Good day,
The slow summer season has seen Seller's accepting lower than asking prices and in some cases, fairly large discounts from asking prices. I saw a deal last week where a home was reduced $80k from the original asking price (from $389k). However, I do not expect these discounts to continue. Inventory of good, solid "move in" condition homes is important and these types of homes across all price ranges continue to get close to asking price.
Overall pricing that Paul and I are using, is set at between 2006 and 2007 levels. This means that you can buy a home today for just below the 2007 price (in general terms). Some homes in for even less.
Interest Rates. We are seeing rates for 5 years locked-in as low as 3.55%. If you have not gotten a "rate hold" on one of these low rates, call me today. I do not believe that we will see these rates again, should they start to rise again.
In 2007, it was common to see interest rates well over 5% for five years. If you add up the 2007 house prices with 2010 interest rates, you get a potent mixture for recovery. In fact, I am seeing some interesting "buy-up" activity where people are justifying the increase in price with lower rates (Rutland).
Therefore, I predict that buyers this fall will be getting the best deals, both on price and interest term, making the overall cost of ownership low by comparison to even 2006 and 2005 levels (based on payments).
I always have time for you, so feel free to call me for a private appointment anytime.
Regards,
Dean
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Black Belt Extravaganze - April 24, 2010
April 24, 2010 (I wrote 95% of this last April and found in "unposted" in my documents folder and I just had to post it!!!!)
Black Belt Extravaganza notes from the sidelines...
Trent, Jon, Lindsey, Rick and Norit well done!
Today I witnessed a stunning event. It was the end of a long journey for some yet for all, the beginning a new journey and a new path: The achievement of Black Belt for Trent, Jon, Lindsey, Rick and Norit.
In today’s mixed martial arts crazed world where ultimate fighting, kung fu, ju jitsu, wrestling and every manner of “fighting” technique has become the topic rigor for young and old alike, there remains, largely behind the scenes and out of the spot light, martial arts schools, instructors and students enduring to achieve black belt as a path to mental and physical health. Day in and day out, students collect and are guided by their instructors through the multitude of steps, tests, techniques, patterns, meanings that challenge the mental and physical capacity of all.
For Trent, Jon, Lindsey, Rick and Norit, their day was today and what a day it was. Prior to their black belt extravaganza they have accomplished the following.
-have trained a minimum of 350 and up to 700 hours of instructional time.
-have performed 27 informal stripe gradings and 8 formal belt gradings.
-wrote a graded thesis about understanding the true meaning of the art and science of Tae Kwon Do and;
-performed 50 random acts of kindness in the past week.
This is what the brochure says and completion of this list is no easy task.
What is missing from this description are the hundreds upon hundreds of push ups, sit ups, kicks, punches, steps taken while running, jumping, hand shaking fellow students and perhaps most important, bows to the master instructor and to senior and fellow students. Also missing is the recognition, praise and support required (and given) by fellow students and instructors along the way to achievement.
Unlike the glamour and glitz of the mixed martial arts fighting world, many martial arts schools teach respect, integrity and honour along with the ability to fight, defend ones self and to perform the physical tasks with skill and accuracy. Of course, many of today’s top performing mixed martial arts athletes practice a high level of respect, integrity and honour, the fact remains that the prize is awarded to the winner of the fight, not the most honourable. And certainly, this is the way it should be but isn’t it a bonus when the champion and the winner also embodies the high standard of respect, integrity and honour?
So today, on this grand day, the champions are those not only identified by their skill but also their high standard to respect and integrity. For the audience, fellow students and training partners each pattern, technique, punch and kick embodies much more than a physical movement. Each action symbolizes the culmination of years of practice and training. Each action witnessed is a celebration of their achievement and a reaffirmation of their attainment of Blackbelt.
