Global Markets Need our real estate recovery

Well, obviously I haven't been here to Zolve for almost a year. I stop into Active Rain every couple days still, but frankly the last year has been tough for us all. Here's the thrust of today's thought though:

The entire global economy needs the US real estate market to recover. We as real estate professionals in the United States become perhaps the most important cog in the entire global financial system! Are you prepared for that kind of pressure?

Three kinds of professionals remain in our industry:

• Predator bottom feeders - still reveling in the "cut throat prices" mantra and looking to low ball everything they can touch. Please stay away from me, go hang with your ambulance chasing attorney friends.
  
• Barely alive - professionals that are barely hanging in there after being beat up and losing all of their working capital. Home builders are the best example and they need your help.
  
• Real Estate.net - low working capital requirements, willing to shoulder the responsibility of not only selling and financing but communicating the recovery to the world. Say it, and say it loudly.

Which one are you? Got the guts to step up and call it a bottom and a recovery?

I'll be the first to say "YES" - we've hit the bottom and values are starting to come back up, mortgage rates are probably too low, and this whole sub-prime thing has been overblown. We'll do our part here in NW Indiana to say it's time to lead the way out of this slump and into a Global Economic Recovery. Although the market fundamentals may have been weak for the last two years, going forward they are improving.

Ways to reach me:

• Northwest Indiana Mortgages
• Northwest Indiana on Twitter
• Northwest Indiana Real Estate
• Northwest Indiana Politics
• Porter County Indiana Politics

Northwest Indiana Attorney General Debate

The readers of this site will remember the convention competition early this summer, wherein Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas lost to Deputy Attorney General Greg Zoeller. It was hard fought, but clean and professional. After he lost, Mayor Costas not only endorsed Zoeller but he also asked to chair the campaign.

This site has wholeheartedly endorsed Greg Zoeller for Attorney General of the State of Indiana, and we hope you can make time to attend the debate, here's the announcement on NWI Connect today:

AG hopefuls to debate in Hammond

Democrat Linda Pence and Republican Greg Zoeller will debate at Purdue Calumet on Tuesday, October 21st. Of course I can't find anything about this on Purdue Cal's website, but it is in the NWI Times. What's up with local colleges not posting political events on their public calendars? Recently Bob Barr spoke at Valparaiso University and not a word about was to be found on the Valpo website. Oh well. Sorry to get on a tangent.

The debate will take place at noon on the Hammond campus. Further details are pending. Zoeller, who defeated Valparaiso mayor Jon Costas as the Republican Indiana AG nominee, specifically pushed for the debate to held in Northwest Indiana. NWI Connect fully supports Greg Zoeller for AG! Be sure to watch the debates if you can!

The bottom in housing - Fueling demand

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Need a mortgage in Northwest Indiana I made my first announcement a few days ago on Active Rain, and am now moving this blog toward a mortgage business and consumer information basis. If you live in Northwest Indiana and need assistance with a mortgage, I'd love to meet or talk by phone - or email even.

I spent the last 10 years in investment real estate and home building, and learned a ton about helping first time buyers find affordable homes and use creative programs to buy. Don't let the media tell you that this is bad time to buy.

• Home prices may have dipped a bit, but not much, and they are prone to go right back up later this year.
• FHA mortgage programs are still aggressive, available, and healthy
• Credit repair may be needed, and that's fine, I'm glad to work with you to get you ready to buy or refinance your home loan

I used to have a funny running joke with a friend that when we got a haircut, we changed up our attitudes too. Well today is just one of those kind of turning (or tipping) point days.

For the last year I spent the bulk of my time shutting down our home building company. The emotional toll was heavy and frankly I really loved building homes for first time buyers. But, that market was so beat up by the hurricane like winds of media attacks, sub-prime fallout, commercial bank vision failures and then job losses ... that I really needed some new challenges.

I have always loved the mortgage business, actually started my career as a loan orginator in Indianapolis. So I am boldly going into the storm, while happily sadly watching many others leave. Those of you that know my personality and temperment, know that I follow politics closely. It is my heartfelt belief that we turned some important corners this year: the potential for a woman in the White House, finally settling the score on Fannie and Freddie so they can be re-tooled, and I'm hoping that in the next couple weeks the final resolution of the FHA down payment assistance program. (as an aside I'm pulling for a full re-instatement)

I will be using today to write my business plan for jumping back into mortgage origination, and if you've got advice, I'm open. I know we're all beat up, and sick of the media piling on, but I really think it's a fine time to buy a home today. I posted on my Mortgage Blog that rates are dropping and the Fed may even cut again tomorrow.

It's time for a haircut, funny if you know how little hair I have, and some new challenges!