So Cal Real Estate News

Last night Barb, Nate, & I went to see Ben Stein‘s new movie, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. It’s a wry, stark, and thought-provoking semi-documentary look at how closed-minded our scientific and educational establishment has become about alternatives to neo-Darwinism.

Maybe closed-mindedness is the default setting of humankind. Something we all have to fight against. I see it all the time in the real estate world. Potential sellers call me, supposedly to find out what the current market value is of their home. Often after I review the data and explain my professional opinion, they proceed to tell me how wrong I am.

“OK,” I think. “Why exactly did you ask me to do the research if you already knew the answer?” Actually, it’s simple. They wanted me to confirm what they thought they already knew. Maybe to show the spouse how wrong he/she was. Combination of pride and self-interest. (See reason #1 of “5 reasons NOT to pick a listing agent” for more on this.) “I made up my mind; don’t bother me with the facts.”

Somehow, it seems that this human bent towards closed-mindedness is often more pronounced in those who are in positions of authority. (For examples, consider Washington, D.C., Sacramento, or, most likely, your boss.) Truly successful leaders must fight hard to keep an open mind. Because power and closed-mindedness is a very dangerous combination (see Adolf Hitler, Vietnam War, or sub-prime lending).

Well, according to Ben’s new movie, an extreme version of that sort of closed mindedness has invaded much of the scientific community. Not just “I made up my mind. . . ” but “I made up my mind & yours too!”

Closed mindedness to the point where even mentioning an opposing viewpoint can get a professor fired. Talk about “academic freedom.”

A very thought provoking movie, with a little of Stein’s wry humor thrown in. I highly recommend it. Click here and insert your zip code for showtimes.

And keep an open mind.

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(4/15/08)  Yesterday’s paper brought an uplifting story that helped put our real estate woes in perspective.

Today’s paper was a little more brutal. “The Next Big Quake: Big One Nearly Certain by 2038,” screamed the Register. The Times was a bit gentler: “Likelier here: the next Big One.”

Fortunately, I try to start each day with a something a little more inspiring. This year I’m reading through Wisdom for Today, a daily devotional by my Pastor, Chuck Smith.

Appropriately enough for April 15th, today’s devotional was taken from the Biblical book of Job.

It’s based on advice the troubled Job received from Eliphaz, a friend who had come to “comfort” Job in his distress. Possibly the oldest book of the Bible, Job could have been written yesterday for today’s California home owners.

Titled “Nothing + Nothing = Nothing,” today’s devotional is taken from Job 15:31, “Let him not trust in futile things, deceiving himself, for futility will be his reward.”

Here’s the first paragraph of “Pastor Chuck’s” thoughts on the passage:

“In his attempt to understand why God had stripped Job of all his possessions, Eliphaz reasoned that Job had foolishly put his trust in those possessions. Though Job had not done so, Eliphaz was right in speaking against the folly of those who are lulled into a deceptive sense of security by their wealth.”

Like maybe thinking Southern California real estate can only go up in value?

Bottom line, even if that were true, you still can’t take it with you!

1,500 years after Job, Jesus put it this way:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

I find that last sentence especially interesting. Jesus’ reason for not focusing on material wealth wasn’t so much that “you can’t take it with you,” as that it will distract our hearts from far more important things. Things that are eternal, like our family, our neighbors, our character and God.

Hopefully the last few year’s “shake up” in Southern California real estate values or the coming “shake up” reported in today’s paper will help us all focus more on things that can’t be shaken.