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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 19, 2007

Updated: 09/18/2007 06:44 pm

Regarding 'Rally At Tampa House Pitches New Exemption' (Metro, Sept. 18):

The superexemption rally shows everything wrong with home ownership here. Politicians create exemptions in taxes, pretending the lost revenues won't be collected elsewhere. Insurance companies gouge owners and the legislative response is dubious at best. Meanwhile, everyone ignores the third guilty party: sellers. Realtors, shady lenders, seedy flippers, gullible buyers and greedy owners have created a housing market 33 percent overvalued in the Bay area (Local Market Monitor).

How do we actually help sales? How about selling homes at fair market value? Take Veronica Greco's home, for example. The county assessor Web site says she paid $42,900 for it 15 years ago, and it's worth $149,000 now. Yet she's asking $234,900. If she would just sell at $160,000, accepting 'only' a 270 percent increase on the price, both the property taxes and insurance would actually be affordable for a new owner - no politics required.

ERIC ODGAARD

Tampa

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