September 27, 2007

Seeing the Glass Half Full

… or seeing the housing market half full of opportunity! Just when we’re told that we haven’t seen anything yet with the market and the worst lies ahead, there’s people out there who see opportunity waiting to be capitalized on. Tustin Ranch investor Thomas Kunz is a prime (not sub-prime!) example.

The Community Investment Network published an article yesterday titled “Home Sales Take Sharp Tumble; The Credit Crunch Stops Would-be Buyers. Analysts Expect the Downturn to Intensify.” The article details the very grim outlook for the housing market and the woes of new builders (Lennar Corporation–builder of all those new homes in Tustin Legacy–reporting the worst quarter’s loss in company’s history of 53 years). However, among all this despair, comes Thomas Kunz.

“‘This is a great time in a local market for the consumer to take a look at their situation,’ [Kunz said].

Kunz, who is based in New Jersey, is taking his own advice. He has decided that it’s time to sell the house he’s owned in Tustin Ranch since 1998 and roll the proceeds into a newer, bigger house closer to the ocean in Carlsbad. He figures he can buy a better house for not much more than what he can get in a sale in the next few months.

‘This is an exceptional time,’ he said. ‘I know I’m probably the only one saying this, but these are the facts as I see them.’”

If only we all had a pair of his rose-colored glasses. If we did, I’ll tell you one thing, the market would not be in the downward spiral it’s in. All we need is a little confidence, in ourselves and our house!