Oh, to listen to the prognosticators
of the New Year it seems as if everything will either be better or worse. The new decade will bring renewed prosperity
or deeper reductions. Housing prices
will continue to decline or they will increase.
No one seems to have a clear idea of what will happen. That, of course, has always been the
case. None of us has a crystal ball to
see the future and how could we predict with any certainty exactly what might
happen within the next hour much less over the next twelve months. There are, however, some very clear signals
out there of what we might expect over the coming year, five years and the
coming decade. Eventually housing prices
will stabilize as will the job market.
We will see an increase in personal spending and people will begin to
decorate their homes again. It won’t
happen tomorrow but it may happen within the next few months. All the signs are there. Yes, the stock market seems to always lead in
a recovery. Jobs lag and because of that
it still feels as if we’re in recession.
Actually we are definitely on the upward climb out now. It will, of course, be much slower than the
decent. Patience is not one of my strongest
virtues but I will try to await my piece of the new pie as calmly as possible. I’ve been telling you about the different ways
to prepare for a renewed business market and the preparations needed to
succeed. Watching for the indicators of
growth is also part of your job these days.
Not just watching the stock market.
In fact, it won’t really tell you a lot about what is going on in your
own neck of the woods. What’s happening
where you live? Are people working? Have housing prices stabilized or even begun
to increase a little. One area of the
country doesn’t tell the story for all of us.
Just for those of us in that particular part of the country in which we
live. Have you seen a new shop or two
open near you? How about a new restaurant
or cocktail lounge? All of these are
also signs. They’re everywhere you
look. Interpreting the signs is another
issue but doesn’t require the same type of clairvoyant sense to ascertain what
they might mean. Increased activity is
more than just people running around. It
means things are happening out there and you want to know what and where the
action is. So, keep your ear to the
ground and your eye on the ball. The
signs will lead to increased business activity and more income for you and your
firm. Signs, signs, signs.
Let me know what you’re
seeing where you do business. It might
help inform all of us as to what to look for now and in the future.
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