How will Katrina disaster affect real estate market?

General Real Estate Investing
21

Why should the Bush White House be embarrassed? If anyone is to be embarrassed, it’s the mayor of New Orleans and the governor of Louisiana.

Passing the buck, sounds like the Bush Administration’s talking points.

Bush declared a state of emergency at least two days before the hurricaine hit. This allowed the local and state officials to put into position whatever resources they needed ahead of time. But what did they do? Ordered a manditory evacuation. That’s good for those who could evacuate. What about the elderly, the poor, the sick? The local government could have had busses upon busses picking these people up and getting them out of the city. Did they? No.

Yes they did, they had busses a day before evacuating people, problem was a lot of people didn’t want to leave.

What about the able people that decided to stay and “ride it out”? They could have avoided the entire disaster and have been safe somewhere else.

Yes true. Again a lot of people did not want to leave. They either thought they could ride it out because they rode out (insert list of hurricanes). Some were afraid of others looting there homes or didn’t know where they were going, or did not want to leave for nothing. The reasons may seem to be stupid or irrational, but no one at the time thought it would happen like this. Maybe now when a state or city issues an evacuation order, people will want to leave.

What about the criminals who wanted to stay knowing that they could steal and take advantage of the situation? Maybe we could blame them?

What do you mean blame them? Blame them for what, the hurricane? Sure the criminals wanted to stay, but I don’t understand what good is a Plasma TV when it’s been underwater and no electricity. But than again criminals aren’t the smartest group of people.

You certainly can’t blame FEMA either. FEMA answers directly to…once again…local and state officials and plugs into their resources. But again, the local and state officials didn’t do anything to prepare.

Why would a Federal Agency answer to a mayor? That makes no sense, FEMA answers to the Dept. of Homeland Security. That is the problem.

After the hurricaine hit, all communications and physical access to areas were lost and what we saw the first 3 days was what happens when there are no emergency plans.

Again untrue, emergency plans were in place. The question is whether or not they were followed precisely, and if they were, what went wrong? Communications and roads (while many were destroyed) some were still in place. But I saw a video on the Internet about FEMA cutting communications, why would they do that?

As soon as Bush and the federal government stepped in, that’s when things began to happen. So if you’re going to point any fingers, at least point them in the right direction.

Please don’t rewrite history already. The government had FEMA dispatched there on that day. There are some questions about the high water vehicles that were supposed to be stationed in LA, why were they in Iraq? Iraq is a desert, why would they need high water vehicles?

As for property values, I guess it depends on whether they actually rebuild New Orleans or not. If they do, I wouldn’t mind being a “New Homes” salesman down there.

Only a cold heartless soul could think of profiting from a tragedy where they are still PULLING OUT DEAD BODIES AND RESCUING PEOPLE!

22

Hi,

There are going to be a lot of people competing with real estate investors for property, probably with government money! You will want to be supervigilant concerning properties that you are interested in. Now is the time to invest!

A lot of people are looking for a home, at least 300,000 of them from the Louisiana and Mississippi area. I don’t know if I would want to stay or rebuild … land will probably be a good investment if you want to build. Don’t forget the government grants available! You need to do the paperwork to get them.

Scarlet

23

Let’s be honest here. FEMA dropped the ball. There will be finger pointing from now until the end of time. FEMA is responsible for Emergency Management. period. Who cares that they are part of Homeland Security or this or that department. Upper management screwed up and they need to dealt with as we would be in this type of situation. To steal a quate from Donald Trump,“YOUR FIRED”.

They did not do their job. Even Bush needs to be partially to blame for this. He said for 3 days that FEMA was coming.

Isn’t he ultimately in charge?

There are Canadian rescuers that were there in 2 days. The Mennonite Relief Services and Salvation Army were there in 2.

They do not have near the funding that FEMA has.

Why is there still a military Hospital ship sitting in the GULF awaiting orders.

Peoples heads need to roll on this one. >:(

24

Yeah, that’s it…FIRE THEM ALL…then we can take 2 -3 years to hire and train new people!

Firing isn’t always the answer.

Sounds like EVERY FREAKIN’ DEMOCRAT in Washington! Build bigger and bigger Federal government to hand-hold every, single, solitary step of the way! We’re not smart enough to do it ourselves so we need big government to do it for us. NO THANK YOU!

Rescues are and have been moving forward…the Coast Guard has made over 10,000 rescues.

Are you in an affected state???

Where are the state and local governments??? Governor Blanco just whines and says it’s all Washington’s fault…the Mayor – the same except he also blames the state. Meanwhile, I’m getting taxed up the wazoo in Louisiana – FOR WHAT??? Certainly not Emergency Preparedness!

Stop turning this into just more partisan politics – it’s a REAL ESTATE FORUM! If you want to discuss partisan politics go to the forums on www.washingtonpost.com – you’ll get a gut full there.

Keith

25

I’m watching my real estate investment in New Orleans “drown” and you want me to thank FEMA for throwing me a life raft 5 days too late?

Is anybody in charge here???

26

If the government were in charge of the Sahara desert there would be a shortage of sand.

27

Not to be crass or come off as coldhearted, but…

Why is it FEMA’s fault that the whole of New Orleans is in a flood plain and most of it is below sea level?

Why is it the Federal government’s fault?

Why is it the government’s fault that people build on cliffs, on mud slide areas, on earthquake faults, in hurricane areas, in Tornado Alley? FEMA is not in charge of weather, nor do they have control over it!

Your “real estate investment” in New Orleans would be drowning no matter when FEMA did something about it. There’s water there. Period. Not FEMA’s fault, not the Corps’ of Engineers fault, not the President’s fault, not the Congress’ fault. It’s Katrina’s fault.

