Definite Uncertainty

Here is the Definite part:

I am starting my 25th year in the mortgage business, and these times are wild. Thank you to all who have been clients over these decades!
Recently every call I receive starts with the question, "Are you still in the mortgage business?"
I actually enjoy my career helping people make decisions about what usually amounts to the largest financial decision most ever make and prefer to not even think about doing anything else, so yes, you can count on me being here for you.

Here is the Uncertainty:

Financial markets, like stock markets, like stable conditions.
What we have experienced has been anything but stable, and there has been and will continue to be a great deal of pain before things get better.
Incredible events have taken place in the last few weeks; Washington Mutual, Wachovia, Lehman Brothers all going the tubes, the incredible infusion of Treasury dollars to prop up AIG and the guarantees (I assume) that have been made to Bank of America and Wells Fargo to take over the sick and ailing institutions that they purchased.
And then the $700,000,000,000.00 (holy cow, that's a lot of zeros!) bailout that had to be voted on twice, the second time with pork barrel goodies just to pass the house.
Well, as you can see, the economy is anything but stable, and that is why there are jitters in the mortgage business.
As of this morning there is still money to lend for good loans that meet the underwriting guidelines. Everything is being scrutinized in the loan files, but closings and fundings are taking place.
Rates which should be down aren't, again based on the uncertainties out there in the markets.

Back to the definites:
The National Association of Realtors have reports a nationwide jump in sales of 7+% last month. I have a very reliable source who reported a large real estate firm has confirmed that september had the highest unit volume here in South Florida in the last 3 years.
Things are happening, and there are deals to be had in the marketplace. I realize that these are not easy times, but fortunes are made in down markets; just look at what Warren Buffett has done in the last few weeks. Five billion into Goldman Sachs, not to mention his large position increase in Wells Fargo. It just shows that every dark cloud has a silver, and sometimes a gold lining.