Greetings from Northeast Wisconsin as Spring is knocking on our doors and Old Man Winter is slowly going into hibernation! I have been told that the returning robin needs to experience snow 3 times on it’s feet before Spring is safely among us. Well, with that being said, I guess we may not be quite over the hump yet! We will have to see what the future weather pattern has in store for us. Anyway, to certainly heat things up, March Madness is here once again; with our Wisconsin Badgers & some Area Teams going to the “Big Dance” and showing true dedication at an expert level within the sport of basketball! As I have watched these young players it never fails to impress on me their strong commitment to not only the sport, also to their team and oneself! They have experienced an emotional joy and triumphant jubilee from true focus, dedication and hard work! Hopefully, the Wisconsin Badgers can have continued success as they are but one win away from the final championship game! Go Badgers!!
The month of March also brings us several festive days, besides birthdays & gatherings of family members and good friends; we also celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th. This man was an individual who donated his life to the poor & underprivileged! Still to this day a widely spread holiday; St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland was a man of true compassion! Their is a cathedral in New York City called St. Patrick Cathedral. It is one of the largest churches in the United States, attracting more visitors that the Empire State Building! This magnificent cathedral has held funerals for well known people such as President John F. Kennedy & legendary New York Yankee Baseball player“Babe Ruth” to name just a few. Another commemorated day is March 22nd, a day in which Mother Teresa who was also influential to the poor, was awarded the “Jewel of India” (Bharat Ratna) in 1980 for her humanitarian work and relentless effort to the less fortunate! How ironic, todays Pope Francis like St. Patrick & Mother Teresa, place spiritual values above material gain. A humble man who identifies with ordinary people, especially caring for the less unfortunate. His sincere humility carries well into the 21st century.
On a more personal note, I and all my team members religiously work hard & achieve the best for our clients and customers. Our newest team member, Brett Petrie, has recently graduated with myself from “BOLD,” an intense 8 week program to enhance and broaden our skills taking us both to the next level! On a side bar, I am sure you have noticed the different template design for our newsletter. We want you to know that these past months have been certainly exciting for all of us and a continued effort to excel for you, our customer/client! With that being said, I am very proud to announce that The Jim Hooyman Team are now representatives of the renowned “Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices,” a premier global Real Estate Company. Moreover w/Mr. Warren Buffet at the helm BHHS bring marketing advantages & strategies, plus endless opportunities for continued growth w/both ourselves and our dedicated clients/customers! Together, we will continue to excel the BHHS Way!
With regards to the real estate world; more good news about the housing market & the economy. With fuel prices hovering around that $2.25/gallon mark and interest rates at a phenomenal low; consumer confidence and spending are on an upward motion. Many analysts predict 2015 to be an extremely strong year for the housing industry and here in Northeast Wisconsin we continue to improve. On March 18th the Federal Reserve announced that it will likely begin to slowly raise its current 0.25% funds rate in September, ending the year at 0.625%. However, with oil prices continuing to drop, inflation minimal, and the dollar strengthened, “now” is the time to Buy or Sell! This newsletter has several areas of interest as I hope you take time to enjoy, browse & perhaps learn; of course any questions, comments, or concerns please don’t hesitate to drop me a line or two. Your input is always valued and wanted, and I look forward in hearing back from you!