Satori Alliance | Financial Counseling | Real Estate Investment Products | Financial Guidance Seminars

I love the holiday decorations in the house and on the tree. If you asked my family if I like decorating, they would relate the various complaints I’ve made over the years about doing it. Let’s face it, it’s a hassle. You’ve gotta get the boxes from storage, sort through them, find the time, and then install, hang, staple, or whatever, to get the decorations up. In my case, I do what I’m told by the master decorator and chief-in-charge-of-holiday-spirit, my darling wife Eileen. She always know exactly what goes where. To be brutally honest, in spite of my complaints, I love doing it, I love it when it’s complete, and I love enjoying it with the many family and friends who come by. One of the many reasons I love Eileen too!

Historically, the slowest part of the annual real estate sales cycle is the time between October and mid-January. But this year, activity is up and there is good reason to anticipate even more good news in the months to come.

This monthly uptick is part of a bigger trend - the economic turnaround we’ve been hearing about in the media. Sometimes those in difficult situations tend to diminish these predictions in defense of their suffering - at least until there is statistical evidence of what we call “reality.”

Here, then, is some reality from the National Association of Realtors, which demonstrates an increase in actual home-purchase activity and predicts more good news for the coming months and year.

On the chart below, an index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001, the first year the NAR compiled these statistics. Coincidentally, 2001 was the first of four consecutive record years for existing-home sales. 2001 sales are fairly close to the higher level of home sales expected in the coming decade, relative to the norms experienced in the mid-1990s. As such, an index of 100 coincides with a historically high level of home sales activity.

For a more detailed look into these statistics visit the NAR: NAR

What will contribute to this success continuing? I am an eternal optimist and believe the well-being of humanity is something to which we all contribute with our thinking each day. I believe that thinking and working toward a turnaround will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Take a moment to consider how fortunate you are and to fully appreciate your accomplishments and blessings. True, times are tough for many, and we can always find something to complain about. Some of the most pleasurable times I can remember were when my employer would schedule several evenings around the holidays at the nearest Second Harvest Food Bank. We would work in their warehouse, sorting and packaging different kinds of food products.

Doing this changed forever my idea of what community support and giving is. And it was always fun and good exercise. What more could a giving experience provide? Its clients, those less fortunate than you, are so grateful for what this organization does for them.

Second Harvest Food Bank