The Appraiser's Blog...

Speaking of Fall, have you seen home prices! Looking at MLS recently I am seeing a lot of properties selling for considerably less than their original list price. I think people are finally realizing that they are going to have to bite the bullet and lower the price to get it to move. There are some bargains for homes out there you just have to live with putting in a little elbow grease to get em back up to snuff. I really don't know why homeowners make a big hullabaloo that there home is not selling for what they want and that the market is in turmoil. It is all relative, the home you want to buy has most likely dropped in price too. Obviously there are some homeowners that are in trouble because they cant sell because they are upside down in their mortgage but really... who's fault is that. Spend less and they wouldn't be in this situation in the first place. I feel worst for first time home buyers that did 100% financing on a townhome. OUCH! Many developments are depreciating now due to oversupply of new construction and new first time home buyers can no longer get that easy financing so there are no replacement buyers to sell too. Anyway nuff about real estate.

Lets look a head to happy thoughts of snow. I personally like winter and snow, you get to practice your space management by precisely snow blowing/shoveling your drive and sidewalks, if it ever snows enough I get to take the kids out snowmobiling, there is always ice fishing (nothing beats sitting on a 5 gallon pail in the middle of the lake with a beer that never gets warm!), you get to engage the 4 wheel drive the first significant snow, and snowboarding is always a good time. I think people that don't enjoy winter bring it on themselves. You have to live it to enjoy it. If you keep yourself inside all winter of course you are gonna hate it. My son Jack just turned two this August and this is the first winter he will really be able to enjoy the snow. It should make for some good video footage. So next time it snows think like a kid and get out in it!

                                          Out,

                                           Lanny