SOUTH MAUI UPDATE DECEMBER 2009 "Wow.....another year gone by." I checked and my last 3 years of December newsletters all started the same way. Interesting, it seems like we are headed at warp speed into the future. Can somebody please slow this train down? It has been an amazing year and the first quarter started out strictly as an act of survival, like a lot of us. In thirty (30) years of selling real estate, all on Maui, I had never been through a complete stall in the market....it was like the feeling of a plane spiraling helplessly out of control and watching the ground looming larger and larger, bracing for the impact. Ice cold newsprint of pending doom acted as an additional drag on the controls of the economy, further eroding any confidence of pulling out of this deadly tailspin, a disastrous crash surely imminent. Then, relying on years of roller coaster real estate rides that had hardened the soul, I reached forwarded and pulled back on the attitude joy stick and pulled myself out of my tumultuous spin. Unfortunately not everyone made it back to base and casualties in the real estate industry were heavy this year. I have come to realize that eighty percent (80%) of what you get in life is a direct derivative of what you expect to get out of life; the other twenty percent (20%) is circumstance, luck, whatever you want to call it, I guess. Prayer is great, but usually by the time it has gotten to that level it is probably too late! The end of the year is always a great time for reflections. I would like to share with you some of the more prominent ones that came to mind: Golf is like life, just when you are sure you have the game figured out along comes an errant shot into the woods. It keeps us humble. - Recycle, recycle, recycle; Humans are the single most destructive force on the planet. We must recognize that we are on a crash course unless we change our ways.
- When times get tough it is great to have a loving, supportive family.
- Losing one dog in a year is hard; losing two dogs was heartbreaking
- I will sacrifice money for quality of life any day.
- Living on an island far from the maddening crowd is way cool.
- Always plan for the worst BUT expect the best.
- I can live on half as much as I use to and enjoy it twice as much.
- I pinch myself daily to remember that I live on the most incredible island in the world; just ask Conde Naste readers for the last 16 years.
- Spear heading a golf tournament in 30 days that raised over $11K for the Maui Food Bank at a time when others are going hungry was the single most rewarding accomplishment this year. Try it, great medicine.
- Laugh at yourself, laugh with others but just laugh.
- Swim, surf or play golf three times a week. Forget the doctor.
- Read the sports page, do the crossword puzzle, place the balance of the newspaper in the bottom of the bird cage. Everything in life has it's purpose; it's a matter of knowing what that purpose is.
- Someone said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, this is very true, I know!
- Grow things; work in your yard, it's incredible therapy.
- There is only today, be present, yesterday is over, tomorrow may neverhappen.
- We will never see interest rates like this again not in our life time!
- We will never see prices like this again not in our life time!
It has already been a very Merry Christmas for some of you who have realized the excellent opportunities that are currently available. Pricing has reached the level of 2003 on a lot of real estate product. And you are waiting for?????? Merry Christmas to all and thank you for your continued support on all levels, Mele Kalikimaka a me Hau'oli Makahiki Hou. A hui hou. Love Life......Live Maui Dave Richardson (R) B At the Shops of Wailea 808-870-9916 (Cell) |