Joe Buffington, GRI, CDPE

There are 3 (and only 3) keys to success and they all start with the letter A. Aptitude, amplitude, and (most important) attitude. Sports creates so many great analogies because the results can be so clear and concise.

Aptitude- Michael Phelps had the god given ability to swim fast...No question about that. However, there are many other good swimmers who have better physical traits, but they are not great. Why?

Amplitude-No matter how much god given talent Phelps has, he had to jump in the pool every day and train. Showing up seems like the easiest part of the success, but consistency is vital to greatness. But even showing up doesn't guarantee greatness. Why?

Attitude-Above all this is the most significant key to success. Phelps had to dream that he would be able to set the record. Without that goal, getting out of bed at 5am to swim in the same boring pool, every morning, would have been near impossible. Consider this, Phelps had the worlds largest bull's eye on him. Phelps could have caved in mentally with all the pressure the media and competition placed on his shoulders, but he didn't. Why? Because he dreamed that he would win.

Here is the Olney Area (Olney, Brookeville, Brinklow, Ashton, and Sandy Spring) supply and demand chart for April 2008. The Red lines are the active homes, blue under contract, and green are sold. The absorption rate is determined by the number of homes on the market and the number of homes selling that month.

We actually saw the absorption rates climb over May 07 numbers. That is a great sign of a healthy real estate market.

Absorption Rates:

May 2008 14.2% absorption rate

May 2007 12.4% absorption rate

May 2006 19.9% absorption rate

Here is the Clarksburg Area (Clarksburg, Hyattstown, and Boyds) supply and demand chart for April 2008. The Red lines are the active homes, blue under contract, and green are sold. The absorbtion rate is determined by the number of homes on the market and the number of homes selling that month.

After modest gains in April we saw the absorption rate fall a bit in May.

Absorbtion Rates:

May 2008 6.3% absorption rate

May 2007 10.4% absorption rate

May 2006 6.8% absorption rate

Here is the Clarksburg Area (Clarksburg, Hyattstown, and Boyds) supply and demand chart for April 2008. The Red lines are the active homes, blue under contract, and green are sold. The absorbtion rate is determined by the number of homes on the market and the number of homes selling that month.

Actually the asorbtion rate went up compared to last year. Few areas in Montgomery County can boast that stat.

Absorbtion Rates:

April 2008 8.3% absorbtion rate

April 2007 5.1% absorbtion rate

April 2006 9.1% absorbtion rate

Here is the Olney Area (Olney, Brookeville, Brinklow, Ashton, and Sandy Spring) supply and demand chart for April 2008. The Red lines are the active homes, blue under contract, and green are sold. The absorbtion rate is determined by the number of homes on the market and the number of homes selling that month.

Absorbtion Rates:

April 2008 15.7% absorption rate

April 2007 16.9% absorption rate

April 2006 16.8% absorption rate