Yes, I know we have all heard the bad news of today's housing, economics, jobs, healthcare and more. Not only have we heard about it adnauseam, quit a few of us have or are living it. But I just have to get my few words in.
This has certainly been a year of firsts. A new president, not a first, but this one happens to be "African American" and that IS a first. There are new programs for America to numerous to mention. Some good, some... we just have to wait and see. How these programs effect you and me is what is important. Because you see the entire United States is made of yous and me's. If it effects you, sooner or latter, it will effect me and visa versa. It is easy for those who have not really been affected by losing a home or job to say, well just roll up your sleeves and get busy. It's not always that easy. Here in America we are big hearted and yet we have a way of feeling..."if it doesn't effect me directly it's not my business." I have heard quite a few individuals say those without jobs are "losers." They are not taking into consideration those that lost their jobs due to downsizing or the company closing it doors. And if you think right now it is easy to get a new job, go out and try it.
I am old enough to remember what the recovery of the Depression of 1929 was like. Yes, I had the ration books and still do. EVERYTHING was rationed, food, i.e. sugar, coffee, salt and so much more. Gas was rationed tires were impossible to obtain and did you know they stopped making new personal cars? Yep! They did. I think they began again in 1948 but I might be off a year. In those days everything went to the war effort, not so today. Now you might wonder what all this has to do with us today.
Well, people were made homeless by the tens of thousands. There were soup kitchens (as they were called in the day). There were people; whole families sleeping in the parks and streets. Sound familiar?
Now we always have had and I guess we will always have homeless people. It's sad but true. However not like today. When it is so bad that they are setting up tent cities in cities parks then you know we are in deep trouble.
When the unemployment rate is quoted by the government it is only telling us about those that are still on the unemployed rolls, not the ones that are still jobless and have run out of benefits. So you can add hundreds of thousands to the number that you hear on your TV news.
Each person represents someone that has a family, either a husband/wife and children or parents. Therefore one unemployed person can effect at the very least two to six or more individuals. Of course when an individual loses their income they cannot buy or pay for goods or existing credit, homes, cars, credit cards, utility bills and on and on the story goes.
Yes, there are thousands of homes on the market right now which is what interests Realtors, but if you are not qualified to handle the foreclosures then you are left to work with the buyers only. What's the problem with that you say? Well, in trying to close the gate after all the horses bolted out, we are now trying to go back to where we were many years ago. Large down payments, I'm not saying that is bad, I am saying it really limits our buying market. If our buyers get a second for the down payment they are right where we were when we got into this mess; huge monthly payments.
Will we get out of this mess? Of course we will, but we won't get out of it by 2010 like the news would like you to believe. Until we can find work of all of the unemployed it won't matter what the president does. In order to buy, pay and have credit you must first have a job. That is going to take a while when you consider all of the companies that have failed in this economy and the millions that are now out of work...
Well, what do we do, you ask? I say we help all of those that have been caught in the battle of the economic war. How? Food banks, babysitting, paying it forward, gently used clothes donations, anyway we can. All of us know someone that has been affected that we could help without affronting them. We need to start a movement within our industry. Each and every company could start a food drive by bringing in non perishable food and giving it to the food banks. Did you know that the food banks are running out of food for the homeless? Well they are. To those of us that have an income what is a can or two of vegetables or fruit, a box of crackers, raisins for a child's lunch. What about going through your closets and getting rid of the clothes you and your children don't use any more? Shoes that are gently worn are also needed. Toys your children have out grown or don't play with any more. And don't forget about the animals. Dog and cat food is needed also. It is a wonderful thing to PAY FORWARD and I know as Realtors we can do a great job.
Let us hear how you and/or your company are getting involved and helping in this time of need in our country. I know we will hear wonderful stories of acts of kindness.
Comments (10)Subscribe to CommentsComment