Many years ago there was a young man named Cliff Edwards who was very successful on the vaudeville circuit. He was a gregarious fellow who played the ukulele and entertained thousands in theatres all across the land through the 1920s and 1930s. He had hit songs on the radio. He was also a radio host for many years. His personality was so engaging and so joyful that he would draw people to him where ever he went. He was famous for his generosity to others, and above all, his voice. He had a special voice that could deliver a song with such sincerity that it could create goodness, move hearts and even at times bring tears.

In his personal life, Cliff Edwards, it was said, was foolish with money. He gave a great deal of it away. He encountered problems with alcohol and drugs. He paid alimony to a number of wives and he declared bankruptcy four times in the 1940s. In his later years he lived in a charity home for indigent actors in Hollywood. It was said that each day he would hang around the Disney studios in the hopes there might be some voice work for him, as he had done some recording and appearances for them in the past. He always wished he could get back to his time of high earnings and good times.

His wishes could have come true. They were within his reach if only he had realized the great potential his voice still had, but he did not. He did not see that it was always right in front of him.

People wish for things all the time and do not realize that what they want is right in front of them. Like in the real estate market.

I have often heard people say, “I wish I had known this market was going to heat up” or “I wish I had realized that the prices were gong to rebound so high.” Over all the years I have watched this industry I have heard this wish many times. Every time the real estate market is in a downturn all these people forget what they wished for because it was always right in front of them all along.

During our worst depressions and in all the major market downturns in our history, real estate prices have always come back and gone higher than previous market prices. It has always happened. There has never been an exception to that. Those few brave souls who bought in times of low real estate market values have always realized major returns on their properties that by far exceeded any other stocks, bonds, savings certificates or any other kind of investments.   

When the real estate market comes back, it does so slowly at first like a snail’s pace and then eventually it comes on like a thundering herd of horses. I have seen it happen, I think, about five times in my days. Maybe six. Every time it completes the cycle there are hordes of people who walk around wishing they had thought of buying during the slow times when prices were rock bottom.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this is the time. Now is when people should be buying property. Certainly here in Canada but especially in the United States where prices have flat lined. Populations in both countries are going up and up and up. The most basic need people need everywhere is housing. The more people, the more demand. This is not a hard equation.

You can wait and wish you had bought property or you can realize it is right in front of you. It always was.

Just like Cliff Edwards, who’s most popular song endures today. If you have ever seen a Disney film or television program you have heard it and probably hummed it. It is the Disney theme song When You Wish Upon A Star. Cliff Edwards was the voice of Jiminy Cricket and elected to the Grammy Hall of Fame. His wish was always right in front of him.

So is yours. Makes no difference who you are.

Heino Molls is publisher of REM. Email [email protected].