Passion, it is a word I have heard many times, but in 2009 I rarely felt the kind of passion I experienced in the past. To put this in context, let me tell you about my journey in 2009.

I had been in the mortgage business for 30 years which allowed me to realize most of my personal and career goals. I celebrated 30 years of marriage to a women I love more everyday. My three sons are all basically on their own now (still two in school) and they make me proud to be their father. My career included several successful management rolls where I built and managed groups that ranked in the top 1% of the firms I worked for.

What was lacking in my life? A new goal that I cared strongly about that would motivate me everyday. In 2010, I am committed to helping 100 underserved families become homeowners. This goal has feed my passion for helping families realize the dream of homeownership. By following my passion, I could give back to the community that had given me so much and do what I do best, educate.

I have designed a seminar presentation called “Pathways to Homeownership” to help spread the word about government sponsored new homeownership programs for families of modest income with little or no money down. The seminars are scheduled monthly at the North Raleigh Regional Library with the first one being Tuesday, February 2, 2010 from 7:00 to 8:00 pm.

If you know anyone that is interested in attending these seminars or have a recommendation on venue for these seminars, give me a call or pass on my information. I truly need everyone’s help to realize my goal of assisting new homeowners realize their’s.

We sometimes lose sight of all we have to celebrate during these hectic times. For me personally, the crowded stores and busy roads cause me to complain sometimes (My wife will tell you I know more drivers name Dick this time of year than at any other time) but once I get over these petty inconveniences and focus on what I have to be joyous about I get back to celebrating. Here are a few things I am celebrating this holiday season:

1. Three wonderful children that are happy, healthy and kind.
2. A wonderful wife of 30 years that I love more each day.
3. A network of friends and family that help lift my spirits even when times are tough.
4. A passion for helping others that brings meaning and joy to my life.

I could go on and on but you get the point. So have a happy holiday season filled with joy and celebration and share your joy with the people in your life that matter most.

I never thought that we would continue to see low rates this far into 2009. How much longer will the rates stay low and when will we see the inevitable rise? Interest rates today have not been this low since the 1940s; we are truly living in historic times. One of the main reasons that interest rates will increase soon is because the federal government will stop purchasing mortgage-backed securities, a main driver of low interest rates, on March 31, 2010. Many economists have theorized that once the government stops purchasing mortgage-backed securities interest rates will increase by three quarters of a percent. What that means to most of you is that rates will go from 5% to around 5 3/4 or 6%. That would still be historically low rates compared to where we’ve been for the last 20 years. This increase will have a significant impact on housing affordability and could impact a still fragile housing market. Every time interest rates rise fewer customers have sufficient income to qualify for new loans.

With only a few more months to go before rates creep back up to 6% we could be seeing the end of low rates for quite some time. My assumptions are based on the increase in economic activity, specifically housing activity, and eventually job growth. The Federal Reserve met today and confirmed that the mortgage-backed securities purchase program will end March 31, 2010 and that they are not anticipating extending this program passed the date. In addition they announced that Fed fund rates will remain low for an extended period of time because of recent economic indicators that point to signs the economy is improving.

I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday season.

Seth Godin is one of the most relevant marketing experts today. I personally read his blog post every day and find tremendous value in his unique perspective and insight.

He just posted a free e-bookthat I highly recommend.

Enjoy

Do you remember a few years ago Economists were rock stars? They wrote best selling books that covered everything from why crime declined in NYC to why you can never get a good deal on a car. The other day in Borders (yes, I still go to book stores) I counted 8 different books written by economists. There is the rogue economist (author of ”Freakonomics”), the undercover economist, the armchair economist and many more.

But when you look at the status of economists today you see as many books assailing them, most notably Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, as you do praising them. Some of there theories were spot on but many, as we have seen in this recession, were not. I recently read that the Federal Reserve issued a 3 year forecast of unemployment rates on 11/07/2007 and projected the unemployment rate to be 4.8 - 4.9% during calendar year 2009. With the rate currently at 9.8% it looks like they missed the mark.

Today Ben Bernake, who earned his PhD in economics at MIT, told the House Financial Services Committee that the Fed will be able to tame inflation (read more at http://tinyurl.com/bernakemsn ). This had a very positive impact on Wall Street especially with those who purchase bonds.

So even after the billions of dollars and millions of jobs lost in the last two years we continue to hang on their every word. Or maybe the “we” isn’t you and I but the people that were the cause of this mess in the first place. Unbelievable……

As the days grow longer and the sun burns brighter, I start thinking about managing my time better because I have so much more to do!!! It always strikes me as curious that I do not concern myself with time management nearly as much the rest of the year as I do now. I guess it is that I enjoy this time of year so much and have so much more energy than I do the rest of the year. Some people tell me is because the sun gives us more energy, others say it is hard wired into all humans beings because we must be more effective now if we want to survive the fall and winter ahead of us. Whatever dude (I learned that expression from my kids), just enjoy it and make the most of it.

So here are my tips for being more effective so you can spend more time relaxing on the beach with a nice cold Corona:

1. Plan. Start the day with a plan that spells out exactly what you need to accomplish. I always try to start this the night before. Without a daily action plan, you are vulnerable to reacting to what happens to you during the day which will lower productivity and increase your stress level.
2. Prioritize. Always know what your highest priority tasks are and the next action step that each requires.  Train yourself to focus and complete the items you must get done today first, then the things you want to do today but could wait for tomorrow and last the things you need to get done some time this week/month/year.
3. Purge. Identify the key things that are wasting your time. I periodically use a time log to track everything I do every day for 2 weeks to help me identify where I am wasting time. Rory Vaden speaks of looking out for these things because we employ activities he calls “creative avoidance” because we use these time wasting activities (like surfing the web, checking out face book, constantly checking e-mail….) to avoid what is truly important but so hard to do.
4. Protect. Know that your time is valuable and once it is gone you can never get it back again. Guard it as if it is the most valuable thing you have. Set time limits on activities that tend to drag on like dealing with phone calls or e-mails. Learn to power through your inbox in 30 minutes or less and then get back to your to do list starting with your top priorities first.

I know you have all heard this before but I always think it is helpful to go through it again. After all, how else will you have enough time to really have fun and enjoy the summer?

To one degree or another, we are all influenced by the people around us. When you surround yourself with positive, dynamic and energetic individuals, you pick up on good habits. Look for those who are constantly searching for ways to get to the next level.

You will notice this group is comprised of enthusiastic learners who are constantly looking to improve themselves. They are not afraid to ask questions, and learn from people with more experience and knowledge. They are the ones who make commitments and follow through. They are the ones other people trust. Build your team with them. Be one of them.