The Bakersfield Californian had an article on Tuesday's front page about pools in vacant homes being a concern for mosquito breeding grounds. Gov. Schwarzenegger mentioned working with the real estate community to help ensure these vacant homes do not become cause of West Nile virus outbreaks due to standing water. Kern County currently has 38 of the 64 cases of West Nile in the state of California and so this is a cause of concern in the local real estate community. Basically if Realtors see any issues at a vacant home they can call vector control and they will send someone out to treat the standing water and the issue is done. There is no charge, they do not need any permission from anyone to go, they just need to know where the problem is. It sounds very easy right? No problem? If as a Realtor you see standing water anywhere, just make a phone call?
You would think this would be a done issue and would not even be worthy of any more discussion- until the Californian decides to call the Bakersfield Association of Realtors for a comment. That's where the best and the brightest start making comments that affect the public opinion of all local Realtors.
Ray Karpe the association president took the stance of -WELL, THIS COULD LEAD TO A POTENTIAL LAWSUIT and -WELL, IS IT REALLY OUR JOB TO DO THIS and -WELL, THE ASSOCIATION CANT MAKE ANYONE DO ANYTHING.
I can definitely live with these half hearted responses that really don't say anything at all even though I think he would have been better off with a "no comment". The real problem is when they get Real Estate broker Darrell Sparks on the line and one of his printed comments is "IF YOU'RE UPSET WITH SOMEBODY, MAYBE YOU SHOULD BE UPSET WITH THE DEADBEAT WHO DIDN'T MAKE THEIR PAYMENTS" referring to people who have been through a foreclosure and now are out of their home. So according to Darrell people who have lost their homes are "DEADBEATS". I think that may be a little extreme.
So now thanks to the association of Realtors and Darrell Sparks we have taken a very minor issue where we could have said "Yeah sure, no problem, we're here to help" and turned it into a large front page article making us all look like we are insensitive and afraid to commit to help with anything.
Thanks guys, I appreciate you stepping up and speaking out for our behalf again and leaving such a good impression with our community.
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4 comments:
WOW! I can't believe these guys! They really do make us look bad huh? A "No Comment" would have been better. My question is, How could a law suite come out of this?
Monique Banales
Work and contribut to your community.........it doesn't sound like it.
It is amazing how lawsuits originate. I wouldn't be surprised if we could all get sued for taking a non-responsive approach. When does the REALTOR hat come off? Fudiciary doesn't begin and end with a contract. I will make the call, liability or not, if I see anything that could lead to a health issue of any kind.
Nancy Harper
Sales Manager
McKinzie Nielsen Real Estate
Nice job! Let me know how it works out, I have been told that this will be the way of the future.
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