Standing On A Street Corner

I was in my office this morning doing follow up work on some things in process and working toward closings and also some potential clients.  I seem to be able to accomplish these tasks much quicker than I have in the past.  Not quite sure why.....  When I go ready to leave I told my processor I was going to go out on the street corner with a sign that said "Mortgage Loans Available- Apply Here!" 

It has never ceased to amaze me that people either assume we are all salaried in this industry or that we are making more money than we can possibly imagine.  My wife and I ate breakfast this past Saturday at our "usual" place.  I don't think they could quite function if we didn't appear every Saturday morning.  We have gotten to know everyone there quite well.  The manager sat down with us for a few minutes while we were there.  He is in his late twenties, married within the past year, and has the world by the tail.  He and his wife are looking at new homes and have one to sell.

He said things were just going like hotcakes in his subdivision.  One went on the market and sold the next day!  Nothing lasts for more than a month.  I wished him well, and tempered my thought process with having known him for some time.  The market is always wonderful when you want to sell, and of course your house is the best in the subdivision, and obviously the most valuable.  And someone will come by this weekend and buy it.  Just like those people passing me on the street corner with my sign are applying for mortgages.

The truth is it is slow, and may be for a while.  You cannot make people buy houses, just like you can't make them buy tomatoes when the news says it's not good to.  That may be a bad analogy, but the media is certainly a big part of why the market is what it is.  When my wife asks me why is it slow I try to tell her that I can't go out and yank people off the streets to buy houses, even though I would like to.  But then only about 50% of them would probably qualify anyway.

I am not trying to be a pessimist, I am trying to be realistic.  While I certainly had anticipated that a significant rebound would have happened by now it really has not.  We are still struggling.  But once again, for those of us who have been, are, and will be in it for the long run it is just another cycle.  And this too shall pass.

I would be very interested in what is happening in your corner of this universe.  If everyone else is doing fine then I guess I just have to realize that people don't like me anymore.  I don't think that's the case but it is always possible.  I do still use deodorant and mouthwash, but who knows?  I am getting by and will get through.  That is better than many people in the mortgage industry over the past year or so.  I hope that you are doing well also.  I would love to hear some of your stories out there!