Responding to an Anonymous Comment

The first time anyone comments on my blog, it needs to be approved by me before it’s displayed on the post. This is mostly to keep rogue X-rated comments from showing up that were missed by my Akismet spam catcher.

But sometimes real people, who refuse to give real names and contact information, make nasty comments on my blog, hoping they’ll get published. Sometimes I do publish them and respond. Sometimes I just spam them because they are troll mail and no response or publication is justifiable.

Well, today I received an Anonymous comment which was somewhat random, not entirely coherent, and made on a post to which it was not relevant. However, I feel that this comment does deserve a response, so I’ve decided to write this post in order to address it. Here is what was sent to me:

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Author : Taxpayer (IP: 12.345.678.90 , adsl-00-000-000-00.xxx.xxxxxx.xxxxxxxx.xxx)
E-mail : noemail@noemail.com
URL :
Whois : http://blah blah blah
Comment:
Interesting, Amy, how you are in the business of relocating now. A year ago, you supported increases in budgets which led to need for businesses to have to relocate…I’ll give you credit, you are a Capitalist…creating the market of need for your own financial gain, not matter what the cost to the taxpayers. Ingenious. I hope you can sleep at night that you, as a Realtor, would not take a stand for the greater good of the people.
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Based on the comment, logic would go something like this…
Higher budgets leads to higher taxes.
Higher taxes leads to companies moving.
Companies moving leads to job destruction.
Job destruction leads to people moving.
People moving leads to houses to sell.

But also…
Lower budgets leads to layoffs.
Layoffs leads to job destruction.
Job destruction leads to people moving.
People moving leads to houses to sell.

Both increased budgets and decreased budgets can lead to job destruction. Relocation is a factor of both job creation and job destruction. I have no say in companies relocating employees, I simply help them find housing or sell housing if they are indeed moving. And for further clarification, this is how I can sleep at night…

On My Business:
1. My goal is to help people find homes that meet their needs or sell homes if they are looking to move.
2. I differentiate myself by basing my recommendations on facts (finding, interpreting, using and sharing data).
3. I always make sure that people can afford the homes I show them.
4. Beyond that I have no formal agenda, I just express my opinion as I see it. Remember, I am a homeowner and taxpayer too.

On My Blog:
1. I write a blog to help share information about the region and because I enjoy writing.
2. The blog is most helpful to people relocating TO Hartford because it gives them an overview of the towns (based on data) and other non-real estate attractions (I benefit from job creation).
3. The blog is not all that relevant to people leaving town since they have lived here for a period of time and have likely built a relationship with a REALTOR (I don’t benefit from job destruction).
4. The blog has taken the position on multiple occasions that towns need to balance revenue and expenses, which is a fundamental business and personal finance principal.

On My Outside Interests:
1. My involvement in HYPE is focused almost exclusively on the Entrepreneurship Task Force, which works to try to encourage job creation by small businesses. I see them as the future of our local economy and my husband and I are working hard to help create those jobs.

I’m sorry if I have somehow offended you with the positions that I have taken on the blog. Perhaps you are one of the many that has unfortunately been impacted by the widespread corporate and government layoffs in the region. Despite your initial hostility, I would love to have the opportunity to show you how my data-driven approach can work for you, if you do have a real estate need.

I wish you and your family happy holidays and a healthy New Year.