15 thoughts on “Our Daily Thread 3-19-24

  1. This seems like a bad idea. It punishes agents like Kim who do everything ethically and by the book, and will allow nefarious types to undercut them. It will make it harder for decent realtors to make a living. There had to be a better way to settle this.

    https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/tl-dr-massive-changes-coming-121501580.html

    “The way Americans buy and sell homes is about to get turned on its head.

    An earth-shattering, multibillion-dollar antitrust ruling against the National Association of Realtors late last year led to a settlement on Friday that will loosen the powerful trade group’s stranglehold on America’s housing market. The $418 million settlement with a group of homebuyers is expected to take effect sometime around July, pending a judge’s approval. It would transform a number of rules and guidelines set by the NAR that critics say have kept housing prices artificially inflated.

    The TL;DR: 6% commissions, split between the buyer’s and seller’s brokers, will no longer be the norm. Agent commissions are expected to fall — in some cases, dramatically — because they will be competitive and negotiable, and sellers will be able to shop around for better rates. And other broker tactics that critics say are anticompetitive, such as a rule that made sellers’ agents set compensation for buyers’ agents, will be prohibited.

    It’s not all good news: Buyers may have to pay their broker directly in the future, which could be tough for buyers accustomed to financing that commission as part of their mortgage. And some buyers could choose to forgo using a broker altogether. Also, a bunch of brokers are probably about to quit.”

    The problem with the housing market right now are not agent commissions. It’s banks tightening the requirements, especially for first timers, and high interest rates. This does nothing to ease that.

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  2. Here’s a good explanation of the first post above. Commissions aren’t the real issue.

    Like

  3. No sunshine here. Windy and cold. Pretty normal for this time of year.

    In the case of when to do elective surgery, it is a difficult decision to make. I know many who were sorry they had not had them earlier, thus relieving pain earlier. One woman had one knee fixed and is sorry she is now in a condition that will not allow her to have the other one done. I know one woman whose first knee was a breeze and the second was a real problem. You just don’t know. I know lots of people who have had cataract surgery, and none have had issues. You just never know. I am grateful I can see.

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  4. Kathaleena, I’m so sorry your cataract surgeries didn’t go well, is there something specific they are saying might be the cause, and is this temporary?

    It is one of the safest surgeries and issues are rare — at least that’s what my surgeon told me. I have several friends who have had the procedure with no issues, but there always is a risk of things not coming out right.

    So discouraging, praying that the doctors can figure out what’s up and get you back on track.

    • dj

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  5. Another fruitful Bible study.

    I know a woman with a first knee replacement that turned out well, and now she has a limp from the second.

    I did see a story about a young lady engaged to be married who was in an auto accident. Her sunglasses shattered into her eyes so she became blind in one. Now she has a story and a new line of shatterproof sunglasses. She seems content to help others never suffer what she suffered.

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  6. It is Springlike here in the forest …complete with snow all around. More snow to come next week😊

    I never grow weary of seeing the beauty of the birthday tree…it always gives me hope that someday we might see flowers!

    nj

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  7. Working away on scholarship applications. It is fun when I know someone or perhaps know the person who wrote a recommendation. Those little touches make it special.

    Onward, Jo

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  8. I love the picture, too. We were able to take pictures of a tree like that when we stopped in Metropolis to see the Superman statue. So beautiful to see a real spring, although it doesn’t do the allergies any good. The Bradford Pear trees were beautiful. The wild daffodils were fun to see again.

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  9. I did read where cataract surgeries “can” make dry eye syndrome worse, something that concerned me as I have that issue already. But I don’t think the odds were high for that and so far I haven’t noticed any worsening of that, still using the same dry-eye treatment drops I’ve had and have not had to add any others.

    • dj

    Liked by 1 person

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