Matt Drouin

Thank goodness I don't have to contend with local government about placement of open house signs! On the other hand, what do I do about the neighbors who blatantly take my open house signs on any given Sunday? I know exactly when it happens, even though I don't see it. My flow of traffic immediately dies out. Have any of you guys had to deal with this? And is there some type of etiquette that I am violating that solicits this type of behavior? Matt Drouin Associate Broker Nothnagle Realtors http://www.rochesterrealproperty.com

I think all of you guys have the intention of this tax credit all wrong. First time home buyers (or however the IRS decides to classify them) are the foundation building blocks for the entire system of real estate exchange. You cannot deny that there are a lot more first time home buyers out there shopping directly because of this credit. What happens when those buyers make a purchase? The seller of that home, in most cases, makes a move up to a more expensive home. The tax credit has resulted in a substantial to our mid range home transaction activity. These sellers are buyers too. The sellers of the home they buy are buyers as well. We cannot get real estate pipelines moving unless we have NEW buyers. Furthermore, did you know that when someone buys a home, approximately 20% of that homes purchase price gets spent that first year? This is not only about real estate prices but getting the consumer back in spending mode. Listen, I am a Republican and do not support government subsidies, but I do recognize when a program works as it is intended. Hell, tax reductions on individuals and corporations would have been far more effective, but who am I to say! Matt Drouin Associate Broker Nothnagle Realtors http://www.nyhomesgetsold.com

I apologize for speaking my mind here but that renter mentioned in this article is not an example of the American Individualism that has made this country so great. However, throwing artificially depressed rent into the equation sort of justifies her situation and attitude. But if she is shy about owning a condo because of the overwhelming amount of maintenance involved, she has issues and is probably medicated. The reason condos and co-ops came about was because of market demand for less maintenance and lower cost of ownership. Matt Drouin Associate Broker Nothnagle Realtors http://www.nyhomesgetsold.com