Keith Strawn

2008 will long be remembered as a year of financial turmoil, one in which stalwart financial institutions vaporized into thin air, and venerable American institutions like General Motors sailed perilously close to the rocks.

It is the year we saw friends, neighbors and relatives struggle to keep their homes amidst a real estate meltdown. But 2008 may have one more dubious distinction before it runs its course.

There is a very good chance that by day's end, two teams will have reached the NFL playoffs with a .500 record. So much for "earning" your way into the post-season.

If the 7-8 San Diego Chargers beat the 8-7 Denver Broncos (a very good likelihood) this afternoon, the Chargers will reach the playoffs as an 8-8 team. Meanwhile, the free-falling Arizona Cardinals, losers of four of their last five games, have already locked up their playoff spot by virtue of "winning" the miserable NFC West. They lose today (a decent likelihood), and the Cardinals also enter the playoffs at 8-8.

If this scenario unfolds, there will eight (one quarter of the league) teams who miss the playoffs despite having better records than these two pretenders who owe their "success" to playing in lousy divisions. The New England Patriots can win today, finish 11-5, and miss the playoffs.

This, my friends, is a disgrace, and an embarrassment to the notion of "playing" your way into the playoffs. This isn't even "backing" into the playoffs. This is being carried into the playoffs on a stretcher.

It's time to implement a simple change in NFL policy. Starting next year, if you can do no better than .500, you don't go to the playoffs. Just because you have the best record in a lousy division does not entitle you to a berth in the playoffs, while excellent 10-6 and 11-5 teams from strong divisions miss out.

This would be the most logical move in the world, and I can't imagine why any team owner, coach or fan would have a problem with it.

The only positive to come out of today's nightmare scenario would be the opportunity to see a bunch of guys give their coach a Gatorade bath and pop the bubbly in the locker room after an 8-8 season.

I rose early Christmas morning, and logged on to the computer. There was a familiar theme -- cold and snow throughout the Midwest and Northeast. I saw a lot of single digit temperatures this morning.

I saw a lot of pictures of snow-covered cars and trees. I saw a lot of very cold-looking people.

It almost seemed unfair that I was waking to a Christmas morning with temps in the 60s, and an expected high in the mid 70s.

I rode into downtown Beaufort, SC, and captured the sun as it began its ascent over the Lowcountry. I posted the video on my website, www.ExploreBeaufortRealEstate.com.

If you have suffered through a cold December, this is my Christmas card to you. It was a beautiful site, and I hope you find a little warmth in the beauty of our tranquil little town. Merry Christmas, stay warm, GOD BLESS, and see you soon.

it's more like a request.

I was hoping for some feedback.

One of my pet projects is my email newsletter. I sent out the first edition in months today. In fact, I haven't sent out an edition since getting involved with Active Rain. I would love some Active Rain feedback.

If you have a spare minute in the next day or so, please visit www.ExploreBeaufortRealEstate.com, click on the red button to the left, that reads STRAWN
REPORT, and see what you think.

As I mentioned, any feedback, good or bad, is always appreciated. I value all of your opinions.

If you have an extra second, I'd love to hear feedback on the website as well, which I recently re-did.

You guys have a great day. As always, thanks for your time and consideration

Eddie Van Halen once said that rock and roll returns to its guitar roots every decade or so. There are periods when lush orchestration and synthesizers seem to dominate the rock landscape, but sooner or later, everything comes back to the guitar.

There are roots of successful real estate, as well. I hope this downturn gets a lot of us back to these roots -- Farming, making phone calls, knocking on the door of FSBOs, getting the newsletter out, doing our continuing education.

There was a period back in the peak years of 2004 and 2005 when I got away from these basics, even though these were the very things which built my business. I won't say I became complacent -- that's impossible with six kids, but I probably did begin to over-rely on repeat business and sphere of influence leads.

Even though I had some very good years, I was not developing enough new business.

I used to hand-deliver my newsletter to my farming neighborhoods each month, just so I would have the opportunity to get in front of some new faces. Every morning, I was on the phone with expired listings. I was a prospecting machine.

A friend of mine in Atlanta once said, "Real estate is very simple. It's NOT EASY. But it's simple. If you do certain basic things, you will succeed." THAT IS SO TRUE.

So, as I head into 2009, I am going to plug in that amp, crank up that guitar, and get back to the basics. I hope you will, as well.

Let's have a great 2009.

In recent weeks, the prevailing gas prices in and around Beaufort, SC have been in the $1.50 to $1.55 per gallon range.

So, imagine my surprise last night when I passed a station advertising $1.72 per gallon on its marquee. Now, we're not talking about some station out in the sticks. These guys were in town, not a mile on either side from stations selling gas at the prevailing rate.

I couldn't help but chuckle when I imagined some of the rationale which might have gone into the decision to set the gas price so much higher than everybody else. Maybe you've experienced this kind of logic in recent months.

"Let's give it a try. It can't hurt, can it? You never know what might happen."

"Who knows, maybe some out-of-towner who comes from a city with really expensive gas, will drive by, and our gas will seem CHEAP to him."

"I don't want to go any lower, because then we'll lose all our negotiating room."

"I know the market is down, but our gas really is the BEST in town."

"I don't HAVE to sell this gas. If it sells, fine....but I'm not going to GIVE IT AWAY!!"

"I have an appraisal on hand from a few months ago, which says my gas should actually be selling for $3.50 per gallon."

Or, my personal Beaufort, SC favorite -- "Maybe some rich Yankee will come down and buy it."