Cooper Realty Associates

“Money will buy a pretty good dog, but it won’t buy the wag of his tail.”  Josh Billings

“Every man should keep a fair-sized cemetery in which to bury the faults of his friends.”  Henry Ward Beecher

“Wealth consits not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.”  Epictetus

“I’m fed up with all this thievin.”  Joe Harper, 82 year old who caught and held alleged thieves at gunpoint Monday.

“A good husband is never the first to go to sleep at night or the last to awake in the morning.”  Honore de Balzac

Here are my Predictions for the coming year.  Housing foreclosures will start to decline in the next 3 months.  The Atlanta Falcons lose the Super Bowl.  The Philadelphia Phillies make it to the World Series.  Boston wins the NBA.  Real Estate sales will increase as pent up demand and rising interest rates demand that the fence sitters take action.  Gas will rise to $3.60 a gallon, before a decline.  Wall Street will be like a YO-YO until the third quarter, and then level out.  Gold will start to decline in the third quarter.  Record snowfall will be recorded this March on the East Coast.  Congress and the President have a bumpy first half and actually get some things done the second half.

Fred

The Christmas Season

 As I sit down to write my annual Christmas blog, I was thinking about the subject.  In 2010, I think I have to address the Washington group of thugs.

 It appears that the Obama Administration and the Republicans want to give us extended tax cuts, extended unemployment compensation and a host of other Goodies for the Holidays.

 I agree with the statement, “It is better to give than receive.”  In most cases the gifts are purchased by the giver.  In this case the recipient (us) has to pay for it.  They just don’t get it.

 There are no solutions here; there is no leadership here, there is just nothing.  The ship is sinking and no one can agree to send an SOS.

 Why do our elected leaders refuse to lead?  In the Holiday Season does the government have to do our Christmas Shopping for us?  They are all Indian Givers-what one hand giveth, the other takes away at least 3 time the cost of the gift.  Why are we so stupid?

 I hope 2010 was kind to you and yours.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 Fred Sponseller

The Nanticoke Watershed Alliance finally released their River Report.  The overall river grade was a B-, but the creeks that feed the river only got a C+.  That should indicate that the river is going in the wrong direction.  If we can get the creeks up to a B the the whole watershed should move up to a B or better.  That is our goal!

To view the whole report, go to www.nanticokeriver.org, hit the Publication and Video tab, hit Creekwatchers Report, then New 2009 Nanticoke River Report Card.  It is quite interesting reading.

Fred

Both of my teams were knocked out early and did not make the World Series.  I watched the Series because I like the game.  With no one to root for I noticed three things that need to be changed.

Number 1:  Statr night games at 7 PM, EST so we can get a good nights sleep.

Number 2:  Ban batting gloves.  Every player who wears them has to step out oif the batters box and readjust the between pitches.  This could easily save 1/2 hour per game.

Number 3:  Anyone who spits does not get a paycheck.  Spitting is a BAD habit.  Don’t these players know they are on National TV.

Fred.

1) Create an informational flyer with all the local conveniences you can find.

2) Do some staging to make sure your home looks the best.

3) Be sure to offer incentives in this market.

4)Send letters to your neighbors, inviting them to “Pick Their Neighbor”.

5) Put flyers in surrounding shopping areas

6) Paint the garage floor (concrete paint), to make it look fresh.

These are things you can do that Realtors cannot.

Now things your Realtor can do.

1) For an OPEN HOUSE, serve light refreshments, and some sort of a handout.

2) Have comparables data sheets as well as your home’s data, to highlight your value.

3) Put up signs in your front yard with information boxes.

4) Create a virtual tour for your home.

5) Have your agent put your home on as many websites as practical, 10-15 ought to be enough.

Fred Sponseller

I have been reading most of the editorials, listening to the Talking Heads, and watching the news coverage about the coming election.  I do not believe any of them has hit the mark.

 There is a great groundswell, far beyond the Tea Parties, Conservative Fanatics, and Liberal Pundits.  No one really wants what is going on in Washington to continue.  It is becoming increasingly clear that our legislators have lost touch with the general public. My naive hope was that these legislators do what is right for the country, not the special interest groups or themselves, I have been disappointed to say the least. 

 For this midterm election, I propose that all incumbents who are running for re-election be voted out.  In this manner the entire House of Representatives and one third of the Senate will be new.  Yes, we will elect some idiots and yes old time experience will be lacking,  but can it be worse than what we have now?  I would rather take my chances with new people than the cronyism that now exists.  I don’t think just a change in majorities will amount to a hill of beans, we need a clean start.

  We are the employers, and our country is in trouble—it’s time for new management, the old guard needs to be swept aside.

 Fred Sponseller