[Windwalker]

Originally Posted by GMAN

I expect construction to pick up with the warmer weather. These banks that have gotten bailout money are hanging on to our money with a very tight fist. If they would loosen up their tightly clinched fist it would help to free up some of these construction project which in turn would help our industry to get rolling again. When produce season kick in it should also help rates to rise.

I really think it's going to be a very slow turn-around for the housing. Yeah, the banks have gotten a bail-out, but as of the beginning of this year, 16 more banks have failed (as of 3-1-09) and I'm willing to bet there are still more to come. First of all, I don't expect it to hit bottom until ALL the banks are DONE FAILING. Then, I expect a very slow, and cautious turn-around. Just where it will start, I don't know, but I don't think it's going to be in housing. Before housing starts doing anything, people have to start going back to work. With the number of people out of work, and the rest on edge, wondering if they'll have a job next week, I really don't think they're going to throw caution to the wind and start spending.

I'm going to be putting in for my social security earlier than I expected. The company I'm with (reefers) is talking about down-sizing again. I don't know if I'll be one of the ones to get the cut or not. It's not going to start to turn around until people start finding work. The catch-22 is that they won't find jobs until people that don't have the money to spend, start spending, and manufacturers are able to start producing and selling again.

Hand on tight, folks, I think it's going to be a while. The ride isn't over yet.

[shyykatt]

Just curious; A friend asked me the other day, that since fuel is down, shipping costs are going down, etc, why we havent seen groceries going down?

[Phantom433a]

Originally Posted by shyykatt

Just curious; A friend asked me the other day, that since fuel is down, shipping costs are going down, etc, why we havent seen groceries going down?

Alot of growers already paid for their fuel after the prices had gone up, so now they need to make that money back.

My wife and I were telling people back in 05 that the market was going to crash. No one wanted to believe us and kept telling us that we needed to buy a house, we had just moved back to Az from Il. We held off because we knew it was going to happen and people were paying waay more than the houses were worth. This whole problem was created b greed...."We make 50,000 a year, so let's bu a 400,000 home and 2 top of the line suvs suvs and some toys"':roll:

[bentstrider]

Originally Posted by Phantom433a

and people were paying waay more than the houses were worth. This whole problem was created b greed...."We make 50,000 a year, so let's bu a 400,000 home and 2 top of the line suvs suvs and some toys"':roll:

When riding my bicycle down to my security post, I'm amazed at all the toy-haulers, Trophy-trucks, and toys are sitting at these used lots.
Then we see the former owners tootling around in a compact, driving from app-point to app-point.

Perhaps I'll see about walking into that lot in a few months and picking up a 650 Dual-Sport for trips beyond 10 miles.