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The times, they have been good!

By
Real Estate Agent with Novella Real Estate

Manasquan beach houseSometimes it takes going away for awhile and coming back to actually notice changes. I come back "home" to New Jersey's exit 100 once a year.  My family lives in the area, so I make an effort to visit on a regular basis.  I left many years ago, choosing the western lifestyle of living over the eastern. 

Over the years, I've alway noticed changes in the area.  Some building here and there, old restaurants replaced with new, just normal stuff.  But this trip the changes are much more dramatic.

Everywhere we went today, I noticed new homes.  The scraping of lots and building of really nice new homes was obvious everywhere.  Down by the beach, it seems real estate finally got noticed.  Grand new homes have popped up, costing a more than a pretty penny for ocean views I'm sure!

All of this facelifting is really exciting.  For awhile I though everyone around here was satisfied with status quo.  Now I know that's not true.  We have been living in very good times.  Many people have leveraged themselves into some very nice real estate.

So if you are worrying about a bubble, bust, or a crash. Stop and look around.  Can a prudent person expect this sort of market to continue?  Adjustments will be made, but as far as I can see, there's no looking back, we come too far.  We may slow down or slightly stall, but housing is what makes the U.S. different than any other country in the world.  We have it, we expect it, it's part of our way of living.

Overall, we have risen a few notches in both improving the landscape and value, now we can cruise for awhile. So relax, everything is fine.  Actually we are far better off than before.

 

Jeff Belonger
Social Media - Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc - Cherry Hill, NJ
The FHA Expert - FHA Loans - FHA mortgages - USDA loans - VA Loans

relax?  what are you talking about, relaxing?   lol  Gee, must be easy for you, since you aren't at home, working.... 

Seriously.... this is good.... a good thought to think of. Hope you enjoy your time with your family. So many people lose site of those loved ones around us.

KK.... looking forward to a response to my previous e-mail...in regards to my client and Denver. I guess you didn't want to reply?  lol  Too busy writing blogs?   ;o)

Oct 19, 2006 04:49 PM
Scott Gormley
Oak Valley Mortgage-California Home Loans and Refinancing - Chico, CA

Hey Kristal,

I agree...Things are not as bad as many think. The fact of the matter is, people need homes and they are not going to simply disappear. Have fun on the trip :)

Scott

Oct 19, 2006 06:53 PM
Boomer Jack Boardman & Carl McIntyre, the Codgers
Noted Curmudgeons - Saint Paul, MN

Kristal,

 

You have become part of my MUST READ daily stops on AR, more for your comments, than for you always spectacular photos. Again today you have provided me some great “Blog Food™” for our blog. Time permitting, as it is now, as I type this 4:30AM CDT, I may be able to post my area-specific thoughts on the “face lift” part of this post before my standing 6:00AM codger meeting at the coffee shop. If not, the post will appear later today.

 

Jay Merton

Oct 19, 2006 09:35 PM
Mary McKnight
Sacrilicious Marketing - Orlando, FL
Excellent observations KK.  You took a difficult post on basically the economy and the market and made it totally relatable, readable and positive... Geez, maks me want to go sell something.
Oct 20, 2006 02:58 AM
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES
Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL
Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

After all, the only thing constant is change.  As long as people will marry, have kids, and, yes die, there will be opportunities for Realtors. 

Oct 20, 2006 04:11 AM
Teri Isner
Keller Williams Realty at the Lakes - Orlando, FL
GRI, CRS, CIPS
The slow time is the great time to update systems and fine tune the targets at a more relaxed pace.
Oct 20, 2006 07:36 AM
S. Leanne Paynter ☼ Broward County, FL
United Realty Group, Inc. - Davie, FL
Davie, Plantation, Cooper City & Weston Specialist

It's a shame we don't have newspaper reporters who write this type of reality check message the way you did.

As a side note, I was a bit surprised that a fellow Jersey (Shore) Girl would state a location by the exit number.  I guess I always fought that joke.

Oct 22, 2006 12:22 AM
Allen Turla
National Lenders Services - Las Vegas, NV

Heya Kristal

Great observation indeed!

When I came back from living in Europre for a few years, I got lost in my own hometown!  When I came back from living in Denver, I got lost again hahaha!  Houses, condos, apartments, offices...you name it....it's a never ending construction site...traffic wise it's bad, but for business it's good :)

Oct 22, 2006 05:24 AM
Mitchell J Hall
Manhattan, NY
Lic Associate RE Broker - Manhattan & Brooklyn

Kristal,

Glad you had a good trip. There is nothing like the shore and the Atlantic Ocean will always be beautiful. It's great that some of the decaying towns like Asbury Park have made great come backs in the last several years.

Yes there has been so much building all over. Here in Manhattan when people talk about the building building building and the bubble. I say they're not building dumps they're building gorgeous buildings and homes with every possible ammenity that people want, people will buy them they will all be sold eventually.

Oct 27, 2006 02:50 AM
Kristal Kraft
Novella Real Estate - Denver, CO
Selling Metro Denver Real Estate - 303-589-2022

Jeff ~ I was relaxing.  What referral?

Scott ~ good comment, we will always need homes.  Maybe we just don't need so many Realtors...ah another topic.

Jay ~ you codgers meet at 6:00 on purpose?  Take a pill go back to sleeeeep!  Thanks for the comment on the photo.  That is actually my little sister's house, in Manasquan.

Mary ~ you ARE selling.  And doing a darn good job at it too! Thanks.

Silvia ~ well said.  Our business is fueled by change.  Thank you.

Teri ~ a relaxed pace for making long-term decisions is good for both buyers and sellers.

Leanne ~ as you know now, I took your comment about resisting the exit joke and blogged about it.  I too felt the way you did.  But  now I take it as a mating call.  Well maybe that should say meeting call...you get my drift!  Thanks for the blog fodder. (with that said Jersey girl, what exit?  :)

Allen ~ living in Europe is a whole different scene.  I would love to give that a try.  I enjoyed getting around there with ease and  no car.  A bike, a train, a bus that's all you need, it's so well done.  Yes, the Mile High city has grown.  It's still a great place to live.

Mitchell ~  I loved Asbury Park, as a kid every Saturday my girlfriend and I would take the bus and go shopping.  In the afternoon we'd do the boardwalk before heading home.  It broke my heart to see how nasty it got after the malls destroyed the economy of Main  Street Shopping.  BUT, it looks like the pendulum has swung back, Asbury shall rise again.  I wonder if The Boss will sing about it now?

Manhattan is busting out with new construction.  I love it.  What a classic case of in your face to the terrorists.

 

Oct 30, 2006 03:07 PM