Buy or Sell Utah County Real Estate with Susan Jackson, CENTURY 21 Bushnell REALTOR®

March 30, 2009

Creative Outlet

Once Upon a Time Series I’ve been writing the past few months. It is something I have wanted to do for years but it has always been one of those, “Maybe someday” ambitions.

I had a million reasons to put it off: Not sure how to do it, not sure what to write, Where to start, etc.
I knew if I would just sit down and start writing, it would come, but I also knew it would a big committment to sit down and actually start.

I finally did sit down and started writing when we got back from our vacation to Belize in August. Something about that vacation made me think “maybe someday” needed to be now or it never would be. I painfully sat down and started writing. I wrote a pretty good excerpt but over the next few days, I started tearing it apart and I didn’t like it. So, I sat down again and started over. Same thing happened.

By the third or fourth try, I started writing and I just kept going. I reached a place in the story where I thought, “Wow, I think I just wrote a chapter.” It was a very satisfying feeling.

Over the next few days, I expected to hate it like I did my other attempts. I didn’t. I sat down again and continued on with the story. It kept going and going. Now, several months later, I am still working on my story. I absolutely love it. I feel stressed out when I can’t write for a few days. I think about it when I am not writing and long to get back to it. It is an amazing project…, or amazing that I have found something I am passionate about besides scuba diving. I can only dive a few times a year. I can write almost anytime.

Well, this post has nothing to do with real estate. It is pretty personal but I guess my point is that I want to encourage people to not put off their dreams until “someday.”

I may not be writing the next “Harry Potter”, I may not even get published, but I am loving the creative outlet. I can’t believe I put this hobby off for so long. It has enriched my life and I could have started enjoying this much sooner. Nothing was stopping me, except me.

Filed under: Blogroll, Personal — Susan @ 7:45 pm

Comments (3)

March 25, 2009

The Boomers Want to Move

I’ve been hearing about the Baby Boomers all of my life and I have to admit, I never really understood what they were until just a few years ago…1)I think the first explanation I heard of what it meant, so long ago, was a very poor explanation and 2) I really didn’t care enough to explore it farther.

Apparently, I am a Baby Boomer! I was born at the tail-end of the time frame for the Boomers. That surprised me.

Apparently, the Boomers have been good for the real estate market over the decades and they continue keep the market lively.

It is projected that 1 in 4 will move from his/her current home. They are wanting to move into single-level living homes that are more comfortable and convenient.

79% hope to stay in their current homes for as long as possible but some don’t think they will be able to stay much longer.

Some of the desired amenities that they are saying they will want are better climate, closer to family and friends and just an overall better home.

Filed under: Real Estate — Susan @ 10:30 am

Comments (2)

March 23, 2009

March 20, 2009

Stats on Homes over $500,000

Homes Over $500,000– Utah County
		Active	Homes	YTD	Sales %	Active	Sold
		Listings	Sold	Sales	of Listings	DOM	DOM

JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN	2000	114	2	2	1.8%	142	342
JUL	2000	116	5	7	4.3%	121	77
AUG	2000	118	3	10	2.5%	162	94
SEP	2000	118	3	13	2.5%	166	161
OCT	2000	119	3	16	2.5%	164	24
NOV	2000	107	0	16	0.0%	164	0
DEC	2000	105	2	18	1.9%	161	285


JAN	2001	117	1	1	0.9%	114	112
FEB	2001	115	4	5	3.5%	142	120
MAR	2001	132	4	9	3.0%	114	121
APR	2001	146	5	14	3.4%	113	106
MAY	2001	167	1	15	0.6%	109	145
JUN	2001	178	2	17	1.1%	113	128
JUL	2001	183	1	18	0.5%	122	54
AUG	2001	172	9	27	5.2%	133	221
SEP	2001	170	4	31	2.4%	143	129
OCT	2001	159	2	33	1.3%	141	228
NOV	2001	147	3	36	2.0%	163	75
DEC	2001	147	3	39	2.0%	174	105
		Change				Yearly Total	126

