My ten questions for the New Year managed to illicit a rather big response (I had to put them on a spreadsheet!) so I thought I’d share some analysis of the answers with you.

1    No-one provided the same ten answers. 

2    Four of the questions were answered almost unanimously the same.

3    This makes the point 1 above even more surprising.

4    My daughter was the only one to think the Texans would win Superbowl 50. She lives in London and knows nothing about American Football but at least she was being positive. Everyone else were sadly, better informed ...

5    Not many thought the roads would get any better, nor that either Trump or Cruz would be our next President. On that basis we’ll be cussing about the same potholes this time next year when either Hillary or Rubio get sworn in. 

6    Some of the more interesting results came from more equally divided yes or no answers such as $60 oil, the Astros making the playoffs, the drain cover being replaced and the possibility of a hurricane. 

7    Likewise, it was split 50/50 on whether I’d lose 10lbs in weight this year, which certainly gives me a challenge to prove the Doubting Thomases wrong. (1lb so far!!!)

8    Only a handful thought I’d transact less business this year, which I tried not to get too upset about :-(

Of all ten questions, there is really only one of them whose result you can truly and directly affect to ensure the outcome that you predicted. So, please help me transact more business this year with lots of referrals of your friends, family and work colleagues, not just those buying or selling property in Houston but anywhere in the US and indeed the world, where Sotheby’s are represented. Your support through 2016 is and will always be very greatly appreciated …
Here’s the pitch (as I'd call it) before the game and the Texans’ ignominious defeat. As it turned out, it was the calm before the Kansas City Chiefs’ storm.