My 09 Year In Review

At this time each year, it is popular for everyone to look back at the year we just finished and take a look at what happened. So, I will drink the kool-aid as well and do a "year in review" post as well. Here is what I can remember off of the top of my head:

In January, I remember us still feeling the effects of an economy in shambles and the "Hope" that a newly elected president brings us. I also remember the governor of Illinois getting taken out of office for trying to sell a senate seat. Then, my wife had sunny 101.5 pull a birthday prank phone call on me claiming to be someone named "Rod" who was looking for a house and was recently unemployed because he lost his job as governor of Illinois.

In February, President Obama passed a housing recovery act that banks have only started to use in the past 2-3 months. I also remember that it was very cold and that the Steelers beat the Cardinals in the Super Bowl. We refinanced our house.

In March, the $8,000 first time buyer tax credit was passed. I won a few awards from Prudential at our awards lunch one of which was "Listing Agent Of The Year" for the 2nd year in a row.

April had a lot going on! On the news that ND was having President Obama speak on campus for graduation that was coming in May, there were a lot people that started protesting around the campus. New Spring Church in South Carolina played "Highway To Hell" during their Easter service, which I thought was pretty cool. Cooler still was when snipers took out pirates that had hijacked a US ship. April was also when the first reports of "Swine Flu" broke out and had everyone in a panic.

In May, I was part of a large group of people that was able to help raise over $15,000 for local kids with cancer called "The Sunshine Kids". Obama spoke at the ND commencement, again lots of protesting going on. And, Fannie Mae needed more bailout money from our government.

June was a tough month for me as someone that I was trying to help committed suicide. Elkhart county still had unemployment around 18%.

In July, an article that included me, was on the front page of the South Bend Tribune which discussed the great deals that there were out there in real estate. The house that I had listed that was featured in the article just closed the last week of December for $177,400.

In August, I was once again part of an article that was on the front page of the South Bend Tribune. This time it was an article about a persons options when facing foreclosure. Taylor Bean and Whitaker was dropped as a FHA lender which was big news in the mortgage industry. Bank of America and Wells Fargo were both verbally abused by our government for not offering more loan modifications to troubled home owners.

September brought me to a U2 concert at Soldier Field in Chicago. My Detroit Lions beat the Redskins which was there first win in more then a season. It was announced that long time Tiger broadcaster Ernie Harwell was diagnosed with inopperable cancer.

October, Kimberly and I celbrated our 16th wedding anniversary. President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize and we bombed the moon on the same day. I had my first meeting as part of the Indiana Leadership Academy for Realtors.

In November, Kimberly and I flew out to LA and hopped a cruise ship down to Mexico for a short vacation. The Lions actually won a 2nd game, this time against the Browns.

In December, I met Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels.

I probably left some stuff out, but that was what my year looked liked in short.