Smart Growth is a national movement that has now spread to Wisconsin. The Smart Growth movement
    is a reaction to the threats of Urban Sprawl, or unplanned, unsightly and wasteful growth.

    Although the Smart Growth Law has been extended to go into full effect the year 2012, many
    communities have already begun or finished their comprehensive plans. This has given planners,
    developers and the public some practical experience working with the law and the planning process,
    which has generated many ideas on how to improve it. While new ideas should be discussed on how to
    improve the Smart Growth Law, repealing it is not the answer.

    With the passage of Act 9 in 1999, Wisconsin took its place among a growing contingent of states
    seeking a solution through comprehensive planning, it is important that we learn more about Smart
    Growth from not only on a National and State level but also and especially, at a Local perspective. Find
    out how the Wisconsin Historical Society is actively participating by providing technical assistance to
    professional planners and general guidance to local government officials and historic preservation
    organizations.

    Attend your local village, town, & city planning meetings on Smart Growth, be sure that your elected
    officials are supporting the issues important to you regarding Smart Growth.

    When implemented effectively, Smart Growth planning recycles existing buildings and land, conserves
    historic downtowns and residential neighborhoods, preserves farmland, maintains local community
    character, promotes a sense of community, and protects the environment for future generations.

    This concerns your future and the futures of your children & grandchildren. Be sure to give
    your input.

    Tom Larson (tlarson@wra.org) at (608) 240-8254) says, ''One of the primary objectives of Wisconsin's
    Smart Growth law is to protect private property rights by making the planning process more accessible to
    property owners and other members of the public.'' Reversing prevalent practice, he points out, the law
    expands public participation in local planning; offers property owners greater certainty about the scope of
    their land use entitlement's; makes local officials more accountable for plan content; secures
    comprehensive planning by addressing at least nine quality-of-life issues, including the often neglected
    housing, transportation and economic development; and affirms property rights as ''one of the state and
    local planning goals'' by requiring communities to spell out how they will ''balance individual property
    rights with community interests'' if they seek state aid for devising their plans.

    Wisconsin's Smart Growth planners and public have help available from the Wisconsin Historical Society,
    the University of Wisconsin-Extension, Regional Experts and County Planners. Smart Growth in
    Wisconsin is about balanced, more informed planning at the local level.

    Be sure that you can say that you were there when the plan for Your
    Community was set in stone.
    10 May 2006
            ********
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SMART GROWTH
MOLONY REAL ESTATE
PO BOX 194, LODI, WI  53555
608-592-7306  & 608-445-8464
Website:  MolonyRealEstate.com
Email:  MolonyRealEstate@Yahoo.com
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    26 April 2007

    Dear Editor,

    Lately People have been hearing a lot about the Real Estate Market in the news, and most of it sounds bad.

    High Interest Rates still climbing, “Creative Loans” being Foreclosed upon, and Builders Laying Off their workers – not building. Why is this
    happening? What are the Realtors going to do about it? The Real Estate Brokers and Agents cannot do anything more than try to sell all the
    properties that are on the market at the moment and be sure their clients are educated about their credit, which determines their mortgage
    options.

    How did all of this happen?  The “Creative Loans” appear to be the root of all of this evil. What amazes me the most is that these “Experts” never
    saw this massive deluge of Real Estate Inventory coming when they made loans to people who should never have had the loan in the first place
    or at least not that big of a loan.

    Those who received a Big Loan could then sell their existing home and move into their bigger home which (based on last years numbers) was
    newly built. This puts their old one on the market. Now you have the First Time Home Buyers, they do not have a home to sell, so you think
    then that they would pick up the old inventory. Not according to last years numbers, they too will buy a newly built home (Their “creative loan”
    lets them get “More House”). This movement makes the Building Industry crank up their production, especially with Condo’s & Duplexes.
    Why? Because the Builders are anticipating a surge in Home Buying. The Mortgage Industry already gave them the Presentation on their new
    “Product” = ARM ’s (“An Adjustable Mortgage Loan for homeowners who want the flexibility of choosing from four different payment options
    every month, plus the security of a low fixed rate for years.”).

    Now the market is flooded with the excess “Inventory”. Drive around and what do you see? Jerry Ritchie wrote an excellent Letter to the Editor
    a while ago listing all the vacant homes, condos & duplexes that have been sitting on the market. You can see it for yourself. Why would
    Builders keep building more? They have money sitting out there too, at least until some of that inventory is sold. Now the Banks are pressuring
    the Developers (who are not always Realtors), Real Estate Brokers, and Builders to pay their loans. Each in turn, asks the other to take a cut in
    pay to get the Inventory moving again so that they can pay their bills before going Bankrupt or Foreclosing on the Development (guess who
    will get the Inventory then?). So the sales begin. For a while.

