Lafayette, IN

Sage Interiors of Lafayette, owned by James Jewell, CID, was one of 30 businesses selected throughout the State of Indiana to participate as a mentor in the Future Workforce Connection pilot program developed by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

This program matches carefully chosen Indiana Senior High School educators as interns with active professionals in their fields to increase their knowledge and hands-on experience in the specific field that they teach. It also provides for the mentor to be directly involved with the educator's students in the year following completion of the internship period.

Jewel was matched with Connie Wiese, a Jefferson High School educator in interior design, textiles, home economics, and restaurant/hospitality skills. She participated in client visits, learned to do SageMixes, and worked on window treatment projects, especially the new "green" treatments. Both mentor and intern were please with the results of the program, and Wiese's students stand to benefit from her involvement.

Wow, when they called today's real estate market a "shifting market," they were right on target. It keeps shifting, and shifting, and shifting ... Every time we turn on the news there's a new development that affects our economy and therefore the ability of buyers to "buy" and the sellers to "sell."

SHIFT, the most recent book by Gary Keller, co-founder and Chairman of Keller Williams Realty Inc., begins with the following paragraph: "The Real Estate Market has shifted drastically and dramatically. Sales volume and the number of transactions have dropped significantly. Inventory has reached an all-time high. Buyers have never been more reluctant. Fear is rampant, anxiety is high, and people are getting out of the business left and right. Sounds familiar? Sure it does. The year was 1979!"

Does it make us feel better to know that this has happened before? What did we learn from it in 1979? Fast forward to 1987 and it happened again. Changing tax laws this time had a disastrous affect again. Well guess what? History repeats itself. Now we are faced with this again, in 2008 but this time there are real differences.

In 1979 mortgage interest rates topped 18 percent. Last week buyers were still getting approved at under 6 percent through local lenders. That is a huge difference! Today's sellers, with the help of their real estate agents, are becoming realistic with today's pricing, bringing our market back on track.

The real estate business is "cyclical." An experienced real estate agent and a mortgage broker will understand this and be prepared to give counsel that is in tune with the current market. Remember though, the news you heard last week is "old news," so stay in touch with your local, trusted real estate agent for updates on this ever changing market.

We are participating in seminars, conference calls, webinars, and many other training events to stay on top of the game to better assist you.

Real estate remains your single most valuable asset if handled correctly.

Your real estate consultant,

Erin Romanski

Keller Williams Realty Lafayette

(765) 532-6148

erin@romanskigroup.com