JAN	2002	175	5	5	2.9%	152	161
FEB	2002	181	0	5	0.0%	148	0
MAR	2002	193	5	10	2.6%	142	289
APR	2002	208	3	13	1.4%	124	138
MAY	2002	199	7	20	3.5%	136	293
JUN	2002	212	7	27	3.3%	146	200
JUL	2002	210	5	32	2.4%	143	125
AUG	2002	214	7	39	3.3%	145	132
SEP	2002	204	3	42	1.5%	149	479
OCT	2002	217	4	46	1.8%	141	36
NOV	2002	219	6	52	2.7%	147	62
DEC	2002	207	2	54	1.0%	164	16
		Change		38%		Yearly Total	161

JAN	2003	206	1	1	0.5%	154	80
FEB	2003	204	7	8	3.4%	158	77
MAR	2003	196	2	10	1.0%	144	39
APR	2003	212	5	15	2.4%	135	43
MAY	2003	219	3	18	1.4%	143	143
JUN	2003	196	9	27	4.6%	151	100
JUL	2003	192	12	39	6.3%	152	59
AUG	2003	195	7	46	3.6%	149	50
SEP	2003	190	6	52	3.2%	150	188
OCT	2003	167	5	57	3.0%	168	33
NOV	2003	162	7	64	4.3%	165	130
DEC	2003	155	6	70	3.9%	164	91
		Change		30%		Yearly Total	86

JAN	2004	152	5	5	3.3%	179	182
FEB	2004	163	3	8	1.8%	156	248
MAR	2004	183	2	10	1.1%	161	92
APR	2004	201	7	17	3.5%	127	118
MAY	2004	213	7	24	3.3%	108	98
JUN	2004	214	9	33	4.2%	130	135
JUL	2004	210	12	45	5.7%	130	127
AUG	2004	212	13	58	6.1%	120	94
SEP	2004	213	11	69	5.2%	129	107
OCT	2004	204	7	76	3.4%	131	144
NOV	2004	199	9	85	4.5%	144	32
DEC	2004	193	10	95	5.2%	143	124
		Change		36%		Yearly Total	119


JAN	2007	559	27	27	4.8%	92	81
FEB	2007	600	21	48	3.5%	90	100
MAR	2007	647	26	74	4.0%	83	78
APR	2007	707	35	109	5.0%	78	84
MAY	2007	755	42	151	5.6%	75	82
JUN	2007	771	44	195	5.7%	81	72
JUL	2007	822	51	246	6.2%	79	103
AUG	2007	827	33	279	4.0%	82	56
SEP	2007	851	17	296	2.0%	87	104
OCT	2007	855	20	316	2.3%	93	78
NOV	2007	830	16	332	1.9%	102	105
DEC	2007	797	13	345	1.6%	108	59

JAN	2008	775	12	12	1.5%	108	80
FEB	2008	805	11	23	1.4%	113	115
MAR	2008	856	14	37	1.6%	116	136
APR	2008	901	10	47	1.1%	118	50
MAY	2008	846	22	69	2.6%	116	81
JUN	2008	825	21	90	2.5%	78	119
JUL	2008	780	32	122	4.1%	127	127
AUG	2008	729	32	154	4.4%	137	105
SEP	2008	676	18	172	2.7%	132	88
OCT	2008	601	10	182	1.7%	138	133
NOV	2008	555	22	204	4.0%	145	133
DEC	2008	540	7	211	1.3%	141	99

JAN	2009	511	10	10	2.0%	142	172
FEB	2009
MAR	2009

Filed under: Real Estate — Susan @ 6:12 pm

Comments (0)

March 16, 2009

Utah’s Health Reform, HB188

Utah’s HB188, being called “landmark legislation,” was signed into law March 11, 2009.

Governor Huntsman said, “The bills improve the affordability, accessibility and portability of policies, and make the market more transparent,… that there isn’t another state in America that wouldn’t want to trade places with where we are with this legislation. These four pieces really do put us at the forefront of health system reform.”

