Please keep news, headlines local

Here we go again. I wrote a letter in January 2008, pointing out that your use of national headlines is not helping our situation here in Western Washington.

My wife Marcia and I have been selling real estate in Snohomish County for over 20 years and we can assure you that many, if not most, home buyers are headline driven. Which brings me to the point:

“Homebuilders still in a funk” was your Tuesday headline in your business section. You have to realize that our business has been absolutely devastated by the financial crisis that has now lasted over two years. I am not only writing for real estate agents, but for home inspectors, appraisers, title companies, escrow companies, builders, contractors, not to mention all the office managers of these small offices that are shutting down.

So, my journalism degree and real estate license aside, I would prefer to see more of a local angle on your headlines, such as paragraph six which states:

“That hasn’t been an issue in Western Washington, which has seen warmer than usual weather and strong growth in home sales this winter.”

For example, we wrote two purchase and sales agreements last week, and we were competing with other offers. We have not seen this in nearly three years. The Fed just kept their rates at all time lows.

We need to take care of our own here locally. We don’t need headlines about California’s real estate market, we need positive headlines leading your story as in paragraph six, stating that our local market is doing well.

We respect your jobs and just want our fair share of representation.

Kelly and Marcia Gray

Lake Stevens

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