Readers Write: Real estate writer veers off path

Philip A Raices

In the Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, under the heading Business & Real Estate is an article “Will Trump dilute Dodd-Frank Law?” by Philip A. Raices, Real Estate Watch.

It is an informative article though I would say that anyone who is informed and understands the subject and what has happened over time will not benefit all that much from reading it.

The title of this article in itself says much.

I thought that the bulk of Mr. Raices’ long article was quite objective until in the fourth column he begins to take a limited perspective reflecting his profession.

He writes: “My belief is that we are truly a real estate economy (besides information and technology driven).”

“Obviously the more homes that are sold, the better for the overall economy….” I cannot here say everything he wrote.

A while back I mentioned that a home buyer should keep in mind the mean value of a property.

There was a recent article about the value of homes being up seven percent. The danger for a home buyer is if the value goes down, the buyer is paying for something that no longer exists.

I for one would want a contract to be adjustable to compensate for the above. We all know that for real estate people, ‘business is business.’

Further on, Mr. Raises brings up the subject of education reflecting the present and future times.

He then veers to the subject of fixing our roads, bridges,  etc.

Last autumn I took the time to travel by car and visit some family members who are spread out in different states.

I drove more than 7,000 miles, most of which were on interstates and much of them with a speed limit of 70 mph.

The pavement is all in excellent condition and nothing about the bridges drew my attention.

Fixing things becomes ‘the talk of the town’ and we know by who.

Mr. Raices then again veers into the subject of education (also with a real estate bent) being up to (in my words) the requirements of our presents times.

He then leads up to where he says “free education won’t work, because it will never be free; somebody has to pay for it, right?

Obviously he is referring to college.

Grades one through twelve are ‘free’ but here is the conspiracy of the haves keeping the status quo against the have nots.

Oooh! Socialism.

Our roads, streets and parks, etc. are all there for all to use or not as we each wish.

I made my aforementioned trips last autumn ‘socialistically.’ One was to a suburb southwest of Chicago.

I took the Grand Central Parkway to the Astoria exit then West to 21st Street and South to the 59th Street Bridge, up the FDR and Harlem River Drive, over the George Washington Bridge on to Route 80.

No tolls yet.

Just a dollar to cross the Delaware River and on to Akron Ohio.

From there on secondary state routes until I connected with 94 outside of Michigan City. The surface of those roads was good.

94 West to Chicago then North to loop the loop and get 55 Southwest to my exit.

Only a dollar toll all the way.

Route 80 would have cost me more than the gas I used.

My return trip was the reverse except no toll eastbound at the Delaware River but $15 at the GWB.

Only $16 in tolls for the entire trip.

All of those roads are paid for and college should be likewise.

Justice for all.

Charles Samek

Mineola

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