To the Editor:
I’ve been wondering what’s propping up real estate agent commissions ever since travel agents went by the wayside, as well as high fees for trading stocks (“Realtor Commissions Are Still a Hefty Part of Home Sales. Maybe Not for Long,” Cover Story, Feb. 2).
The National Association of Realtors is trying its hardest, but the tide is against it. With websites like Redfin and Zillow in use by consumers, the influence of the “home” magazines, and cable shows for house flippers teaching folks what to look for and how to fix it, the clock is ticking. You can buy a lockbox at the local hardware store.
The final nail in the coffin: The drummer in our rock band just got his real estate broker’s license. If that isn’t a market indicator, I don’t know what is.
Gary Gand
Riverwoods, Ill.
Headed for Oblivion?
To the Editor:
Al Root ends “Boeing’s Troubles Aren’t Going Away. How to Profit From Its Problems” (Feb. 2) by saying that Boeing becomes investible if the price just falls enough (say, to $175). I disagree. I believe that Boeing is maybe one more fatal accident away from oblivion. Does anyone remember the story of the de Havilland Comet?
Stan Connell
Charlotte, N.C.
Soft and Hard Landings
To the Editor:
Randall W. Forsyth makes a good point that the economic numbers are confusing (“January Jobs Report Was a Blowout. Disregard the Seasonal Noise,” Up & Down Wall Street, Feb. 2). I’d just posit this: If you don’t think the business cycle has been repealed, we’re probably headed south. The Leading Economic Index has gone down for 21 straight months, and the government and the Federal Reserve have reined in their largess.
There was a soft landing in 2000 until there wasn’t (in 2001), and there was a soft landing in 2007 until there wasn’t (in 2008). I’m cushioning my portfolio for this one.
Gene Sweet
Chicago
Trump and the Market
To the Editor:
The market has already skyrocketed, and it started in October 2022 (“If Trump Wins, the Market Could Skyrocket. Be Ready for Anything,” The Striking Price, Jan. 31). It has nothing to do with former President Donald Trump and everything to do with: 1) the resilient U.S. economy, 2) declining inflation, 3) declining interest rates, and 4) the tech revolution that is artificial intelligence.
If the market were to sell off on a Trump loss (it won’t, in large part because it hasn’t risen on hopes for a Trump win), it would be a tremendous buying opportunity.
Mark G. Visnic
North Hampton, N.H.
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