Walker Creates Buyer Uncertainty, Slows Real Estate Sales with Wage Cuts.

The now struggling mortgage market was once the only thing that held our economy together. Restoring home sales by creating jobs was a no brainer. Was it the Walker administrations ultimate goal? No. The real plan involves ideological purity; Small government via a private for profit takeover of our state. This has created uncertainty for home buyers, and has many area Realtors up in arms. 

Wisbusiness: Citing lost clients and recent deals that have fallen through, some Wisconsin real estate professionals say Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill will hinder the recovery of their struggling industry.  

The pay cuts and potential job losses faced by state, local government and school workers are sure to dampen house-hunting and loan approvals for a group long considered solid prospects by mortgage lenders, said JoAnn Kane of Stark Company Realtors in Madison. She was among dozens of real estate professionals who marched around the Capitol Saturday in protest of Walker's actions. It was their second protest there within a month. Some realtors want the Wisconsin Realtors Association, which strongly supported Walker's campaign, to rescind its support for him.  

A newly created Facebook page, Realtors in Support of Public Employees, has topped 580 members, who've been trading stories of skittish buyers and angry clients who link the state's real estate industry with Walker. At least two other similar Facebook groups have formed. 

William Malkasian, WRA president said, "I don't think there's any question that the uncertainty, the fear, the loss of potential employment could have an impact on a selective market, no different than the elimination of the GM plant in Janesville, the elimination of Consolidated Paper in Wisconsin Rapids or the elimination of the AMC plant in Kenosha." 

But, Malkasian doesn’t care. He's always supported big business over consumer wages and employment, an odd preference considering his business needs a healthy middle classe home buyer. Having been a Realtor myself, I can tell you from his past behavior, Malkasian should have been ousted out long ago. He’s a big money fat cat. But the one big problem for Realtors who aren't happy with the elite WRA autocrats...

They can't quit the WRA, because membership is the only way to access the Multiple Listing Service, a basic tool of doing business … It also gives agents use of the trademarked "Realtor" designation. But members can opt out of the organization's $35 annual political action fee. 

There are a few in the business that can’t help make themselves look like...well, you decide:

Not all real estate professionals are pessimistic about losing sales. Ken Olander, a real estate agent with Century 21 in Janesville, says state budget cuts can't do much more to hurt the market in his area, where thousands of private sector jobs have vanished. "Home prices are already so distressed," he said. 

Gee, how lucky can we get?