Its spring time again.  The air is fresh.  The trees are in bloom.  New homes are being built.   The energy of another good year to come is in the air.  People seem to be very positive, in general.  We must like spring time, in America? 

Because it is also Tax time, and every year the cost of building materials rise, not to mention the price of Fuel.  I was recently on a trip cross country, well 1500 miles(one way) of it.  The traffic was steady, the price of gas (cheap gas at Chevron) averaged $3.25 a gallon.  Fortunately my Scion XB gets around 40 mpg (and yes it is the boxy Sedan) I might add that I was passed by more Hummer2 than I was by Prius's or XB's. 

Your probably wondering what in the heck does this have to do with Real Estate?  Well let me tell you!  I was on Spring Break with my girlfriend (she is a school teacher) and we were on a quick trip to visit relatives/friends in Texas.  I have always thought the Lake Texoma area was beautiful, so while driving we took notes on the land/homes for sale along the way. 

When I got to my destination and had time to look up the land for sale on the Internet, I could only find one property posted.  I called the Listing agent and she said that property had been sold in early 2007, but she had others that were similar.  I told her that it was still on the Internet and she said she didn't even know that it had been on the Internet at all.

If maybe the listings were posted on the Internet (properly ie. P2)?   Then maybe we could turn the national home sales situation around, as it is obvious that the price of Fuel isn't going to be $1.00, even $2.00 any time soon!  I don't know what the average cost is for Internet advertising?  But I know what some of the Billboard advertising goes for,  and unless you see that sign at 70mph in detail, your not going to turn around and re-read it.  Escpecially at $3.25 a gallon (Diesel at $4.00).

On the return trip I called on a few of the properties for sale and was able to look at one.  I am planning on making an offer this week.  Ironically it wasn't on the Internet.

I am just glad that is finally spring!

Lately it has occurred to me that there has been a lot of discussion about market woes, recession and the like. As I sit looking out the window, I can't think about the comparison it has to traffic.  Sometimes you hit all Green lights and sometimes they are Yellow (like todays market-nationally), and sometimes they are all Red!  I used to think when I was stuck in a traffic jam, that the whole world was stuck too.  I know now that it was probably just the road that I happened to be on, and we all know that there is still time to change the road your on!   So when I look out the window now and listen to the national media, I can't but realize that some people are stuck in traffic, others have an open road, and still others have a nice country drive.  I rather enjoy country drives, as I get to see alot of scenery and the odds of even seeing a traffic light are few and far between.  If we looked at the market the same way, we may think of new ways to take that country drive home with us, instead of getting stuck at all of those Red lights.