HARRY'S COLUMN

 

GREAT NEWS !!!

  

This week, Fred Crowley, Colorado Springs Senior Economist for the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs reports that El Paso County is pulling out of the recession. Jobs, housing numbers, car sales and the return of Fort Carson soldiers are some of the economic indicators that point to an emerging economy.

 

Crowley's comments reflect the findings contained in the Quarterly Updates and Estimates, published by the Southern Colorado Economic Forum, Volume 8, Number 1, July 31, 2009.

 

According to the report, real wages are expected to increase for several more months and building permit numbers are steady. Car sales are rebounding because of the Cash for Clunkers Program and sales tax revenues should see a spike because of the new troops at Fort Carson.

 

Crowley had predicted that the local economy would bottom out during the last quarter of 2008 and would begin to emerge during the first quarter of 2009 and the new report confirms that his prediction is coming true.

 

The Business Conditions Index now stands at 79.09, up from its March value of 70.4, a 12.35% improvement since March. The Business Conditions Index is a measure of 10 seasonally adjusted local economic indicators, including building permits, enplanements employment, sales tax, car sales, foreclosures and wages.

 

As our readers are aware, we have been predicting a dramatic improvement in our local real estate market by the third quarter of this year and this latest report supports that prediction.

 

This Quarterly report also includes a very informative section, "Coping with Economic Conditions, a Business Survey". We were honored to be a participant in this survey which included such topics as: Perceptions of the Economy, The Effects of the Recession on a Business Owner, Expectations about the Stimulus Package, etc. We think you will find it interesting.

 

Our community owes a debt of gratitude to UCCS for all of the research, time and expense they put into the preparation and dissemination of these reports.

 

If you would like to receive a free copy of the 23 page Quarterly Report, please email me your request at Harry@HarrySalzman.com and we will forward a copy to you.

 

Here's an added thought..There's an old saying that, in a recession, the two best ways of protecting your assets are gold and real estate. Well, that being the case, and considering that the "experts" are predicting runaway inflation next year, it looks like NOW is the time to consider acquiring rental property. The present Real Estate climate (low mortgage interest rates, motivated Sellers, large inventories, etc,) represents a great opportunity for savvy Buyers to protect their assets against inflation by investing in some high-quality rental properties. For that reason, we will feature more information about investment property opportunities in the next issue of our Weekly Update.

 

By the way, be sure to listen to our latest podcast about the current local market. The link is available at the top of this Update.

 

Finally, if you are interested in learning more about our emerging local economy, you should attend the upcoming 13th Annual Southern Colorado Economic Forum presented by the College of Business and Administration of UCCS at the Antlers Hilton Hotel on Oct. 30th, 2009. Be sure to make your reservations ASAP, to insure that you get a seat. In recent years, this event has been a "Sell Out" and many people without reservations have been turned away at the door. For more information, click on www.SouthernColoradoEconomicForum.com.

 

 

 

INNOVATION OVERLOAD

 

We are still recovering from an intensive week of seminars, workshops and demonstrations at the Inman Connect SF09 Exhibition in San Francisco. Over 1700 professionals attended this event, featuring over 45 educational sessions, plus a huge Trade Show, loaded with ideas. (We were the only participant from the Pikes Peak region). This whirlwind convention explored the Innovations that are now sweeping the real estate profession. Some of the topics explored were: The Open 3D House, 10 New Tools and Technologies, What Millions of People are Doing Online and Why it Matters to the Real Estate Industry,

 

While it was encouraging to learn that our recent offerings of the Job-Loss Protection Plan for Buyers and the Complete Market Surveys for Prospective Buyers fitted right in with the most current trends in our profession, it was also challenging to learn about all of the other new techniques for providing better services to our clients. It's really amazing to see how technology is changing our entire profession.

 

(If you would like to learn more about our Job Loss Protection Plan, or our Complete Market Survey, please give me a call, or contact me at Harry@HarrySalzman.com)

 

And, please remember, I would be honored to serve as your broker for all of your residential real estate needs.

 

Also if you know of anyone who desires to buy or sell local real estate, or, who is moving in or out of the Pikes Peak region, remember that, with over 37 years of providing relocation and Real Estate services to clients throughout the country, I am uniquely qualified to assist them with the relocation process, including buying and/or selling their homes on both ends of their move.

 

JOKE OF THE WEEK

 

In line with all of the current discussion about health care, we thought you might want to review the following list of:

 

Things You Do Not Want To Hear During Your Surgery,

 

Could you stop that thing from beating? It's throwing my concentration off..
What's this doing here?
I wish I hadn't forgotten my glasses.
Sterile, shcmerile. The floor's clean, right?
Anyone see where I left that scalpel?
Don't worry. I think it is sharp enough.
Darn! Page 47 of the manual is missing!

Ya know, there's big money in kidneys. Heck, the guy's got two of 'em.
Better save that. We'll need it for the autopsy.
Bo! Bo! Come back with that! Bad Dog!
Wait a minute, if this is his spleen, then what's that?
Hand me that....uh....that uh....thingie.
Oh no! I just lost my Rolex.