Ecomonic Recovery - 10 Unlikely Signs

  As a Realtor, I am beginning to see a growing confidence in the buyers and sellers that I am working with. I am also seeing fuller parking lots at the local home improvement centers and local eateries. To me, these all all good signs that we are in recovery. But I recently came across an interesting report on Kiplinger.com.
  In the report it took into consideration 10 often not thought about, but yet telling trends that shows that consumer confidence is growing and our economy is on the upswing. I hope you find them as interesting as I did.

1. Underwear Sales - Apparently, when the job market is tough, men wait longer to replace the tighty whities and boxers, too (I know I could probably use some new ones). Although sales fell 2.5% in 2009, the underwear market has strengthened and is making a comeback.
2. Sweets Are Back In Style - During a slowdown, restaurant traffic slows and the people that do eat out, cut out the appetizers and the desserts to keep the total bill down. But, according to the National Restaurant Association, business is picking up and customers are splurging on desserts again.
3. Less Sorrowful Searching - Internet searches for "unemployment benefits", "social security", "unemployment office", and the like peaked in July of 2010 and has been falling ever since. Also, first time claims for unemployment insurance have been falling for months, a sign that there is a drop off in mass layoffs.
4. Fancy Coffee Is Making A Comeback - When consumers are feeling pinched during tough economic times, on of the things they cut out of the budget is the high priced coffee. Apparently though, it is one of the first little luxuries they will spend money on when consumer confidence comes back. So, it was a good sign that Starbuck's net revenues increased 9.5% in 2010 after falling 6% in 2009.
5. Boxes Rebound - Because most of what we buy at some point is shipped in a box, higher prices for boxes and other shipping needs points to more consumption. Although it is at a pre-recession low, it is on the rise again. In fact, orders for appliances, furniture, and other products with a more than 3 year life span are improving.
6. Fewer City Dwellers Are Walking - During a recession, more city folk tend to walk or take public transportation to their destination, but in recent months the cabbie business is looking up. In fact, car sales are also up.
7. Golfers Are Teeing It Up Again - When tough times hit, it seems that the golf clubs get put away in storage. But, the number of golf course visits actually stopped declining in 2010, especially in the Mid Atlantic and New England regions.
8. Cosmetic Surgery Gets A Lift - When money is tight, elective surgeries like nose jobs, tummy tucks, and boob jobs take a hit. The demand is increasing though, in fact, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons states that the number of patients who chose to get work done in 2010 rose by more than 13 million.
9. Gambling Is On A Comeback - I am not a gambler myself, mainly because I am not very good at it. But at the casinos, there was a drop off of about 10% from 2007 to 2009. It is reported that the casino's takes were up 3% last year and are expected to head higher this year.
10. Sad But True, More Couples Are Divorcing - Apparently, during a recession, couples who are considering divorce choose to stick it out a little longer because of the inability to arrange financing to buy out the partner's stake in businesses or homes, required by property divisions. The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers said they suffered a 37% drop in 2008 and a 57% decline in 2009. But the trend is changing, in fact a lot of divorce lawyers are saying now that they have more business than they can handle.

  I found these trends very interesting and not ones that I would normally consider. Typically we follow the housing market, unemployment rate, or stock market for signs of the economy. But this does confirm my suspicion that consumer confidence is in fact returning, slowly but surely. I for one, am very happy about that.
  By the way, housing affordability is at a higher level now than it has been in almost 40 years and with the low housing prices and historically low interest rates, now is the time to buy.

To see all my listings in Bucks and Montgomery Counties, please visit my website:  http://www.patgarisrealtor.com/