Weekly Newsletter for Week Ending May 15, 2009

QUOTE: “When you are complaining, you become a living, breathing crap magnet!” T. Harv Ecker. (Gymbeaux Note: If I have ever heard a quote that was more accurate than this one I don’t remember it. If you have something to complain about, the best way to get more of whatever it is you are complaining about is to continue to complain. It is the Law of Attraction in reverse – you draw into your life more of whatever you think about most!)

NUGGET FOR THE NOGGIN: Go to www.NuggetsForTheNoggin.com for the latest nugget. This one was written by Iain Legg and he has a fabulous offering for over 100 eBooks at the end of the nugget. Title: Crave More.

COOL MUSIC VIDEO THANKS TO STACEY CHEHERDY:
http://gizmodo.com/5231112/best-video-ive-seen-today-will-make-you-smile

BORN AGAIN AMERICAN: Cool video and music. When I watched it on Monday morning there had been 7,032,585 people who have watched and listened.
http://www.bornagainamerican.org/

THE 95/95 PROPOSITION. WHICH ARE YOU? By Jeffrey Gitomer. A must read article. http://www.gitomer.com/articles/ViewPublicArticle.html?key=ajcdMibak3Mt2P59%2B0QnMA%3D%3D

FORECLOSURE STORE: There is a site that claims to have hundreds of local properties listed that are foreclosures, bank owned, etc. I do not know anything about it other than there is a 7 day free trial and then a monthly charge to access the site. The photos are a bit misleading as you will discover if you check it out.
http://freesearch.foreclosurestore.com/?acquired=1&p=FS14D000LA

COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT DIVISION (CID) is offering two special events on Thursday, June 4th at Beau Chene Country Club

The “ABC’s of LACDB” class on the Louisiana Commercial Data Base and how to use it is good for 2 hours of CE credit and
Networking Buffet & New Developments Presentation

During the buffet lunch, four Northshore developers will introduce and explain their projects. Both events are FREE to CID members and $20 each to non-members.
http://www.nomar.org/pdfs/CID%20Application.pdf If you want to be a CID (Commercial Investment Division) member, it costs only $50.00 a year and most if not all of their educational offerings are free to members as this one is. Maybe the best $50.00 you will spend this year!

CE CLASS: KEEPING YOUR COMMERCIAL CLIENT OUT OF LEGAL TROUBLE. Speaker: Jim Hochman. Hosted by REALTOR Commercial Alliance of the REALTOR Association of Acadiana. May 19th. 8:30 to 12:30 at the RAA Office, 1819 West Pinhook Rd, Ste 115, Lafayette, LA. Cost is $50.00. Register by sending an email to: marys@realtoracadiana.com. I’m registered!

20 WAYS TO GET MENTALLY TOUGH by Jon Gordon. Jon has a new book about to be published and this is an excerpt from that book. Really good stuff!
http://www.jongordon.com/newsletter-051109-20waystogetmentallytough.html

QUALIFYING BUYERS ISN’T ROCKET SCIENCE. IT’S OUR JOB! This is a great article on why some loans fail at the last minute and what real estate agents can do about it to avoid a fall-thru due to non-qualifying.
http://activerain.com/blogsview/1070909/qualifying-buyers-isn-t-rocket-science-it-s-our-job-

I THOUGHT THEY WANTED MY BUSINESS. By Tim Wacker. This is a great article and follows very closing on the Nugget I wrote about Customer Dis-Service.
http://www.salesdog.com/newsletter/2009/nl0426.asp

THE SECRET WEALTH FILES REVEALED BY THE MAN WHO DISCOVERED THEM. T. HARV ECKER. This is a FREE online course offered for a limited time. You will receive an email link every 3 days for 3 weeks. I watched the first one and it was short and interesting. To take advantage of this offer go to: http://www.secretwealthfiles.com/?vip=2009ETR

LOWES REALTOR BENEFITS PROGRAM: www.LowesRealtorBenefits.com This is a unique FREE site where you can send gift cards, discount cards or a newsletter all free of charge. You can also take advantage of REALTOR discounts, check it out. IT’S FREE!

REAL TRENDS APRIL 2009 HOUSING REPORT:

(Gymbeaux Note: When you read this report, remember this one fact that never changes: the housing market is a LOCAL MARKET! For example, if you were to look at the numbers for the Slidell Market, the entire market may indicate one value but if you look at a subdivision within the Slidell Market the numbers could be the same, they could be higher or they could be lower – real estate is a “local market” and while these reports are good to ponder, each local area must be considered unto itself!)

The recovery in home sales slowed somewhat on a year-over-year basis in April. The results indicated that homes sales continue to suffer from overall weakness in the general economy and the weakness in middle and upper tiers of the home price segments. Unit sales were down 11.1 percent from April 2008 to April 2009 that compares unfavorably with March numbers that showed sales down only 5.8 percent from March 2008 to March 2009. Prices of sold homes were down 20.5 percent from April 2008 compared to the March report that showed closed sales prices being down 18.1 percent.

The best region for sales units was the western region where unit sales continued their run of increased housing activity although the increase is less than previous months. Unit sales in the western region were up 9.9 percent in April 2009 compared to April 2008. Other regions saw sales decreases of between 13.3 and 20.5 percent with the Northeast region having the largest unit decline compared to last year.

Prices continue to be soft with every region reporting continued price declines. The western region showed the largest decline with April 2009 prices down 31.7 percent from April 2008. The best region was the South where prices were down 15.8 percent from the same month a year ago. The national average price of homes sold was down 20.5 percent from a year ago. Much of the decline in the average sold price is due to the inordinately high number of lower priced foreclosure and short sales and the impact of the first-time homebuyer sales which typically are focused on lower priced home segments.

"April 2009 results show that low interest rates, soft home prices and high levels of affordability are having a positive effect but that the lack of affordable mortgages for the middle and upper tiered home priced segments and weakness in the general economy continue to be a drag on the housing recovery," said Steve Murray, editor of REAL Trends. "As we said in our last report, there are several factors that will subdue housing sales in 2009. The April results show strong evidence that a true broad based housing recovery is a ways off."

Housing Market Report

April 2009 March 2009

(Versus same month a year ago)

Closed Sales AVG Price Closed Sales AVG Price

National
-11.1% -20.5% -5.8% -14.7%

Regional Report

Northeast
-20.5% -16.8% -16.2% -9.7%

South
-18.4% -15.8% -12.5% -7.9%

Midwest
-13.3% -18.4% -10.3% -12.6%

West
+9.9% -31.7% +18.7% -23.0%