Real Estate Round-Up: Real estate and revitalizing Fallbrook go hand in hand

The definition of revitalization is, “the action of imbuing something with new life and vitality.” It’s a noun that calls for action. I love that.

Action involves movement, change and purpose. Most times, action is better than inaction. Think about revitalizing your health – it generally requires exercise, eating healthy, eliminating sugar and getting enough sleep.

Think about revitalizing your relationships. It generally requires spending more quality time together, actively listening to each other and getting involved with the other person’s interests.

How about revitalizing your business? You don’t continue to do the same things and hope that it will magically become revitalized, do you? Imagine wanting to revitalize your business and not trying new marketing activities to attract more clients?

Doing nothing differently, when you want to revitalize something, makes absolutely no sense. The only time I can imagine taking no action to gain “new life and vitality,” would be if I was near a rattlesnake and I wanted to have a new life with vitality that did not include a snake bite.

What does revitalization have to do with Fallbrook real estate? If you agree with the definition that it is an action of imbuing something with new life and vitality, what does that look like for Fallbrook? Sticking with exactly who we are and what we are doing, is not going to magically revitalize our town. However, many people I speak with truly don’t want anything about their life to change, but they do want Fallbrook to be revitalized.

They want there to be more and better restaurants, better shopping and more things to do. But at the same time, they don’t regularly support the restaurants, shops and activities we already have.

Things need to change if we want to revitalize Fallbrook. We need innovative ideas that stretch us outside of our comfort zone and will engage greater participation. We need to attract people who welcome change as a catalyst to bigger and better life experiences.

Keeping anything just the way it is simply because it is what you’re used to, is not a good enough reason to keep it that way.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the same things about Fallbrook that many of you love. I love the people. I love our nonprofits. I love our artists. I love the hills, the trees and the great breeze. But I also sense a huge amount of NIMBYism creeping into the Fallbrook conversation.

Fallbrook was founded in 1858 – imagine if everyone back then didn’t want to grow or improve? The founders were exactly the opposite. Electricity was installed in 1917, the railroad depot was built in 1880 with the express purpose of bringing new settlers to town, and in 1883, Fallbrook experienced its first real estate boom. In 1885, the founding fathers advertised their town in the Fallbrook Review to attract more people.

By 1893, Fallbrook had built its third school house. In 1905, Fallbrook had its first telephone service. In 1936, Fallbrook built its first hospital and in 1964, the Fallbrook Airpark was opened.

Do you see where I’m going with this? The original Fallbrookians were continually revitalizing the town. The welcomed new businesses, new technology, new schools and new people. The growth must have been staggering to the original families, but they welcomed it. They wanted to share it with everyone.

There are lots and lots of rumors about what kind of development is going to happen in the county and in our town. Whatever the number is, the development will be close to the transit corridors of I-15 and the 76. But there are open parcels within our town that also might see some development.

Look back at what has been built over the past 20 years: Peppertree Park, Sycamore Ranch and Shady Grove. I’ll bet many of you reading this actually live in one of those beautiful communities. For the NIMBY’s who are reading this, where would you be living if the existing residents had said “not in my backyard?”

The revitalization of Fallbrook starts with the right attitude about change and growth. Preserve the things we love. The kindness of people, the generosity of the nonprofits, and the talent of the Artists. Enjoy the hills, the trees and the great breeze. Think like our founders, be open to change and don’t be a NIMBY.

Kim Murphy can be reached at [email protected] or (760) 415-9292 or at 130 N Main Avenue, in Fallbrook. Her broker license is #01229921, and she is on the board of directors for the California Association of Realtors.