Hey everyone, It’s Susie. I’m finally trying to take some time to reflect on some of the big moments from 2015. Getting the van completed was such a relief and accomplishment. It all happened just in time for our trips and of course football season & tailgating!

It is finally ready for the road….thanks to these guys

After much anticipation we set off on the maiden voyage in our new Sprinter/RV/mobile office to Destin, the first leg of our 15 day working vacation. The house on Miramar beach had been reserved for months, kids & new grandbaby were in route. Ric & I breathed a sigh of relief, on the road again, 9 months of waiting vanished like mist in the morning sun. We finally made it to Destin, FL for our family vacation. Despite a few of the crew getting a nasty 24hour bug the week was fantastic and filled with good food, lots of baby giggles, sand and sunshine.

Traveling with a disability is difficult at best & I appreciate why many disabled people choose to stay home. However, staying home is not in my husband’s DNA. Finding a company to design and build a custom van that would allow us greater mobility is just the kind of challenge Ric relishes, he saw the project as an opportunity rather than a problem. After much online research & even more phone calls we finally settled on Midwest Automotive Designs out of Elkhart Indiana. Creating an accessible van like we envisioned is not a simple build, in fact, Midwest was the only company willing to tackle the job. Every inch had to be carefully considered & measured with a wheelchair in mind. Many design obstacles, decisions and changes came into play in the months that followed. Imagine designing a limousine camper van complete with sofa bed, mini kitchen, shower & toilet, vanity, wardrobe & bar all with enough space to accommodate a 25″ wide wheelchair! It took some time to say the least but the finished product was well worth the wait.

After a nice long week in Destin with the kids our next stop was Orlando, FL for the Weichert Realtors Convention where we spent several days with brokers and agents from all over the country. We were entertained and inspired by great speakers and engaged during break-out sessions. It was a refreshing look at real estate and opportunities that the market may bring over the coming years.

Since convention, Memphis, Tennessee – my home town –  has been on two different “Top Ten” lists for markets to watch in 2016, affordable cost of living and job availability.

“In addition, each of the markets on the list is in high demand, with 60% more listing page views than the U.S. overall and inventory that sells 16 days faster than the U.S. average. Surging demand in each market can be attributed to growing household formation, a prosperous job market, and low unemployment rates as well as large populations of key demographics. Older millennials (25 to 34 years old), younger Gen Xers (35 to 44 years old), and retirees (65 to 74 years old) will be driving home sales in 2016.”

Check it out here:  http://www.realtor.com/news/trends/top-10-real-estate-markets-to-watch-in-2016/

Stay tuned as we begin 2016! I look forward to sharing more as you follow us on our upcoming adventures in life and real estate.