me in my "Fingers Crossed Across America" event, then you are probably stuck with JMac's alternative suggestion for economic revival...You'll have to read the last line of his post to find out about his proposed alternative.