Chris Payton

When I first got the call telling me about the death of my friend Teresa, I just wasn't too shocked. She had been ill for years with a variety of ailments, and had been a 2+ pack-a-day smoker since age 13. She smoked up until her last breath, even though she had to remove oxygen tubes from her nose to do so. It just wasn't a shock when her daughter called to tell me she had passed.

I've never smoked cigarettes, and only tried once. I was 15, and with my friend, we made a feeble attempt to become "cool" (Disclaimer: I have never been cool, never claimed coolness in any form or fashion, and coolness in general has eluded me throughout my life...even when I was a musician...but I digress).

I remember the incident going something like this: I put the cigarette in my mouth, and immediately felt slightly cooler. I felt older & wiser, and thought, "this will be fun!". I was so wrong. My friend brought the flame to the end of the thing and I, not knowing any better and wanting to do it right, sucked the smoke down deeply into my pure, pink, healthy lungs, and immediately had them reward me with an explosion of hoarse, painful coughs that dispelled any doubt that I was, indeed, uncool. It seemed like 10 minutes of hacking, and once it subsided (and still desperate for coolness), I mistakenly thought "well, it was my first time...my lungs are prepared for it now...here we go again!" I was more careful that second time, and I inhaled more slowly, but was greeted with the same reaction....another onslaught of wracking, hacking and chest pain...not to mention the sore, dry throat and mucus streaming out of every orifice in my face. Once I'd expelled the last of the poison from my lungs, I came to the sad conclusion that I'm not and never will be cool enough to smoke. Never.

How could anyone get past that first encounter with smoking? How could someone get addicted to that?

That brings me back to Teresa. Her death hit me full force at her funeral. She was 55 but looked 70 in her casket. Looking into her face for the last time, I saw that 13 year old girl trying to be cool. I looked at her family and friends all grieving...and knew that most of them are smokers, too. I started sobbing right then.

I know it's an addiction, but addicts get well every day, with help. It'll be difficult, and please don't think I'm judging...I just hate seeing families hurt by this addiction. If you're reading this and you smoke, please please please try to stop.

Contrary to popular belief...it's just not cool.

If you haven't owned a home in the past 3 years, and want the "First Time Homebuyer" $8000 Tax Credit, contact me today to see if you qualify!

1. You can't have had ownership in a home in the past 3 years.

2. You must qualify for a home loan (FHA, VA, Conventional, etc.).

3. You must purchase your home in 2009.

If you'd like a Great Realtor to help you in the homebuying process, call me and I'll help you find a great Realtor in YOUR area (any state!), or, if you're in Northwest Arkansas area, I'd be happy to help you personally!

I hope you're able to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to buy a home...call or email me today to find out if you'll qualify....no matter where you live in the United States!

I have a beef...

I am tired of the media scaring home buyers! I understand the economic crisis is dire, and many people have lost their jobs, or their homes, or their retirement...I really do understand that, and sympathize.

BUT...for those of us who are lucky enough to live in an area that was not over-inflated at the beginning of this downturn, had low unemployment then and now, and is a truly wonderful place to live...I just wish they'd cut it out!

Being informed and being inundated with negativity are two entirely different things.

Let us all remember...Real Estate is the best and most safe way for people to build savings, and, in some cases, wealth! Real Estate prices go up and down, but for those of you who have been buying Real Estate for 20 years or so...do you remember how much you paid for your first house? I'll bet is wasn't much compared to the next purchase, or the next, or the next! I bought my first house for $6,000. I sold it for $10,000. I know many people have wished that they had bought Real Estate instead of investing in the Stock Market right about now!

Even though things aren't so good now, just keep these things in mind...

1. As long as you can afford the monthly payment, pay at or under appraisal value, and plan on living there a few years, you're probably going to be fine, as long as you follow the advise of your Real Estate Agent & Lender.

2. You have to live somewhere...why not pay rent to yourself, instead of your landlord?

3. Don't overbuy! Buy a home that fits your lifestyle and fits your budget. If the bank says you qualify to buy a $300,000 home, shoot for $200,000, or whatever constitutes a payment that would be comfortable "rent" for you.

4. Remember...you have tax deductions as a homeowner that you don't have as a renter!

5. Get advice from your Real Estate Agent and ask them for statistics regarding prices in your area!

6. There are lots of good deals out there now! If you have 'fix-up' skills, buy a distressed property, a bank repo, etc., and get some instant "sweat equity"! (Just make sure to get a good home inspection!)

7. Have your Real Estate Agent negotiate your best deal...sellers that really need to sell quickly or banks with a huge inventory of repos are VERY negotiable right now.

This is my personal opinion, though biased. Land is the only thing they're not making more of. Real Estate Prices have gone up since the beginning of time. Occasionally, prices do go down, but that's a great time to buy! And that time is now.

I want to make clear that I wouldn't want someone to buy who is not going to be able to make that payment. But happily, since the banks are under so much more scrutiny now, they don't lend to anyone who can't make the payments.

If you're thinking of taking advantage of this great market and want to build a future by buying some Real Estate...well, just call me! We can talk about it, and I can send you in the right direction!

I just remembered it...

I was working away at my desk, getting ready to call one of my sellers, and I looked out the window. The day is gloomy, with grey clouds revealing none of the brilliant blue September sky. I tend to move slower on these kind of days, and I felt much like a child sitting in school, waiting for the recess bell to ring.

Then it popped into my head. Today's 9-11. Seven years have passed since that date became infamous. I started to feel sad, but then it hit me.

The people that died that day wouldn't want us to be sad today. They would want us to rejoice that the sky will be blue again. That we can move, even if it's slowly. That the recess bell will ring soon.

Even though the Real Estate Market has slowed down...almost to a standstill in some cases....we have to remember that the sun did rise this morning, and will set this evening. And if we're one of the lucky ones to see it rise again tomorrow, we should be grateful inside ourselves, and show that we're grateful to all that we meet.

Today is someone's Birthday. Someone's Anniversary. Someone somewhere is celebrating a new baby. And someone is grieving the loss of a loved one.

Of course we should never forget that day in history, and should remember the lives lost and the families who will never be the same. But most of all, let's remember that life is Good. And those of us fortunate enough to be here today, on September 11, 2008, should dance, sing, laugh, and, if you choose to, pray.

Have a WONDERFUL day!