Letters to the Editor

Re: 'Real estate hurt by media spin' (Nov. 16)

Dear Editor:

The newspapers of America know only one thing that affects their position on certain topics, and that is profits.

Negative news sells papers, but what I'm totally taken aback by is why Realtors feed these same papers advertisements.

We all know that newspaper advertising is for the home seller and does very little to sell homes. Internet is king when buyers look into buying homes. Close up the source of funds for these papers and you get their attention. One way also is to stop subscribing to their paper. My wife and I stopped taking the Oregonian for this simple reason: why help someone flourish when they are out to destroy you?

David Mendenhall
Broker
Keller Williams Realty
Beaverton, Ore.

Dear Editor:

Well, it's about time someone published some statistics that make sense.

Thank you for the "optimistic" point of view. As a lender/broker in this topsy-turvy industry, I see the changes that occur almost daily. If those who do the reporting actually took the time to look into this business now, they would find that there aren't any subprime loans available anymore to speak of.

Now, with Fannie/Freddie and FHA providing the bulk of loan approvals and the mortgage insurance companies tightening the screws to reduce risk to high loan-to-value loans, this industry is actually in a good place at the moment.

It all comes down to the attitude of the Realtor and the lender and how we can relate it to the consumer. I see sales picking up now and I think that consumers who have tried to wait this out to get the best price have probably waited too long.

I'd love to hear more of your 'spin' on some talk shows, and maybe this cycle will end sooner than expected.

Bob Jones
Ross Mortgage Co.
Lynnfield, Mass.

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