Yes, it has admittedly been another frustrating week of doom and gloom smeared all over the media for those in the mortgage and real estate business.  And yes, much of the bad news is true.

But as a whole, I’m not convinced the market is as bad off as the naysayers would have you believe.  And even more so, I’m positive that there’s also lots of opportunity developing as we speak.

Just yesterday, Paul over at the Lenderama blog acknowledged that things might not be quite as bad as they seem.  In fact, he actually asserts that this might be an excellent time to be a mortgage broker:

Believe it or not, this Alt-A Shakeup & Takeaway makes it a great time to be a mortgage broker! Think about it. Some of these companies retail departments have lost Alt-A altogether and others still have some programs. The landscape is changing as we speak. Yes, everyone is seeing this on CNN, but no one knows what to make of it. Seize this opportunity to gain market share and educate your referral sources that mortgage brokers fund loans with the greatest number of sources. If it exists, then we can fund it! If XYZ Bank lost all Alt-A programs then I’d be making contact with the real estate office that XYZ Bank retail sat in.

I love the optimism and consider this to be timeless advice for those in a period of distress.  Remember the old wisdom, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade?”  I think that’s the point here – there’s plenty of opportunity for those who are willing to go after it.

Another recent post by Chris at Lenderama not only reminds us that real estate does have the potential to have its ups and downs.  He nails the points of the issue, covering the need to stay positive as well as the importance of planning and preparing for the not so great times that are only part of the business.  Then he goes on to say:

The market is supposedly down nationwide. Yet here in Olathe, Kansas our Keller Williams office has had a fantastic summer. For me? My business is up. Not astronomically. But up.

You know, I really do believe that that market might only be as bad as we wish it to be.  Are you listening to opportunity knock over and over again?  If not, stay positive and listen a little bit harder!