Why We Need Major Green Economic Incentives

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Wake up America! Those who are paid to project the outcome of markets in this country should be fired, and right now! Thank you for the $600 President Bush, but my $600 is gone before I get it.

Everyday, I read the articles those “experts” are writing that are projecting a bottom to our real estate woes in 2008, 2009 or even 2010. Does anyone really know what time it is? The citizens of this country should get paid to tell the economists that their projects are fantasy.

We are watching our bosses cutting corners, laying us off, consolidating. We are not stupid. We are the ones who built and sacrificed to make big business successful, so don’t ignore or insult our intelligence! Who doesn’t have a relative or friend who is suffering financially? Forget health care. That is only the tip of the iceberg.

We do not care anymore about insurance, because insurance companies don’t pay claims anyway! We don’t even care if the creditors call. All income levels are feeling a crunch in lifestyle and income. Business is off in all sectors. Do the “experts” think the public will trust their comments anymore?

Why would anyone buy real estate today if what they buy decreases in value when they walk away from the settlement table? I have 15 years in the real estate arena, and my friends who have been in the business as long or longer are leaving it. They can’t afford to pay $2,000 a year to not make a living. What other profession makes you put out $2,000 a year whether you make money or not? Most people do not even know, in most cases, they only get 20% to 25% of a commission before the costs of advertising for clients and their gas expenses. Give them a break!

When property exchanges hands today, it is part of the society and family values we used to cherish. Most want to know where is the quality of American products, building materials, automobiles, infrastructure of our cities, laws to protect us from theft and dishonesty in business practice? Who is pushing for this type of reality check? Does it make sense that teachers and policeman are the lowest paid professions in our country?

What once was the best investment of our life in America is now like buying a car. Losing value right after closing, like losing $1,000+ when you drive it off the lot. Our country is at such a crossroad, that if we do not do something quick, in terms of a solution that is geared for all citizens across the board, we may as well pick it up and move families in together.

Actually, this is already the normal way of life in other countries. Other countries know what we don’t. Live with your family unit, take care of each other, no, I mean really care for each other. Stop supporting more and more and learn to live with less and less. Turn off your lights, save energy. Don’t waste food and our precious natural resources. I feel for the people who believe the real estate is bottoming right now. Across the board means not only real estate but the obvious. We are relying on other countries now for running our society and this has gotten way out of control.

Is it me, or do we not have a government, by the people and for the people anymore? We need big business tax incentives to help us now and very quickly to improve our economy. What is happening to the American way? What happened to lending practices to help people, and not strap the average citizen so deep in debt that they can’t make it monthly, then getting excited about business that grows from such a sick mindset?

Most average families today have no choice but to put food on credit cards and lose cars by not being able to pay car payments. If you inherit from mom and dad, more power to you. But someone put into law, spreading wealth by offering tax incentives coming from big business. This is the language they understand. Someone suggest extremely attractive tax incentives for developing renewable energy and “going green,” not because it is fashionable and the “in” word today, but because it can lower utility bills, help the economy and build back America’s reputation. Our “big business” greed, is off the charts. So get them to contribute to the average person’s woes, help them to help us so we can get back in the game and create and build new businesses from “going green.”

Here is the real story. We are in for a depression that all citizens today have not ever experienced and if we do change the patterns of what motivates a buyer to buy, we are doomed. This not only involves the real estate industry but life as we know it. Have you heard the old saying, if nothing changes, nothing changes? Whether your motivation in getting involved in the new “green” arena is in lower utility bills, wanting to occupy a healthier home or business life, fear in global warming, hating our dependence on foreign oil, wanting to make a million dollars from it, come aboard now.

Going green and being energy conscious is the ONLY way things will change. It is measurable, built from scientific fact and will help future generations. I ask every one: Is there anything more important?

Kerry Mitchell is the founder and course developer of Green Real Estate Education, which is on target to educate more than 20,000 real estate professionals in going green by 2009. Mitchell established the recognized certification for the real estate industry, the GCREP.GL. She worked for 14 years as a licensed real estate broker in Maryland and Florida, where she now resides.

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