My husband, S. David Jackson, was sitting in a meeting about 2 years ago, listening to Dr. Norman Thurston, of the Utah Department of Health Care Reform and approached him after the meeting. He invited Dr. Thurston to attend a board meeting at his company, FirstWest Benefit Solutions, to discuss his ideas.

As my husband listened to the conversation between Dr. Thurston and his business partners, he had an epiphany. My husband says he knew how to accomplish a private sector reform with some government facilitation and when he explained it, Dr. Thurston agreed to collaborate with FirstWest. He enlisted the help of my husband and other members of FirstWest and after hundreds of hours of hard work, a few threats from his industry peers and insurance companies, this plan, the nations first defined contribution insurance portal became a reality.

My husband was invited to attend the signing ceremony and may possibly end up with an appointment to the new board which will govern the new defined contribution exchange (portal). He has also been invited to visit Massechusetts’ health care reform, The Commonwealth Connector, a socialist, state-run program in April to discuss their plan and compare notes. Utah was, at one time, considering using that plan as a model for Utah. Dave says he knew he, as well as most Utahns would have “no appetite” for that kind of program, but is excited to discuss our plan with them and compare notes.

It has been an exciting time around my house the last few months as my husband would give me his agenda for the day: Meetings with the Head Fellow from the Heritage Foundation, Various Legislators and Senators, (one Representative even came to my house for a meeting), and the Governor’s staff.

My husband has done some amazing things in his lifetime. This is not the first time I have had reason to feel complete awe for his talents, skill, and accomplishments. It does rate really high in excitement though.

Filed under: Blogroll, Community, Personal — Susan @ 5:03 am

Comments (2)

March 13, 2009

March 12, 2009

That is my kind of Vacation

This sounds like my kind of invitation. For best results, click on the “full screen” mode. It is a slideshow, so you need to click on the “next” arrow after each picture.

http://www.authorstream.com/presentation/phildavi-87976-bbq-invitation-bbqinvitation-travel-places-nature-ppt-powerpoint/

Filed under: Real Estate — Susan @ 11:10 am

Comments (0)

March 11, 2009

American Idol Guessing

American Idol is on later tonight than I am used to and I am bored and anxious while waiting for it. Not only do I have to wait, while there is nothing else on, but I will wait a while for the DVR to get ahead so we can fast-forward through the millions of commercials.

So, which 2 do you think are going home tonight.

Filed under: Real Estate — Susan @ 7:52 pm

Comments (0)

March 10, 2009

March 7, 2009

Mandates on Mortgages

There is a lot of talk about forcing mortgage companies to give homeowners a break with one proposed solution or other. I know the intentions are well-meaning and we all sympathize with the problem so many are facing right now with ARMs, foreclosures, etc.

While I am hopeful, or wishful that we can find a suitable solution to get our economy, including the housing market, on a healthier road, I think some of the suggestions are pretty short sighted.

If at any point, we decide to tell the lenders that they will be forced to stop charging interest, or they must not be allowed to expect to get their investment back, even if for a set amount of time, I am afraid the housing market will be thrown into an unrecoverable spin.

The housing market depends on people who have money and are willing to invest that money by making it available to home buyers. I’ve heard a lot of disparaging talk about the “greedy” mortgage lenders, but the truth is, only a very small percentage of the population would own their own homes if it weren’t for these investors.

Their sole goal for making their money available is to make a profit. You can detest them all you want for their “greed” just because they want to invest their money wisely and watch it grow. Not everyone is content to watch their income stay exactly the same their entire lives, or spend every penny they earn on frivolity, or run every credit card to the max.

If the government suddenly says, “Sorry, even though you thought you were going to get your investment back with interest, Too Bad!” Who will ever want to invest their money in mortgages again? I fear it could kill the whole housing industry.

Homeownership would become a thing of the past.

Maybe the government will start providing our housing for us?

Chicago Housing Authority”s Ida B. Wells Housing Project at Pershing and King Drive, Chicago.

Filed under: Buying, Community, Credit & Finances, Real Estate, Renting, Selling — Susan @ 1:27 pm

Comments (1)

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