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sexually harassed or assaulted women, most of whom worked for the state.
How home prices have done this year
Unless you’re not watching the news on TV, or aren’t reading any newspaper or online information, your head might be in the sand, if you don’t know that prices on homes have continued to increase quarter over quarter and year over year.
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Even the jobs report today was absolutely astounding, whereby we hit an historic all-time high of over 1+million jobs created in June 2021!
This bodes well for the majority of markets for goods and services. Real Estate is also the beneficiary of all this superb news! Demand is still at a 50+ year high, interest rates have dipped below 3 percent the other week, as I was able to secure a 2.75 percent mortgage for a client through my mortgage person Derek Kam of Green River Capital, who is as sharp as a tack and as professional as they come when comparing his knowledge, expertise and client service skills!
The following charts and graphs provide a clear and concise picture of where prices were and where they are currently, with no end in sight. Builders would have to build a minimum of 2,000,000 homes per year to equal the current demand and future demand.
As it is, we need a minimum of 500,000 additional homes to try to cool off demand today. The average home cost rose to $63,300 in June. That’s nearly a $70,000 escalation in price compared to June in 2020!*
The number of homes actively listed for sale in the U.S. are down 43 percent in relation to 2020. Homes in 2019 were selling quite briskly in 38 days and in 2020 the existing homes were selling in 21 days and currently, it has been reduced to 17 days!
Here are the Sold Median Sales, Pending Sales Median Price, Sold Price Counts, Pending Sales Counts statistics from July 7, 2019 thru June 2021
It is very obvious that the market is steaming full speed ahead at least in Nassau County as well as Suffolk, Queens and upstate too.
City statistics are getting a bit better as people begin to move back into NYC and other major cities, but retail and office space is still in difficult times.
However, it surely appears that the economy in itself is coming back very strong and there are now less than 6,000,000 people unemployed down from 8,000,000+.
However, I am a bit weary on the inflation numbers because food and energy are not included in the statistics because they change so rapidly and are never part of the “core” inflation for goods and services and even health care. But it’s a bit complicated.
However, if you figure out that gas has gone up approximately $1.14 as per GasBuddy.com prices for gas locally from 2020 when I paid $1.97 per gallon when no one was driving.
Food has also gone up too. How about wood and
PHILIP A. RAICES
Real Estate Watch
the material costs to build homes has added $35,000 to the equation. Lastly new and used car prices have also gone up due to the shortage of computer chips. So, anyone that thinks inflation is 5+ percent, I got a great deal, I have a bridge I can sell you too!
Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 40 years of experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also as a Certified International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S). For a “FREE” 15 minute consultation, a value analysis of your home, or to answer any of your questions or concerns he can be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: Phil@ TurnKeyRealEstate.Comr
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12 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 13, 2021 Opinion
OUR VIEWS Nassau bill takes aim at our rights
Nassau County Republicans responded earlier in the year to the Black Lives Matter movement’s calls for police reform in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis by joining a “Back the Blue” campaign.
The Republicans did acknowledge the need for some kind of reform following the killing of Floyd by a police offi cer in Minneapolis.
But they said the criticism against police had gone too far.
“The Blue Ribbon campaign is in response to the attempt by extreme groups to vilify all police for the actions of a tiny few,” said Nassau County Presiding Offi cer Richard Nicolello (R-New Hyde Park). “It is intended to show our men and women in law enforcement that we as a county and community appreciate the professionalism, dedication and courage of the overwhelming majority of men and women in blue.”
We would have wished the county Republicans had a similar level of concern for the 140 police offi cers injured when a mob inspired by President Donald Trump attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6 in an eff ort to overturn the election.
Or had expressed more interest in combating systemic racism against Blacks in this country. But at least the damage caused by the county Republicans’ campaign was limited.
That is not the case with a bill passed last week by the Nassau County Legislature which would allow fi rst responders to sue any person who harasses, attacks or injures them while they are in uniform under the Nassau County Human Rights Law.
