Jacki & Jerry Shafer, The Shafer Team Call 502-643-SOLD (7653)

You can't get away from the bad news. You almost want to turn off the T.V., stay away from the newspapers, and refuse to listen to the gloom and doom chatter around the water cooler.

Yes, our economy is in crisis, and people are losing their homes from sea to shining sea. As the velvet-voiced star of the Allstate commercials says, "If we're not in a recession, it sure feels like one." All the negative news has people

FROZEN IN FEAR !

Even people with expendable cash and secure jobs seem to be afraid to make a move. It's understandable. But the savvy buyers who are fortunate enough to be able to buy are taking full advantage of a true buyer's market, and they are grabbing up some great bargains!

I don't pretend to know when we'll come out of this mess; I only know that builders who rarely ever budged off of full price are negotiating and offering huge incentives in an attempt to sell off their inventory. In the Louisville area, where existing home sales typically come in very close to full price, Sellers are more negotiable than I have seen in my 20+ years of selling here in Bluegrass Country.

If you're a bargain-hunter looking for that DEAL that used to be such a rarity in our part of the country, NOW couldn't possibly be a better time to get out there and find a find a gem!

Jacki and Jerry Shafer are MEGA Agents with The Shafer Team and Keller Williams Realty Louisville East.

Yep, that's me - the little freckled-faced girl in the picture, all of 19 years old and going through boot camp in Orlando.

The bus finally pulled into the Naval Station around midnight, and by the time they checked us in and showed us our bunks it was about 2 o'clock in the morning. I remember whispering to the girl in the bunk next to me: "Since it's so late I'll be they let us sleep in." Yep, 19 and stupid!

After 8 weeks of boot camp I was stationed in beautiful San Diego. (To this day, whenever we have a picture-perfect day in Louisville, I call it a "San Diego day".) I arrived at my duty station in my dress whites. I was stationed at ComCruDesPac (Commander Cruiser Destroyer Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet), and headquarters was aboard the U.S.S. Samuel Gompers. I was escorted onto the ship, (the sailors were only too happy to help!) and was told to report to Chief Gibson. The Chief was sitting behind his desk smoking a huge cigar. Shaking in my Navy-issue pumps I recited what I'd rehearsed in boot camp: "Seaman Recruit Durbin reporting for duty, Sir." He looked up from his paperwork and a huge grin broke out all over his face! He jumped up from behind his desk, grabbed me under each arm, twirled me around, and said, "Now ain't you the cutest little sailor I ever did see!"

I decided, that, yes, I liked being in the Navy.

HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY !! God bless our men and women in uniform.

Jacki and Jerry Shafer with The Shafer Team and Keller Williams Realty Louisville East have been selling homes in Louisville, Oldham, Henry, Trimble and Shelby counties for over 20 years.

There are jaw-dropping, bargain basement buys out there, and we agents are asking each other:

WHY AREN'T BUYERS JUMPING ALL OVER THESE DEALS??!!

Of course we all know that for many people, job insecurity and overall fear of the future has them frozen in place.

But for the few, the brave, the buyers who can buy: WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Prices have been in a

downward spiral, but many gurus are saying that we are at or very close to the bottom, and soon prices will begin to slowly climb back up.

In my humble opinion, NOW couldn't possibly be a better time to grab up a bargain. And there are so many great choices, today's buyers have more leverage and buying power than I've seen in my 20 years of selling real estate.

The word IS getting out, and I've noticed an increase in traffic on our Team's listings. The savvy buyer

who has been sitting on the fence, waiting to see just how low prices will go, is beginning to see that his window of opportunity just may be closing.

Short sales and bank-owned homes are dotting the landscape in record numbers, and they are slowly but surely getting grabbed up.

The only thing sitting on the fence is going to do is give you splinters in your backside, so jump down and go find your bargain!

Jacki and Jerry Shafer are full-time professionals with The Shafer Team and Keller Williams Realty, specializing in Louisville, Oldham, Henry, Shelby and surrounding counties in Kentucky.

I hate to brag. Well, that's not entirely true. Actually I love to brag about our wonderful market center at Keller Williams Realty Louisville East ! And we just found out some exciting news that gives us all something to brag about!

In just five short months, since opening our doors in March, we have risen to the TOP 7 in transaction sides in all of the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors!

This is truly a great honor, and gives our broker, Bradley Long, an automatic seat on the MSI board.

All of our hard work and dedication to be the best team of Realtors in town is paying off. Great work, Keller Williams Family!

We've taken The Shafer Team to the next level by hiring our first Buyer Representative!

Going through the typical "growing pains" when you reach this level in your career, we were feeling a little and decided we could really use some help.

After interviewing several great candidates, we're thrilled to introduce you to Eric Panknin, an agent with our market center at Keller Williams Realty Louisville East.

Eric has extensive sales background. He formerly worked for a successful team in Elizabethtown. Now living in Louisville, Eric can't wait to get started with our Team to work with our Buyer clients. Our clients will be drawn to his easy-going personality and genuine concern for their needs. And because he is a Keller Williams agent, we know he has been thoroughly trained in all aspects of real estate sales.

Welcome Eric ! We have every confidence in you.