More than ever in my life I have been challenged to remain well grounded. This is not intended to be a confession but a declaration of fact about the world that surrounds me. So many of my friends and business acquaintances have expressed that the challenges of family, work and finances are overwhelming. From a macro standpoint, the challenges of our Country and World, which are propelled into our view daily, seem unsolvable to the ordinary citizen that struggles with their own compelling issues. Here in Las Vegas, the housing market, for the last four years has been, almost singularly, the reason for the escalation of our stress levels. Short sales, foreclosures, bank owned properties, property abandonment, are terms that have reached a level of familiarity and represent the dramatic changes in the market conditions and the built-in stresses for the buyer, seller and service providers.

I promise to keep this newsletter helpful and upbeat. I have come to the conclusion long ago that I have no control over what is beyond my abilities to change. Simple approaches provide best solutions. This was reinforced recently from a well-trusted client that had gone through many family difficulties and had experienced severe financial set backs at the same time. They came through not unscathed, but emerged with their family and finances intact. They also gained constructive life lessons that were an example for others to emulate. As I said, the process was simple: they learned to refocus and trust. They chose to seek what was positive and good in their lives and not dwell on negative and unmanageable events. Similar to the old adage of dwelling on the one half glass filled. It is a process they approached with sincerity and resolve. They achieved it only by introducing the most important factor. Trust in a higher power that will provide inspiration; trust in themselves and their ability to overcome adversity; and, trust in their family and friends who surround them with their love and support… More meaningful life experiences that need to be told.