Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends - Assignment 6A

Economic Trend: Depressed Housing Market

• Source: https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/recession-watch-will-another-downturn-rock-housing/
• In a depressed housing market where slowing home sales are a current theme, homeowners who are trying to sell their homes will list houses for lower prices.
• The prototypical customer would most likely be someone who has flourished during the recent economic boom and is now considering investing in property. An investment at this stage is a good investment because of the lower home prices.
• The opportunity is easy to exploit in that there are so many undervalued homes on the market right now, but it's hard in that people have to find the right home for them which could make it a more difficult search.
• My dad is listing the house that I grew up in on the market this Saturday. I've been speaking with him about the housing market a lot and he is concerned that the depressed housing market may result in him getting less for the house than he originally planned.

Economic Trend: Snowbirds Boosting NY's Economy and Threatening FL's Economy

• Source: https://www.politifact.com/florida/article/2019/mar/29/are-new-yorkers-really-fleeing-florida-over-taxes/
• Considering so many newyorkers migrate to FL for the warm weather during the winter and stay there until summer comes around, there is a big opportunity for the housing market in NY. "Snowbirds" are the people that do this every year and many of them will be looking for places to live as they return. Whether they plan on renting or buying a place in NY, the housing market should see a boost, while FL's housing market will take a hit as snowbirds flock to the north.
• The prototypical customer in this situation would be the snowbirds looking to buy or rent a new place in New York for the summer.
• The opportunity is easy to exploit since this is a common theme year in and year out. The housing market in NY expects a boost just like the housing market in FL expects to take a hit since this happens at the same time every year.
• Like I said before, my dad is selling his house and he told me about the snowbirds' affect on the FL housing market. There aren't as many people looking for homes to buy at this time of the year since so many newyorkers are flocking back home for the summer.

Regulatory Changes: Cannabis Becoming Legal in More Places

• Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomangell/2019/02/27/marijuana-legalization-bills-are-advancing-in-several-states/#76c1e67c7a35
• An opportunity to open up dispensaries definitely exists because more and more states are legalizing medical marijuana. Even if states are far from legalizing it now, these states' officials will feel the pressure soon. There is a huge push toward marijuana's legalization for medicinal purposes nationwide.
• The prototypical customer is most likely to be a cancer patient or one with severe anxiety. From what I know about the affects of marijuana and the struggles of cancer and anxiety, patients that fall into these categories will reap the benefits of marijuana the most.
• The opportunity is difficult to exploit because there are so many legal hoops that need to be jumped through in order for this to become a reality. Also, the legalization of medical marijuana is going to come down to a vote and the more traditional voters still have a tough time seeing how the benefits would outweigh the negatives.
• My mom died of pancreatic cancer about 6 months ago, and she had a medical card so that she would be eligible for cannabis. Marijuana gave my mom her appetite back since the chemo she was on took it away from her. Also, she suffered with anxiety because she didn't know what the future held for her so the medical marijuana also calmed that down. My mom's situation definitely helped me see the need for this more so than the average person.

Regulatory Changes: Tighter Restrictions on E-Cigarettes to Curb Teen Vaping

• Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/13/fda-tightens-restrictions-on-flavored-e-cigarettes-to-curb-teen-vaping.html
• As people are becoming more aware of this epidemic, there is a greater opportunity for non-profit organizations to chip away at the problem. Non-profits have the ability to spread awareness against teen vaping by highlighting the negative affects smoking can have on the body.
• The prototypical customer to such a marketing campaign of an anti-teen vaping non-profit would be teens who vape. Consuming such anti-vaping material may help kids realize its not worth it to start smoking.
• The opportunity is easy to exploit in that the movement has already been started by the government taking action against teen vaping. Many people are aware that it's an issue; therefore, any non-profit can jump on the bandwagon at this point to spread awareness even further.
• I formed the belief than this opportunity exists because it is a prevalent issue in high schools around the United States and I have close family members in high school right now. I have seen this epidemic first hand and how it can affect people's lives down the road. I don't want it reaching my family members.