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Attitude / Reality
Attitude
/ Reality
The Real Estate and housing market, along with the rest of the economy, is in
a mess, just ask the media and they will tell you all about how bad it is and
how much worse it will get. Bad news sells, “If it bleeds, it leads”! ! ! !
I DON’T BELIEVE IT! ! ! ! REAL ESTATE IS LOCAL! ! ! ! !
Lets look at the reality of the situation regarding housing and the real
estate market for our area.
Interest rates are exceptional right now, as of this writing 6%, give or
take quarter of a percent.
Retail sales have not faltered any significant amount; in fact have increased
as of the time I am writing this.
Unemployment figures are, according to the media, in terrible shape. The
latest figures at this time show a loss of 17,500 jobs nationally. Played up
by the media as a total disaster. Figure it out folks, that is only 350 JOBS
PER STATE. How many of them were students going back to college after working
the Christmas break? Now if you are one of them I understand your plight and
wish it were not the case.
I submit to you that Real Estate is LOCAL, what the media is touting is
California, New York, Arizona, Florida, yes it is bad in those areas, but not
nationally, other than what has been media created.
Here
are some facts pulled from Housing Market Facts.com.
Home ownership remains the best long-term investment available: a $10,000
down payment with a typical home price appreciation of 5% will return
$110,000 after 10 years. If you invested $10,000 in the stock market with a
10% annual appreciation rate, the result would be $23,600 in 10 years.
On
average, the value of a home nearly doubles every 10 years.
For
the past 30 years home values have increased an average of 6.6% annually.
The
average homeowner has 46 times the wealth of the average renter
Other
information from The National Association of Realtors President Dick Gaylord,
Since
2002, Illinois home prices are up more than $40,000, and home values have
remained constant in Southwestern Illinois.
So
again I say, REAL ESTATE IS LOCAL ! ! We are not in California, New
York, Arizona, etc. This is Southwestern Illinois and we are alright. Let
your clients know some of this because the media will most certainly not tell
them.
Any questions can be directed to Benchmark Title at 618-239-3750. Please feel
free to call or email:
Serving you from three convenient locations:
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Main Office:
1124 Hartman Lane
Shiloh, IL 62221
Ph: 618-239-3750
Escrow Fax: 618-239-3707
Title Fax: 618-239-3757
Fax Orders: 618-310-1589
President: John Howe
www.benchmarktitle.net
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318 North Main St.
Columbia, IL 62236
Ph: 618-281-9700
Fax: 618-281-9705
Manager: Randi
Schur
4215 S. State Rte 159
Glen Carbon, IL 62034
Ph: 618-288-1695
Fax: 618-288-1852
Manager: Sara Sowell
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Dates to Remember
February 22-24 - Metro-East 2008 Home Improvement Show at
Belle Clair Fairgrounds, 200 S. Belt East, Belleville, IL
Friday, Feb. 22, 2pm - 9pm, Saturday, Feb. 23, 10am - 9pm, Sunday, Feb. 24,
11am - 5pm
February 22, 2008 - RPAC Trivia Night at 7 p.m. at Bel-Air
Bowl. Contact RASI for more information.
February 27, 2008 - Realtor Business After Hours at
Cutter's in Belleville @ 5:30 p.m. No RSVP required.
March 6, 2008 - Benchmark Title
Commercial Reception in Honor of Doreen Miller and the Commercial
Division from 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
1124 Hartman Lane, Shiloh, IL. Please R.S.V.P. to Kim at (618)
239-3750.
March 15, 2008 - RASI Awards Banquet.
March 28, 2008 - GGAR Annual Awards Banquet at Collinsville
Gateway Center, Collinsville, IL
Reception 6 pm, Dinner 7 pm, Awards Presentation 8:30 pm, Comedian Mark
Morfey 9:30 - 10 pm
$30 per person in advance, reservations required by March 12- Fax to
618-692-8307 or Email to general@gatewayrealtors.com
June 4, 2008 - First Horizon Golf Tournament for Habitat for
Humanity at Arlington Golf Course. Contact Jamie Hollenkamp
at 618-288-8656 or at jhollenkamp@firsthorizon.com
Did
you say free?
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Give me my policy!
Did you know that
lenders and home buyers now receive their title policies at the closing
table? Contact Michelle
Null, VP Escrow Operations, to learn more about this exciting new
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Ready to refi?
Lenders and
homeowners will want to hear about our fantastically low new refinance rates.
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Why wait?
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Customer Feedback
Line
After your closing please call our customer feedback line at (618)310-1307
ext. 26 and leave your comments. We will send you a token of our appreciation
for your time.
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