Monthly Archives: December 2007
Track bills with ease in Virginia
Check it out. I’ve got mine. Do you have yours? The threshold of participation in politics is getting easier and easier.
Continue reading
A dubious argument
Hmmm ….Some developers argue that cash proffers are to blame for the current slump in the housing market because the cost is passed on to buyers in the purchase price.They may be part of the equation making housing more expensive, but to say that “proffers are to blame” reeks of disingenuous lobbying.
Continue reading
Representing two buyers on the same house?
Don’t do it (in Montana)I have been in this situation only once and I disclosed my situation to both buyers. Both sets trusted me and felt comfortable with my going forward submitting offers for both of them on the same property. I don’t remember whether either got the property, but I do remember the gratitude I felt that they both trusted me to represent their best interests ahead of my own.
Continue reading
Everyone should read this editorial
Slowly but surely, we seem to be relinquishing common sense and freedom.Six years after the terrorist attacks of 2001, airport security remains a theater of the absurd. The changes put in place following the September 11th catastrophe have been drastic, and largely of two kinds: those practical and effective, and those irrational, wasteful and pointless.The first variety have taken place almost entirely behind the scenes…. We can only imagine what is next.To understand what makes these measures so absurd, we first need to revisit the morning of September 11th, and grasp exactly what it was the 19 hijackers so easily took advantage of…. What they actually exploited was a weakness in our mindset — a set of presumptions based on the decades-long track record of hijackings.In years past, a takeover meant hostage negotiations and standoffs; crews were trained in the concept of “passive resistance.”
Continue reading
Who says microblogging isn’t effective?
Twittering and Texting about Realtors
Continue reading
Attempted Censorship or misguided public official?
Sometimes, as in this case, the responses are from the public officials charged with assessing property.I would however request that you immediately remove all inappropriate and misleading information related to the Office of the County Assessor, real property taxes, and the assessment process in Loudoun County from your web site.Properties are assessed on an annual basis…. At no point in any of the emails from Todd Kaufman the Loudoun County Assessor, does he identify exactly what part of the post he found to be “erroneous and misleading.”This situation goes beyond real estate and real estate assessments and into the realm of trying to squash free speech and open public discourse…. The Free Flow of Information Act says we might:(2) COVERED PERSON- The term `covered person’ means a person who is engaged in journalism and includes a supervisor, employer, parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of such person.(3) DOCUMENT- The term `document’ means writings, recordings, and photographs, as those terms are defined by rule 1001 of the Federal Rules of Evidence (28 U.S.C…. Trying to keep the County Officials in check via a blog is like sticking your finger in a bee’s nest!I’d argue that trying to keep public officials in check is our shared responsibility and obligation.Realtors are held to a higher standard due to our shared Code of Ethics; public officials are supposed to be held to a higher standard as well.This seems to me to be an egregious attempt to control a conversation.
Continue reading
Positive housing news from mainstream media
Who saw this coming?My colleague Dan Gross recently wrote about the National Association of Realtors’ history of predictions that make meteorologists look spot-on…. But amid their blarney, the realtors do make some valid points about how much is right with the economics that support the buying and selling of homes…. It may be a less-than-stellar time to sell a house, due to extraordinarily high inventory levels, but it sure is a great time to buy one. Since many homes are bought by first-timers, who needn’t worry about selling a current house before they buy one, there is a pool of buyers who should stand ready to make offers.Psychology is a powerful thing, combined with the fundamentals, it’s important to recognize the positives when they show themselves.
Continue reading
Greening incentives for new construction and renovations in Charlottesville
Our Sustainability Committee is recommending to City Council that Charlottesville offer a one-time 50% property tax cut for buildings that meet this goal.One thought is that this might encourage builders to “go green” knowing that they can tell potential buyers that their first-year property tax bill will be cut in half. Two questions: (1) would this really be much of an inducement to builders or buyers and (2) more importantly, would this just be giving property tax relief to builders or property owners who were likely going to make these kinds of improvements anyway (and have the financial wherewithal to do so)?”Here’s the relevant Code:Energy-efficient buildings, not including the real estate or land on which they are located, are hereby declared to be a separate class of property and shall constitute a classification for local taxation separate from other classifications of real property…. The rate of tax imposed by any county, city, or town on such buildings shall not exceed that applicable to the general class of real property.For purposes of this section, an energy-efficient building is any building that exceeds the energy efficiency standards prescribed in the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code by 30 percent…. Market to the mortgage brokers to get them to find and educate themselves and consumers about Energy Efficient Mortgages.- Consider extending the tax break for a three-year period.- Fast-track green developments/improvements- Provide incentives to builders to innovate more rapidly.
Continue reading
