January 17, 2011

Program for Today: Financial and Stock Forecast for 2011

Invocation
by Ann Meeker
Song Leader Carlin Lawhead

January 10, 2011 Guests: Anna Mack, Muscatine Board of Realtors, President 2011. 
3.0 Seniors: Cahleen Stineman, P.J. Stamler, Mariann Sanchez, Rebecca Sloat, Alex Steffen, and Anna Snyder. Jake Mueller MHS Counselor with the students and Jeremy Heinisch.

Information: Special Events Committee will meet today at the end of the meeting with Chair Barb Christensen.  

Bills for the quarter have been sent via your email... please check your email from last week and let Brooke Mehaffey know if you have any questions.

President Tom sadly noted that Kip Fisher's wife Mikki has had a severe stroke and Marv Krieger told us that Bill Schafenacker is bedbound at home and would enjoy company.  
Makeup Meeting Tomorrow at Snackers... (Tuesday at 7:30 A.M. January 11,2011 or 1/11/11.)
Jennifer Jennings provided a brief member bio.... welcome Jennifer!!
President Tom in his Presidential Moment told about the intent of Rotary being fun and friendship!!
   
Happy News to Note: Jeremy told of his great appreciation for his Rotary family.  He is enjoying travelling with them and skiing too!!  Marv Krieger told us about the origins of the Pledge of Allegiance...being developed initially in 1892 on Columbus Day and being officially adopted in 1945 with... school children first reciting it in June of 1942!!  

Program: Anna Mack started her program by sharing that being downsized in 2003 led her to decide to become a realtor and today in 2011 she has started her own realty business!!

Anna suggests TURNING OFF THE TV and not listening to the mortgage and home sales doom and gloom!!  United States realty averages are much worse than in the Muscatine area.  Muscatine homeownership rates are 10% higher than the nation.  Home sales in the under $50,000 range are selling fast as investors are snapping them up for remodel and resale.  Foreclosures here are at about 3%.  Realtors and Home Inspectors are busy.  Homes in the 80-100,000-120,000 range are hot!!  Buyers are more hesitant to get into the $3-400,000 ranges.  
Anna credits our bankers with being helpful and working with owners and buyers to keep people in their homes!!  Interest rates are also very low...being below5% but rising!! 

Anna  sees a trend  towards Condos and notes that Muscatine does not have sufficient facilities to meet the interest.