It’s been a long, tough year for the construction industry. Well, come to think of it, it’s been a long, tough year for every industry and every household! All the pundits say it will be another year before the economy stabilizes and most say it will take a long time to bring our 401Ks and investments back to where they were. It’s depressing isn’t it? Well believe it or not, there is some good news out there.
That good news is there are some signs of improvement. In a completely unscientific study I’ve been collecting some data to prove that St. Louis is beginning to make the turn toward a healthier attitude about spending. I’ll start with my wife’s observations and actions. Sally used to be a real estate broker so she always notices the “for sale” signs in people’s front yards. She also notices when they are sold and she stated just the other day that a number of homes that were sitting on the market forever have been sold recently. Also, the amount of time between a house going on the market and being sold has reduced considerably in the last few months.
My wife is also a shopper and I say that with the utmost pride. She can find a sale like my dog can find a bone. Sally prides herself in buying $200.00 worth of stuff for $25.00 and she does it all the time! But over the last year her joy of shopping had dwindled to practically zero and it was depressing to see her come home with nothing to show for her hard work. Oh, the deals were out there but she just couldn’t bring herself to spend any money because “things” were so tight.
I’m happy to report that she is bringing home some great deals recently! Her joy for shopping is starting to come back and our household is again well clothed and well fed!
That’s proof positive that things are looking up…
