Real estate values declining as Fed makes business difficult

By Josh Resnek

All of us who own property understand this: prices are not rising. In fact, they are dropping back from incredible highs.

The frenzy that surrounded listings, all listings for real estate here has subsided, and in many cases, has fallen back from the all-time highs reached last year before the Fed started raising interest rates.

And before the start of raising interest rates, the inflation gripping us now was sweeping into high gear.

All this has conspired to make the present Everett real estate marketplace difficult, according to the well-known and highly-respected broker Sandy Juliano, owner of JRS Real Estate in the city.

For the average person buying a single family home prices are going down, said Juliano.

“An average size home on an average size lot the prices are declining. Prices are definitely not going up. Prices are down about 10% from the highs of last year.

“Part of it is that we are in the middle of winter. Winter is always a light sales period. The question is, will the declining real estate marketplace recover in the spring? it might, “ she said.

Juliano said that when prices are falling, people tend not to place their properties up for sale.

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School debacle about mayor wanting things his way or no way all the time

The mayor wants modular (above) over brick and mortar.

By Stephen Pinto

The mess of finding additional school space (modular’s) has now been dumped in the mayor’s lap where it belongs.

Everett’s school mess has been years in the making as the administration turned a blind eye to overcrowding.

The administration was more focused on sucking up to Steve Wynn and building a casino than in eradicating overcrowding.

We were told by our politicians that Everett taxpayers basically struck gold with Wynn.

Well that couldn’t be further from the truth.

When you have to take $7 million dollars of free cash to hold the line on taxes you know something is wrong.

That $7 million dollars could be put to better use for so many other issues in the city.

I’ll say it again.

The City Councilors needs to do their job.

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Pleading with the council to act

Editor’s note: The following letter has been sent to all the members of the Everett City Council.

Dear Councilmen:

It was disturbing to see agenda item C053522 Cemetery Commission on the 12/27/22 Agenda for action to establish the Everett Cemetery Commission. Just what the tax payers need, more no show paid jobs for the mayors donors and supporters many from outside Everett. This will negatively impact residents by adding to the $300M bloated budget and padded payroll headcount. How many NO Show Stipend jobs on commissions and boards is enough for the Mayor? for our budget?

Taxpayers have had enough of the wasteful spending from the corner office that you all approve which means you support.

We voted for you to manage the budget and the city, not be a rubber stamp for uncontrolled wasteful spending! Do you have the business acumen to stop the mayor’s lack of fiscal responsibility and financial mismanagement with the CFO, or are you part of the problem?

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Gasoline at $5 Per Gallon Has Fallen Dramatically To An Average of $3.50

Gasoline prices have been in a free fall for the past two months. (Photo by Joe Resnek)

By Josh Resnek

Gasoline prices are down about $1.50 a gallon from an all-time high of $5 a gallon during the early summer.

At Everett’s half dozen or so public gasoline stations, prices for a gallon can vary widely by as much as .35 cents to .50 cents a gallon.

Consumers should take notice of the higher priced gasoline as it is no different than the lower priced gallons.

The only difference is what the retailer of the gasoline believes he or she can charge for the product with consumers still willing to pay.

The large downward swing in price for a gallon of gasoline is a natural outcome of the market place which is based on supply and demand.

Whether you are on Broadway Everett or driving a car in England or France, if demand is outstripping supply, then prices remain higher.

Prices have fallen in the United States from coast to coast because we are an energy rich nation, with huge
reserves, and enough production capacity to meet the demands of the driving public at least during the present period.

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A tectonic shift

Three or four years ago, the debate about using the former Pope John High School as a school facility to reduce overcrowding would have been what the lawyer’s call, a moot point.

In other words, the mayor’s absolute, incontestable control of the city’s power structure and of its elites made opposition al- most an impossibility when push came to shove.

The recent uprising about the future of the former Pope John High School indicates the extent to which the mayor finds himself a voice alone in his desire to perpetuate the notion that affordable housing is more important than reducing the over- crowded and struggling public school system.

Sides have been drawn. Positions have solidified.

The city council is now said to be entirely in favor of using the Pope John facility as a public school to mitigate overcrowding.

At least five members of the School Committee have done the same.

That four members of the School Committee fail to see the importance of reducing schools overcrowding is incomprehensible. That the mayor is the leader of that group on the School Committee reveals how greatly the times have changed but the mayor is not changing with them.

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