Trent’s knowledge of the meanings and curriculum is outstanding and his defense against two attacking black belts was just excellent. Jon makes the patterns come alive with his crisp kicks and powerful yet graceful punches. Lindsey’s speed and accuracy is a marvel to watch and she seems to elevate her game when attacked by two men during her self-defense demonstration. Rick’s all round skill is evident but it is his accuracy during his patterns and his board breaking that strengthens his martial arts presence. And Norit’s grace and accuracy are just wonderful to witness. It is easy to imagine her turning kick knocking off the tallest opponent before he or she knew what hit them.
I am truly humbled by the display of skill at Quest’s Academy’s Black Belt Extravaganza. They say that no one climbs the big mountain alone but today is their day to stand atop and survey what they have accomplished. For tomorrow is another day and I know that Trent, Jon, Lindsey, Rick and Norit have already set new goals and new sights for their continued journey forward.
Dean Desrosiers
Black Belt Extravaganza notes from the sidelines...
Trent, Jon, Lindsey, Rick and Norit well done!
Today I witnessed a stunning event. It was the end of a long journey for some yet for all, the beginning a new journey and a new path: The achievement of Black Belt for Trent, Jon, Lindsey, Rick and Norit.
In today’s mixed martial arts crazed world where ultimate fighting, kung fu, ju jitsu, wrestling and every manner of “fighting” technique has become the topic rigor for young and old alike, there remains, largely behind the scenes and out of the spot light, martial arts schools, instructors and students enduring to achieve black belt as a path to mental and physical health. Day in and day out, students collect and are guided by their instructors through the multitude of steps, tests, techniques, patterns, meanings that challenge the mental and physical capacity of all.
For Trent, Jon, Lindsey, Rick and Norit, their day was today and what a day it was. Prior to their black belt extravaganza they have accomplished the following.
-have trained a minimum of 350 and up to 700 hours of instructional time.
-have performed 27 informal stripe gradings and 8 formal belt gradings.
-wrote a graded thesis about understanding the true meaning of the art and science of Tae Kwon Do and;
-performed 50 random acts of kindness in the past week.
This is what the brochure says and completion of this list is no easy task.
What is missing from this description are the hundreds upon hundreds of push ups, sit ups, kicks, punches, steps taken while running, jumping, hand shaking fellow students and perhaps most important, bows to the master instructor and to senior and fellow students. Also missing is the recognition, praise and support required (and given) by fellow students and instructors along the way to achievement.
Unlike the glamour and glitz of the mixed martial arts fighting world, many martial arts schools teach respect, integrity and honour along with the ability to fight, defend ones self and to perform the physical tasks with skill and accuracy. Of course, many of today’s top performing mixed martial arts athletes practice a high level of respect, integrity and honour, the fact remains that the prize is awarded to the winner of the fight, not the most honourable. And certainly, this is the way it should be but isn’t it a bonus when the champion and the winner also embodies the high standard of respect, integrity and honour?
So today, on this grand day, the champions are those not only identified by their skill but also their high standard to respect and integrity. For the audience, fellow students and training partners each pattern, technique, punch and kick embodies much more than a physical movement. Each action symbolizes the culmination of years of practice and training. Each action witnessed is a celebration of their achievement and a reaffirmation of their attainment of Blackbelt.
Trent’s knowledge of the meanings and curriculum is outstanding and his defense against two attacking black belts was just excellent. Jon makes the patterns come alive with his crisp kicks and powerful yet graceful punches. Lindsey’s speed and accuracy is a marvel to watch and she seems to elevate her game when attacked by two men during her self-defense demonstration. Rick’s all round skill is evident but it is his accuracy during his patterns and his board breaking that strengthens his martial arts presence. And Norit’s grace and accuracy are just wonderful to witness. It is easy to imagine her turning kick knocking off the tallest opponent before he or she knew what hit them.
I am truly humbled by the display of skill at Quest’s Academy’s Black Belt Extravaganza. They say that no one climbs the big mountain alone but today is their day to stand atop and survey what they have accomplished. For tomorrow is another day and I know that Trent, Jon, Lindsey, Rick and Norit have already set new goals and new sights for their continued journey forward.
Dean Desrosiers
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