OCR Text |
Show The Utah Enterprise Review , March 9, 1977 Page 22b The 77 Drought The Politics of Water Realtors Band Together in Local Franchise by Chuck Akerlow Popularity of the real estate franchise program has given rise to a new Utah corporation. Real Estate Associates, formed by a group of local realtors. Hoping to find strength in numbers, the company presently consists of about 11 small, independent realtors, led by Joe Kearsley, president, and Dee Hale, Jim Atkinson and Neff Petersen officers. Most of the new real estate franchises originate out of state, says Petersen, but this is a local franchise. The money we generate stays in the state. Petersen said the corporation hopes to augment and support small realtors, adding a corporate image while they maintain private ownership and receive the benefits of a cooperative venture. He listed potential leverage with financial institutions, group status with insurance companies, cooperative advertising, training seminars and listing leverage as benefits of franchise membership. Member companies, Petersen said, will pay an initial franchise fee and four percent of their annual gross income to belong. He added the corporation expects to hold monthly meetings with the entire membership. Real Estate Sales Show Slight Gain Last w'eek in this column reported that Salt Lake City Water officials were turning off the faucet to new dev1 Between the elopments. time the column was written and the time it went to press some reversals appeared in the newspaper and the situation remains murky. First Water Commissioner Herman Hogenson announced that new developments would not receive w ater permits until the water situation improved. Then Mayor Ted Wilson, realizing the impact of such a state- ment on Utahs $700 million construction industry told reporters that such a policy would have to be adopted by the Salt Lake City Commission as a whole. Water Superintendent and dean of the Utah water managers Charles Wilson issued a statement saying d that the press had the concerns of he and Commissioner Hogenson and that no moratorium existed on building in the area served by the Salt Lake AlWater Department. though he did allow, however, that the water situation over-reporte- The week ending March 4 marked slight gains in real estate sales with an overall increase in value of 8 percent. Of the $6,733,453 total sales, multiple units and commercial property showed the greatest gains. Multiple unit sales accounted for $792,000 with an average price of $60,923, compared to $45,877 for the previous week. Commercial properties totaled $159,350. 140 residential properties sold for a total of $5,671,078. was indeed grim. Such are the politics of water. Some liken our present situation to the drought of The difference, of course, is that since then wre have increased our storage capacity to protect ourselves from such a dire situation as occured that 1934 in Utah. year. Local water officials find themselves in a real spot. It is hard to argue with Jimmy Carter that his move to cut the Central Utah Project was capricious and poorly staffed particularly in a drought year while at the same time continuing to encourage Yet some officials have growth in Utah. local public awakened to the fact that too many scare tactics can have serious implications in the construction business. And if you want to see Utahs unemployment rate shoot up to 20 or more, tell the builders they cant build this summer and watch Utahs economy go into a tailspin. think the time has come for Utah's public official to start speaking realistically about the water situation. True, we have had less moisture this year than any other time in recent memory. But also true, we have built many dams and increased our storage capacity in the intervening years. Instead of playing politics with water, how about some straight talk? There are those w'ater experts who believe we are not in serious trouble and that we shouldnt discourage continued growth. Lets hear their I thous-ands-fo- ld view. It is always good to remind ourselves to fix a leaky tap, reduce the storage capacity in our toilet tanks, etc. But let us not over-reac-t. This issue is too important to be left to the politicians. It is time to hear from the experts and to implement a sensible strategy which will both conserve water and protect Utahs continued growth. EARN BIG INTEREST FROM YOUR BIG MONEY (or little money) Earn a minimum of secured by deeds of trust on homes, unimproved lands and commercial Utah properties. 12 All investments thoroughly processed and investigated by United Mortgage. Our record is perfect--ou- r investors have never lost a cent in over 23 years of doing business. For further information, no obligation 1 or write of course, please call 486-587- to: UNITED MORTGAGE COMPANY 2900 So. State, Suite 100 Sait Lake City, Utah 84115 |