The bill – which passed with 12 votes in favor and six opposed – would allow police offi cers, fi refi ghters and EMS workers to seek and collect fi nancial and punitive damages, with civil penalties of $25,000 to the “aggrieved” fi rst responders and up to $50,000 if the violations occurred during a “riot.”
And this time the bill was introduced by County Legislator Josh Lafazan, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, and Legislators Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, Arnold Drucker and Ellen Birnbaum, all of whom are Democrats.
They were joined by Republican legislators in the vote, proving that bipartisanship in Nassau County is overrated. Although to his credit Drucker ended up voting against the measure he co-sponsored after a raucous eight-hour debate.
Proponents argued that the bill off ers additional protections to offi cers in the face of “destructive riots and lawlessness” targeting law enforcement offi cials following Floyd’s death in police custody last year.
“There is no justifi cation for violence against fi rst responders. And these bills will add further protection in law to protect Nassau County’s fi rst responders as they protect us,” Lafazan told The Washington Post in what quickly became a national story.
But the supporters of the bill off ered no examples of violence against fi rst responders in Nassau County. Or examples of similar legislation anywhere else in America, including areas where there were instances of violence against fi rst responders. Why not?
We do agree that there is no justifi cation for violence against fi rst responders – or anybody else for that matter. But there are already laws preventing violence against fi rst responders and just about everybody else. They are called criminal laws and we are confi dent that police are getting ample protection under those laws.
Opponents also rightly complained that the bill sets a “dangerous” precedent that undermines free speech and reduces police accountability.
Just think back to the George Floyd case when numerous witnesses were yelling at police as Det. Derrick Chauvin killed Floyd by kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes.
Would the crowd’s comments be considered harassment subject to civil penalties?
What if police responded to people protesting a possible case of excessive force by police outside the Nassau County Executive Building?
At what point would the crowd be harassing the police? And at what point might the protest be deemed a “riot,” subject to double the damages?
And what is the likelihood that groups more politically attuned to police will be charged rather than those supporting policies police oppose?
Will the county attorney say no to police who are members of politically powerful unions that provide valued endorsements and thousands in campaign contributions to county legislators?
Even more important is the chilling eff ect the fi nes will have on protesters. Who is going to want to protest a perceived injustice that might result in a civil suit that costs them up to $50,000?
Just the threat of a civil suit fi led with taxpayer money will deter people from protesting.
And even if someone wins a civil suit, they still have to pay a lawyer. Legal fees and court fi nes are a distinction without a diff erence for most people – particularly those protesting the police.
All this while county taxpayers, including those accused, pick up the tab for police fi ling civil suits.
Opponents also pointed out that the legislation would make fi rst responders a “protected class” under the county Human Rights Law, which bars discrimination based on factors including race, disability, general and sexual orientation.
Congresswoman Kathleen Rice, who previously served as Nassau County district attorney, said she strongly opposed the bill for this reason.
“I support policies to protect our police offi cers and other fi rst responders,” Rice said in a news release. “But it is wrong to codify into law a chosen profession as an immutable human trait in the same manner as we classify race, nationality, gender, disability, and sexual orientation.
“This bill violates the spirit of the county’s Human Rights Law. And I have serious questions about its legality,” she added.
We agree.
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, who had 30 days to approve or veto the legislation, asked state Attorney General Letitia James for an opinion before making a decision.
We believe Curran should not have waited before vetoing the legislation, but we give her credit for at least seeing if the bill could pass a court challenge down the road.
This still drew criticism from Nicolello, who said “the county executive is obviously looking for a pretext to veto the bill.”
Well, if upholding the First Amendment of the Constitution is a pretext we say that’s a pretty good pretext.
Nicolello also noted that “the county has a fully staff ed county attorney’s offi ce to advise the county executive.” Continued on Page 18
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