Greetings to you all!
As this year is slipping away so quickly, at 6:30 am on the first Saturday of May I am listening to a Carpenters Album and finishing up this month’s Newsletter. I enjoy almost everything the Carpenters have produced and have, I think, every album. Although I have quite a few albums (vinyl) I really appreciate and cherish all the great voices. Karen Carpenter is one of the best, purest of all my collection. I am still on the hunt for others I don’t yet have. Hard to pass up vintage record stores, I may find some time today to hunt. Tony Braxton, Etta James, Sade, Seekers (Judith Durham’s powerful, driving voice). The Seekers are hard to find just hunting around. You can always go on line and find stuff but the fun is in the hunt. Often you can find a bargain. Maybe I’ll get lucky today!
The Market
Just when the thought comes in that improvement is coming in the conditions, it is dashed by the reality that there is no end in sight for the scarcity of homes or relief for buyers in the competition. It has become common place to write offers without inspection conditions. Making an offer with inspections is almost a sure-fire way to be defeated in the competition. Buyers are forced to assume more risk in their offers in order to have a chance to win a bid. With the cost of building materials exploding, the cost of new construction is getting out of control. Contractors are booked up and cannot honor estimates beyond 60 days or less due to the escalation of materials costs. Demand is the driving force but the government agenda to spend so much money that they will be printing adds to inflation concerns. So, diligence, patience and persistence is the ticket for buyers to have success. Interest rates remain in the 3% range so, even with prices escalating, affordability is still a driving force. For the sellers it is a mysterious adventure in pricing. Many offers are contingent upon mortgages, but appraisals have become problematic as the public is creating the value with the escalating demand and buyers attempting to outbid each other in their efforts to secure a property. It is crazy!
Prince and Princess Report
Outside play is a more frequent occurrence with the warmer weather. We have had occasion to have all the kids for play time. They all play so well together and is is a joy to sit back and observe. All are quite adept on the trampoline, even at the same time! Annie is taking gymnastics and is amazingly talented. She can (and does) cartwheel across the yard with ease. Ben is likely to follow as his physical development allows. Rosie is working to imitate. Leo continues to do well with his school work, soccer and flag football. His exposure on his bus has put him in quarantine, along with some of his friends. He is missing some soccer and football but has hooked up with his friends on line with his PS4 games, so the quarantine isn’t all bad! We have big plans for all to be together for a Mother’s Day celebration at a local restaurant next Sunday. We are hoping for no more quarantine issues to ruin.
Home Front News
A lot of the reconstruction work on the garbage can pad is done. I have designs on leveling up and maybe even a little cement work to dress it up. I need good weather and some time to play with it. The lawn is coming around with the treatment. Clover is dying out and, even though not completely, the dandelion population is going away. I give it a little help by manually plucking them out. The growth is fast at this time of year and I may have to start mowing in shorter intervals. My Cub Cadet is a God send! I will need to get another set of blades so I can always have a sharp set on.
Karen is singing me out, come on Summer!
Until next month,