About Lee County, MS

This just came to mind while returning to my office this afternoon. As most would know in these parts (the birthplace of Elvis), the landmark Tupelo Hardware Co. is where Elvis purportedly purchased his first guitar. The antique glass and wood display counter that held this guitar still resides at Tupelo Hardware Co., and is still in use with wares for sale on top and in the display case. Of course, a space inside is reserved for Elvis memorabilia. The glass top of the counter that was once clear glass, is now opaque after who knows how many world travelers have rubbed the top of the display as if they were rubbing a genie's magic lamp or for good luck. Who knows? The Tupelo Hardware Co. is an Elvis tour stopping point, and is graced outside with a stone and bronze plaque in memory of the King. I drive by the hardware store almost daily and usually make no mind of the landmark.

What inspired me to think about posting this was an item in the Tupelo Hardware Co. window that caught my attention today. This item has probably been there for a long time, I don't know, but I have never noticed it. In the window of the Tupelo Hardware Co., along with a cardboard knockout of Elvis, a accoustic guitar, a small tricycle, a red Radio-Flyer wagon, a bronze rooster wind vane, and other miscellaneous "stuff" is, get this........ a snow sled! A two-runner snow sled, of the same variety that everyone in the snow belt has either owned at one time or has had a friend that had one. Now, what is so strange about this is that we are not the snow belt!

Last Saturday morning, Tupelo woke up to nearly 3 inches of snow. The first measurable amount in over 5 years. Now, did that shop owner put that sled there just because of the recent snow, or has it always been there? Why? Why would the Tupelo Hardware Co. carry a product that could rarely be used, and even more unlikely, sold? I think it icould be a dramatic way of advertising to the consumer "Come On In, We have Everything You Need!"

Now, I think to myself...as an individual, do I need to be more cognizant of things around me everyday or, as a Realtor, am I missing something important in my real estate advertising message? Could I be using something as subtle as this to gain more customers? Do you have a sled in your advertising message?

Of course, you can now bet that I will look for that sled every time I drive by.

I was just leaving a comment on someone else's post and it turned in to a venting session so much so that it is worthy of being it's own post.

We hear so much stuff about foreclosures and that it can happen to anybody and that is pretty much a bunch of bunk. The reasons for foreclosures today are mostly two-fold. One, the bank should have never left their comfort zone! Face It - They got greedy and relaxed their lending requirements. Two, People today have got to have everything! The Gen X'ers, Gen Y'ers, and now we have the upcoming "Entitlement Generation". When folks today cannot even count change back at a cash register or they need a calculator to tell them how much change, how can one expect these folks to even manage or even know their own finances. Many have taken advantage of the bank's liberal lending policies and don't even know their own financial weaknesses. They just have to have more house than they can afford. They have to have everything today like the huge flatscreen TV's, large SUV's, X-Box's, the fanciest cell phones, Blackberry's and on, and on, and on. So who is at fault for not being able to pay their mortgate when they work and receive a paycheck?

Does anyone stop to think that our number one priority always has been and should be today...our mortgage! NOPE! First, we have to pay the huge cable bill with all the PPV channels, On-Demand bills, internet service, cell phone bills, gas for the SUV, Nintendo games, Wii, Pizza, the fancy schmancies and so on. We all need to get back to realty where previous generations used to be. I agree that all the gadgets and gizmo's are fine and neat and all that, but they have become all consuming. The young ones today want everything and they want it now, and dare not realize that it took their parents or grandparents 30 to 40 years to get where they are. So there, I'm done venting....time for a Starbucks. So jump into the SUV spend $3 in gas to get there and and while I'm enjoying my $6 cafee latee, I'll be thinking about how to make my mortgage payment this month. Gee, I wonder what it would be like to have some health insurance. Another Latee please!

For those that have lost their homes for reasons other than those mentioned above, I apologize. This blog is about self-indulgence and ignorances. I don't mean to offend the hard working and financially responsible class of people that deserve good jobs and nice homes.

Footnote: A good number of foreclosures in our area today are not big expensive homes. They are modestly priced homes that, when making a comparison to renting, would be in the same cost catagory. If they can't afford the mortgage payment, how in the world can they even afford the same rent!

Visit www.exitpreview.com to search for foreclosures in the Tupelo area market.