Tammy Laakso

This country will see some big changes this year.

President Obama has made it clear! There will be changes!

I look to these changes with a hopeful outlook. Our country is in a state of influx. Our ecomomy needs and boost our housing market needs a boost and car dealerships are flailing and the retail market is crunching numbers to try and survive.

People we have been here before! Things will get better! As the saying goes, "when times are tough, the tough get creative". Well, I'm not sure that is exactly how it goes, but it sounds better this way.

We need to get creative with our marketing strategies. We need to stand tall and firm with our integrity in place. We need to show others, that even though it's tough out there, we are here willing to serve with the outmost positive attitude and highest quality.

Today is the first real fall storm coming through the area.

It got me to thinking about all the noise the thunder produces. Then I started thinking about how much noise has been going around about the upcoming elections, the economy and the rise in prices.

This stream of thought has me thinking about the past years of this great country. History has a way of repeating itself. We see this over and again. The national economy slides down, stocks take hits and begin losing money and the price of everything rises.

Folks, the way the economy is today isn't antyhing new to this great nation. We have been here before. No, not to the exact extent, but near to it. Just as it has bounced back before, it will do it again.

People are still buying houses, cars and personal items for pleasure. People are still stocking away savings and waiting out the storm.

This storm will blow through! When it does will you still be standing?

I don't know about you out there in blogland. I find a lot of good information reading peoples blogs that are in the Real Estate business. They offer many insights and ideas.

I was reading over some of the blogs entered for today. I really find it interesting to read about the economy, staging houses, marketing tips, how to become wiser and more effective through the words of others.

So to all you bloggers out there, keep on blogging. It pays off even if people aren't responding. They are reading and learning.

Here are some ideas I have come up with to get a response from your blogs.

1. Ask questions that need a response.

2. Give advice or suggestions that people will want to follow up with you.

3. Seek other opinions and suggestions on topics that relate to Real Estate professionals.

4. Most of all make things interesting to read. Add a joke or two.

Here is a joke a heard today. Kind of corny, kind of funny.

A motorist, driving by a Texas ranch, hit and killed a calf that was crossing the road. The driver went to the owner of the calf and explained what had happened. He then asked what the animal was worth.

"Oh, about $200 today," said the rancher. "But in six years it would have been worth $900. So $900 is what I'm out."

The motorist sat down and wrote out a check and handed it to the rancher. "Here, he said, is a check for $900. It's postdated six years from now."

Small town Friday nights is spent at the high school stadium. Last night I tried driving past the high school and found myself amongst a crowd of people heading into the football stadium.

Our high school played the tough team of the league last night. There was so much talk about how the rival team was going to smoke our team. How we couldn't take them even if we wanted to.

The game ended up pretty tight. 6-14. We held the ball for the majority of the game, but towards the end, gave it away.

This can be said of how the professional field is played upon.

The ones that work hard to the end, wins. The ones that give in, lose.

There are many things in life that try to tackle us down. The harder we fight to stand our ground, the longer we stay on the field.

A lot can be said of those that stratigically plan their moves and move forward methodically with each play.

If we stay true to our course, then we too can be the stronger, tougher person.

In these tough economic times, we in real estate world need to plan, and stay focused on the goal ahead.

I have spent some time today reading through some of the blog's.

It is quite enlighting to read through what other proplr are posting.

One was on taking time out to relax. WOW! If that didn't hit home. There is so much to do each day, taking time to relax isn't always easy. We all need to do it, but how often to we actually stop to rejuvenate. To give our minds and body the break it needs.

A lot of them our on what state our economy is in and how it affects the real estate market. This is the biggest topic for the week. I know it is a concern to me, and from what I have been reading it seems to be a major concern to others.

I for one will say that Active Rain is not only a place to blog, it is also a place to get anwsers to the many questions that we in the real estate business may have each day.

So, here's my five cents worth. Those of you who are new to Active Rain, blog your heart away. It isn't all about the points you receive when you blog. It is also a way to get connected with others that are in your same field of expertise.

To this I say, Thank you Active Rain for allowing us to take part in a bigger picture across the many miles of this great country.