Just checked the U.S. Population clock, added 6,500 people to the national population overnight.  U.S. population now stands at 305,849,952.  That’s a net gain of 6,524 people since I checked it yesterday.  We will need to create over 2,800 housing units (at 2.3 people/housing unit) today to keep up with the pace, of growth since yesterday.  Have you ever checked the world population?  Those numbers are really big.  Basically, what all this means is that real estate is kind of a “no-brainer”.  Buy and Hold.  That’s the key.  There are more people coming…supply and demand.   All of our roads, schools, retail, factories, recreation…all of it comes from real estate.  We definitely have a limited supply, however, in America we are blessed with less people per square mile than say India.    Nonetheless, this is definitely the time to buy real estate.  I see more opportunity today for consumers than I have in a while. 

I checked with Alexandria, MN Area Economic Development Commission yesterday on the employment figures for Douglas County.  You can get them on-line as well, because that is where they got them…from the State website www.deed.state.mn.us/.  The Annual Unemployment Rate, not seasonally adjusted stood at 5.1% for 2008.  4.5% for 2007.  3.9% for 2006 and in the 3% range through 1999.  Pat said that with everyone working, you still have a 3% area of unemployment because the figures take into account EVERYONE.  Those that physically can’t work and of course those lazy ones that don’t want to work.  So the good news is that 94.9% of our work force was working in 2008.  We can always speculate why the .6% got let go in 2008.   Work hard, be diligent with your job…you’ll have work.  And don’t forget, to improve your life…Shut the News OFF!