The Best Time to Plant a Tree
By Jim Palmer Jr.

When my grandmother passed away I attended her memorial service in the small town where I grew up. A family gathering was held at the Lions Club Park which my grandfather had been instrumental in developing, including planting rows of small trees. As time passed, these small trees had grown into majestic shade trees, where we were enjoying the cool shade as we swapped memories about grandma and grandpa. The knowledge of this legacy offered a great deal of satisfaction to family members! It has been said that, “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time to plant a tree is today!”

Some of the best legacies I have seen, (as far as tangible things) is when estates get passed down to the next generation. In many cases, at ones passing, larger estates get broken into smaller parcels or even sold so the assets can be distributed to heirs, but sometimes they are able to be passed along intact. The last time I was in my home town, I cut a switch from one of the willow trees that my grandfather had planted, with the intention of planting it to continue his legacy of the trees. This seems like a great analogy for the real estate example. What if my grandpa had never planted those trees? I certainly wouldn’t have my willow tree now, at least the one with the memories and legacy attached!        

What if you were to postpone your purchase of real estate? Will your grandchildren be renting in twenty years, or will they enjoy the legacy you have started today? While it is true that real estate has it’s up and down cycles, the general trend for the last hundred years has been an upward trajectory for prices. When you look around the Spokane area it is easy to see which areas the outward sprawl has most affected. The Deer Park area now seems to be one of the most desirable of those areas. The housing market is booming with many new starts dotting the landscape!   The strong demand is pushing prices skyward! Now may be your chance to scrape out a start for your real estate legacy! If not, then at least go plant a tree and wait to see what it looks like twenty years from now!