What an honor to be included in the first issue of “Around The Panhandle.”  I had the pleasure of knowing about this new publication in the early stages.  Mike had the dream, and went for it.  Being the broker of CENTURY 21 Sterling Realty I surround myself with agents that also have the dream and desire to be business people that are compensated by their efforts.  True business people get paid for performance.  If you produce, you profit.  If you take time off or let opportunities pass you by, the paycheck doesn’t arrive.  It is refreshing to see another person reach out against the odds and seek their goals.  We are constantly reminded of how bad our economy is today.  The entire globe is seeing bad economic times due to our current national condition.  Economics are very simple if we start at the root of the problem and work our way up to the fruit on the tree.  An individual can be productive or non-productive.  Once that individual becomes productive they can help the immediate family become productive.  A productive family can extend to other family members, friends or neighbors and help to enhance their economic conditions.  By supporting the business or by utilizing each others services, this brings about opportunities for each person.  It goes back to the barter system that worked many years ago.  The Cartwright used the blacksmith, the farmer traded his crops for tools and the list goes on and on.  Before you know it the community is using and utilizing the goods and services of everyone.  Once a community or region gains the strength of supporting each other the success spreads out.  The state becomes profitable and that can reach into the neighboring states.  Just as bad economic times arrive, they can also be reversed.  The remedy is as simple as it sounds can start with one person. 

How can we make this happen in our area?  The best thing we can do is turn off the media which seldom presents “Good News.”  Prepare yourself for success and never let failure be an option.  Support local businesses to make purchases.  Cars bought online in Texas have a negative effect on your local economy.  Computers, clothing and other goods purchased out of the area spreads our wealth too broad.  The few dollars we save actually costs us more in the long run.  The local businesses we pass up will prohibit competitive marketing.  This effect can make the convenience of having these stores move away or stunt our economic growth.  Real Estate directly affects each of us.  When commercial businesses close or stop growing we lose a need for housing and commercial construction.  This can create an oversupply of homes and buildings which will drive prices down.  Our homes or investments lose value, and supply will become greater than demand.  Real Estate is a sound investment with financing and selection better than anyone has experienced.  As foreclosures continue to drive families out of their homes, we need alternative options or rental properties to help provide shelter.  Good investment practices can yield the investor great returns and help stimulate the local economy.  Formulas can be used to help you determine what is a good return, or what properties you should stay clear of. 

My goal is to help offer advice regarding real estate “Around The Panhandle.”  I encourage anyone to contact me with questions, or concerns.  Your answers may even appear in print.  Contact me at Rick@aroundthepandle.com