Wow, what a hangover. And I am not talking about the New Years Eve Party, but rather, the last year in real estate. I feel like someone hit me over the head with a lock box and I can’t take enough Advil to make the headache go away.

The good news is that it’s January and as my four-year-old son says, “Do Over Dad!” Yes, the New Year means “do over,” but let’s not do over 2010 like 2009. Really, could 2010 be possibly worse than 2009? I think not. Of course, I am an optimist and one who likes to look forward and not backward.

The New Year symbolizes a fresh start so let’s take my son’s advice and try a “do over.” But what does that look like for everyone?

For Sellers: If you are thinking about putting your home on the market or putting it back on the market after taking some time off, let’s make sure that we get started on the right foot.
·         Is it priced right?
·         Do you have the right agent?
·         Are you comfortable with the marketing plan?
·         Is your home “show” ready?
 
For Buyers: Yes, there is a game plan for you here as well. Even though the market is in your favor, let’s make sure that we have some details nailed down.
·         Do you know how much home you can afford?
·         Have you spoken with a lender and do you feel comfortable with him or her?
·         Have you started driving in neighborhoods or doing your homework on the internet?
·         Is your credit in good shape and your finances in order?
·         Make sure you have an agent to represent your interests.

For Realtors: The worst is behind us, but we still have to be smart in conducting business, helping people, and making a living. A good friend who has been in the business for 30-plus years said, “Dan, I have only one rule about clients and real estate. I only represent good people.” I’ve stuck by that philosophy and it has never let me down.

Here’s to a better 2010 for everyone! Cheers.
 
Dan Polimino is a Realtor with Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty. He can be reached at DPolimino@fullerproperties.com and www.coloradodreamhouse.com/denverpost

My brother is in charge of North American sales for the world’s largest concrete and cement manufacturer. If anyone would have a good perspective about the stimulus plan from the Obama administration, it would be my brother. You see, the idea of the stimulus plan was to infuse money into the economy right away and create jobs. The first way they planned on doing that was providing states money so they could put people to work with road projects this past summer. The company my brother works for would clearly be the beneficiary of such a plan since road work usually means concrete. So I called my brother to find out how he and his company may be benefiting from the plan.

My brother said that they weren’t benefiting from the plan at all. In fact, he could not think of any orders that have come this past summer directly related to the stimulus plan. I asked him what happened. He said he has been talking to states for the last several months and as far as he can tell from his sources, the states have mostly used their stimulus money to pay off budget deficits. That means they didn’t buy concrete, they didn’t do road projects, and they didn’t create jobs. He said that most states have only done some maintenance projects which where scheduled to be done anyway like asphalt paving, but as far as buying concrete for new projects, it hasn’t happened.

Of course, this is just one story in a business that’s totally unrelated to real estate, but does pertain to the health of the overall economy. I am usually so focused on real estate that I forget to ask about what’s going on in other business sectors around the US.

The purpose of today’s column is simple. I just want to hear from readers on your take regarding the effectiveness of the stimulus plan. Are there more stories like my brother’s, or do you have some success stories where the stimulus plan has really made a difference? I want hear them all; good and bad, right or wrong, and they don’t have to be related to real estate. You can reach me at the email address below and I’ll publish some of the better stories.

Dan Polimino is a Realtor with Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty. He can be reached at DPolimino@fullerproperties.com and www.CoDreamHouse.com