Setting The Record Straight: Concerning Comments About Housing Sales

I recently had an email exchange with a local homeowner who was seeking information on the lawsuits against the City and HISID. Her concern was that a real estate agent was telling them that if they wanted to list their house, they would have to disclose to any potential buyer that the City and HISID had open lawsuits against them. I checked with a real estate agent, and he said that no such disclosure is required by law. So, if I had a real estate agent say that I had to disclose something that is public record like pending lawsuits, I would check with an attorney or other real estate agents.

The party that I was exchanging emails with said the agent told her that when it comes to the real estate market, Holiday Island “is in a bad situation with the water & sewer, lawsuits, and embezzlement.” Per this agent, potential buyers were walking away because of these issues and that it is negatively impacting listing prices. If this is generally true and not just the experience of one agent, it certainly shows the destructive power of social media since there is simply no basis for these concerns except for the social media bantering’s of a few individuals who sensationalize manageable problems, proclaim a crisis where no crisis exists, and outrightly make false accusations about public officials without a shred of real evidence.

The sewer system has a project underway to meet a new environmental standard but otherwise it has no serious problems. The water works has a leak problem that goes back 30+ years but has not negatively impacted the district’s ability to supply good clean and regulatorily compliant water. The wells and storage tanks are all in good shape. And HISID is looking at employing some new technology to locate the leaks so they can be fixed. Besides, I think it’s safe to say that every city in Arkansas has some issues with aging sewer and water infrastructure. The State did a survey of all cities and towns in conjunction with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. I do not have the results of that survey, but it was in the billions of dollars in “need.” They are currently doing another such survey.

I’ve said before that lawsuits are detrimental to the image of Holiday Island as a community and the sooner that they can be resolved the better. However, when looking at available data, the average listing price for houses in Holiday Island has remained steady at least for the past several months. And if the housing market has cooled, my guess is that it has more to do with the uncertainty of the economy. If the real estate agents have information to the contrary, I would like to talk to them to see if there is anything we can do to counter it.

Lastly, embezzlement. Really? I know there are people on Facebook and Nextdoor Neighbor (I think that is what it’s called) who accuse me and others of taking bribes, kickbacks, and stealing from the taxpayers and property owners. Well, if anyone has any real evidence of wrongdoing, they are either sitting on it or can’t convince a district attorney to file charges. But neither Facebook nor Next Door require proof. Fact is the elected officials that run the District and the City, most of whom are volunteers, are the most honorable people you will ever meet. I hope that most people in Holiday Island, especially our real estate agents, believe that.