Count Up to 2012

December 28, 2011


I am calling this post "Count Up" rather than "Count down" because as we go forward into the year 2012, there are signs that the economy in the Inland Empire is looking "up".


According to Beacon Economics's December issue of "The Regional Report", our labor market is trending upward and the Beacon forecast is for a rather steep increase from now and continuing to the 4th quarter of 2016.


The other positive trend that Beacon cites is the increase in taxable sales. Again, they are predicting that there will be continuing increases in the number of taxable sales during the next five years.


I am witnessing increased truck traffic in and out of the warehouses that populate our region. While truck traffic can be an annoyance, it is a good sign that goods are moving again and empty spaces are being occupied by active businesses.


Housing remains a bit of a stagnant section of the economy, but it seems likely that it, too, will begin to trend upward - if not in price increases, certainly in sales volume. If lender/investors finally put into practice efficient short sale processes these short sales will finally close and the upside down inventory will decrease.


So.....Count up to 2012.