    Now it is Spring 2007 and last years inventory is still on the market, many people lost their homes & dreams, and more are facing the horror of
    their “New Mortgage Rate” because now the cheap financing rate their ARM first gave them has now readjusted – as planned- and the payments
    are too high to manage month to month.

    At the same time Cities, Towns, and Villages try to set up plans (“Smart Growth Planning”) to maintain some kind of control of this
    “Development Gone Wild”. The Town of West Point has admirably been ahead of the class in their Responsible Approach to Planning &
    Growth in their township. It is a shame that the Wisconsin Realtors Association (WRA) and the Wisconsin Builders Association (WBA) are
    wasting Taxpayer dollars by suing the Town of West Point to stop them from having a moratorium on development until they have their Smart
    Growth Plan completed. The responsible actions of the Townspeople of West Point and should be applauded and copied (That was, by the way,
    why I was at the meetings, I wanted to be ready when the city of Lodi decides to start their plan.). – They should not be sued for their
    forethought. Yes, I am a member of the WRA, but they didn’t call me and ask me what I thought before they went ahead and started this lawsuit,
    Sorry.

    It may also seem strange that I appear to be against Development. I am FOR Responsible Development. I am NOT FOR Developing a beautiful
    piece of rich black fertile dirt into a HUGE curb & gutter oversized-for-the-lot All-look-the-same Neighborhoods. I have some First Cousins
    with HUGE Farms around here (my Mom was a Ziegler ) and it makes me sick to see the land go away. This also puts stress on the rest of the
    Agricultural Industry, which is already stressed.

    Did you know that the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (Wis DATCP) Secretary Rod Nilsestuen calculates
    that Wisconsin ’s farmland is disappearing at about 30,000 acres a year? This would make Wisconsin “The State with the most Rapid Loss of
    Farmland in the entire Midwest Region”.

    How will we fix all of this? We can’t wait until tomorrow, tomorrow never comes. The Federal Government is finally looking at how these
    “Creative Loans” were sold (Yes, don’t forget you pay MONEY to get these loans), and the Feds are finally looking at setting up new guidelines
    for Mortgage Loan Consumers. BUT, Right NOW the Federal Government is considering letting Banks into Real Estate. This a very dangerous
    situation for Consumers. Remember, the same guy selling you that High Risk “Creative Loan”, is the same guy who takes your house back
    when you cannot afford the new “Creative” payments. Soon he could also be the guy who puts a Real Estate For Sale sign in your yard – how
    nice will he be to you the first time you call and say you “might be a little late” on your next payment? Especially when he can resell it, AGAIN,
    AND keep ALL the money You already put into it?

    The neighborhoods change dramatically as they are blighted by foreclosures & other “quick sales”, properties languishing on the market for an
    extended period of time, homes sitting empty, and others converting to rentals to alleviate some of the financial pressures these homeowners are
    facing. What was once a thriving neighborhood with residents contributing to the Community (everyone had money – they just put it on their
    second mortgage!), is now stressed and in disrepair because money is tight or non-existent.

    When I am working with my clients, their ability to understand their Mortgage really determines whether they will successfully become and
    stay a homeowner. The best defense is EDUCATION. The more you understand, the better you can negotiate your loan options. The Library has
    so many Books, Tapes, VCR’s & DVD ’s with easy to understand information on Mortgage Loan Options, and it is all free to borrow. Your
    Realtor should know enough to steer you in the right direction and to be sure you are not being courted by a predator. With more and more
    Banks becoming chains, and people moving from job to job in that Industry, the “Personal Banking Touch” is pretty much gone. If you have a
    “Hometown Banker” it is best to go to them, they still have an interest in the Community and are less likely to sell your loan.

    Don’t’ get the wrong idea, I like Banks – the ones that act responsibly with their customers. The Professionals I know not only have a Legal
    License to practice in their Industry, but we also take an Ethics Oath. What is the Ethics Oath of Your Loan Officer?       

    If you are thinking of Home Ownership at any time (High School Students please Start NOW!) consider attending the FREE HOME BUYERS
    FAIR at the Alliant energy Center in Madison on Saturday 28 April 2007 from 8:30am to 3:00pm. You don’t have to want to buy a home in Dane
    County to go to the Fair, you can get some good information here. You do not have to stay the whole time, but check the Agenda for the
    Seminars so you don’t miss the ones you want to sit in on. Bring a list of your best questions & an address stamper so your hands don’t get tired
    signing up for all the prizes!

    PS
    To all the Pet Owners out there, instead of feeding your loved ones something you have no idea what is in it, and possibly poisoning them
    slowly. Consider consulting with David Weber at Weber’s Bakery in Lodi, Wisconsin, He makes Home-Made Animal Biscuits!

    Sincerely,
    Anna Marie Morgan
    Real Estate Broker for
    Molony Real Estate in Lodi, Wisconsin
    PO Box 194
    Lodi, WI  53555
    608-592-7306