No winter lasts forever...

I've decided to keep the widget for Conne up until after the Polar Plunge, which is scheduled for Feb 21 this year. Please support Conne in her fund raising plunge for the Michigan Special Olympics by pledging what you can. Click on Donate on the widget to pledge.

From the Jack's Winning Words Blog recent comes this sage bit of advice - “No winter lasts forever. No spring skips its turn.” (Hal Borland - well known American author).

Aside from the obvious and literal interpretation about the long, cold and snowy winter that we are experiencing this year, I suspect that both Borland and Jack are metaphorically also commenting upon the economic swoon into which we currently seem locked. It is hard sometimes to heed the "just hang in there" advice that everyone who is positive and upbeat is trying to pass on to the rest of us. My Mr. Grumpy side is fighting hard to come out quite often these days; however, my fate is sealed by my Pollyanna wife at home and Little Mary Sunshine at work. Mr. Happy shall prevail!

I've actually got several clients who have given up looking until the winter breaks and the snow melts. That's because they are looking primarily at foreclosed houses and that can be difficult right now. Most of the foreclosed houses on the market are winterized and are cold and dark, with now heat or power. So, if you can't visit them during the day yo have to have flashlights or just not go into the basements. It's often colder feeling inside than outside.

Still, I have clients who are looking and that's a good thing, even if it is for foreclosed houses. The deals on foreclosures are really great right now and even regular, owner-occupied homes are selling at great prices.

So, if you've been waiting to buy, now is the time to get out there and start looking. The expectations for the local market are that 2009 will be the leveling off and turn-point year for Michigan, with the foreclosure inventory getting sold off and more back towards normal by 2010. You don't want to wait until all of the good foreclosed homes are gone and then get a bad case of the coulda, woulda, shoulda's. Get on your boots and heavy coat and find your flashlights and let's get out there and finds you that dream home!