JAMES COLLINS

Over the years I tend to see my sales activity at its slowest during the month of December for many reasons.

I don't fight it, I just use it to my advantage and take the extra time to prepare for the next year. Doing continuing education, marketing design, revamping marketing tools and mentally gaining an edge to spend every weekend doing open houses.

I still try to make sales during the month but there is an opportunity to prepare, so I take it.

I figure many do the same as it is a common concept.

The new law extends until April 30, 2010. This is the new deadline for closing escrow for first-time homebuyers to receive a credit worth up to $8,000. The credit was going to expire Nov. 30. It also adds a credit worth up to $6,500 for taxpayers who buy a replacement primary home provided they have lived in their existing home for at least 5 of the past 8 years.

I am not sure that this is a resolution but it sure does give first time home buyer's an incentive to buy. The only thing is I am seeing a ton of FHA buyers at 3% down purchasing homes under this new option.

Is this really the best idea? Buying a home is a great idea, but to rush into a purchase because of the tax credit when you have no equity seems like a high risk endeavor.

I feel like this is clearing inventory and puting new homeowners in a high risk situations for the future, especially if they lose thier job etc.

It seems as though the 20% down buyer's are becoming a thing of the past, especially with first time home buyers.

I am interested in hearing what people say to this question.

I am looking for new ideas on how to answer this question when interviewing for a listing. Hopefully there will be some ways to improve my presentation.

I do not think that it is just a simple answer either. I think that there are many ways to look at this question and ways to answer it.

Many times I find that my response is catered to that particular situation and seller......

Every year we dread the winter market. As it is statistically much slower than the spring/summer/fall markets. Secondly who likes showing homes in the rain or on Christmas day?

Joking aside, I am curious to what people think our winter market will be like? Does it appear that we will be repeating 2008? Where we see another drop in values as the inventory increases? It certainly seems as though inventory will increase.

My gut tells me the winter will be similar to last year but the expectations for the spring will be positive, which I am not sure if that translates to a better 2010 year in real estate.

Any thoughts?

Now Chase,

They are impossible to make contact with, they continue to put you off and never give you a straight answer.

I would love to hear some positive results dealing with this bank. Any info would be appreciated as it has been months of waiting for an negotiator.