We need to worry about the people, not about the things. Consider the things gone. If it is salvageable, great, if not…don’t blame the Federal government.

Starting sometime in the '80s, we started taking on the idea that everything has to be someone else’s fault. How about OUR FAULT? How about PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY?

Keith

28

Well spoken. However, one GLARING mistake was made by the head of FEMA. He was NOT watching any of the news channels to realize that there were survivors in a convention ceter that were being beaten, robbed and sometimes even raped ( yes, raped ) and were being reported on by EMBEDDED reporters. So, there is a major disconnect there. The head of FEMA should be fired for that mistake alone… but I digress.

There will definately be a boom in a lot of industries in New Orleans and the rest of the affected areas once the rebuildprocess begins. Construction ( jobs in this industry for those areas will be plentiful ), Insurance… you name it. Pretty much any industry in this nation will have a new booming market down there.

That is unless some one decides to turn it all into a huge lake. But that’s another theory for a different board. :slight_smile:

29

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Aren’t you watching the footage? It’s already a lake.

The lefties on NPR are calling it “Lake George”.

Keith

30

Oh yeah…right… my bad. :slight_smile:

31

Yeah, that’s it…FIRE THEM ALL…then we can take 2 -3 years to hire and train new people!

Explain to me what training the current group has? Any police cheif or fire cheif has more expecience in emergencies than Brownie the Horse Judge.

Firing isn’t always the answer.

If you don’t fire incompotent nimrods, what kind of standard are you setting?

Sounds like EVERY FREAKIN’ DEMOCRAT in Washington! Build bigger and bigger Federal government to hand-hold every, single, solitary step of the way! We’re not smart enough to do it ourselves so we need big government to do it for us. NO THANK YOU!

Actually it’s been a proven fact that Government grows bigger with Republican Administrations than Democratic ones.

Rescues are and have been moving forward…the Coast Guard has made over 10,000 rescues.

Good!

Are you in an affected state???

no

Where are the state and local governments??? Governor Blanco just whines and says it’s all Washington’s fault…the Mayor – the same except he also blames the state. Meanwhile, I’m getting taxed up the wazoo in Louisiana – FOR WHAT??? Certainly not Emergency Preparedness!

They were there, the governor did dispatched the National Guard, and ordered a state of emergency also before the hurricane even hit. Governor Blanco asked for federal help two days before the hurricane. FEMA showed up and made things worse, they even turned away three tractor trailers with bottled water (donated by Walmart) two days after the flooding! People in the superdome were starving and had no drinkable water, but FEMA turned down truckloads of water! Also I don’t understand why our government couldn’t air drop MRE’s and bottled water? I mean we can do this in just about every country within 48 hours, but we could do it in an American city? I have questions as to what happened and why things didn’t go the way it should, and I hope other Americans have them too. You are paying high taxes because of higher inflation. Schools aren’t cheap, roads don’t fix themselves, police don’t work for free etc etc. I would love to trade my property tax bill with your’s anyday.

[i]Stop turning this into just more partisan politics – it’s a REAL ESTATE FORUM! If you want to discuss partisan politics go to the forums on www.washingtonpost.com – you’ll get a gut full there.

Keith [/i]

Well you can’t make politically charged comments, and then use the old “this isn’t the place for that” routine. Also sense when is holding government up to a higher standard, partisan politics? We have Americans starving and dieing on national television. I am outraged, you should be too.

32

Wow! A democrat from New Jersey, I’m shocked!

http://forums.washingtonpost.com/wpforums/messages/?topfolder=2

33

wow! you go Dan! :boink:

34

You’re off topic…so here ya go:

The partisan part is sitting on their butts on the sidelines playing “Woulda-Coulda-Shoulda”…what are the Dems doing about it? Answer: SQUAT! The state govenment (Democrat) is in shambles…Blanco will quit before it’s over. The city government (Democrat), elected beacuse the last several were crooked and corrupt (you guessed it, Democrat) just throws up their hands and says it’s the Feds fault and basically is non-existant. It’s real easy to deal with problems in hindsight. It’s a world gone mad when Hillary Clinton is the only Democrat making any sense!

When the Dems can actually win an election (not counting Dog-catcher or in a "yellow-dog Democrat state (those "blue ones on the map – you know the ones with the sky-high taxes and sky-high costs of living?), you come talk to me. You tell me one thing that the Dems have done for me lately other than whine and point fingers and find fault. It’s like having someone constantly over your shoulder while you’re painting saying “You missed a spot”!

You’re not here dealing with any of the aftermath. You’re not dealing with the 30%-or so state unemployment. You’re not dealing with the displaced folks vying for the very few jobs that already existed. You’re not dealing with the overtaxed healthcare system here. You’re not dealing with a cut-off of you fuel supply. I can’t even find a gas can!

Until then here’s where you can go:

http://forums.washingtonpost.com/wpforums/messages/?topfolder=2

35

Wow! A democrat from New Jersey, I’m shocked!

[b]Who said I was a Democrat? Just because I believe in Government Accountability makes me a Democrat? If so, I better sign up!

I still do not undetstand the reason why this has become a partisan issue. Are Americans that blind that they can only see elected officials as either Democrats or Republicans? Hopefully the elected officials will get fired in the next upcomming elections. But we also have appointed officials, who I believe, should be fired. I do not see any “skills” or “training” that will be lost, I believe the removal of these officials can only make it better. Hopefully the president will learn from his mistakes, and appoint people who are qualified, not ones who helped raise the most money for his party. That is the failure. [/b]

36

Hey,
Who pays? The buyer or the seller?

                       :eyecrazy:

Peace,
Richard

37

<<Hey, Who pays? The buyer or the seller?>>

The title company!

38

:bash:

Let’s not start that again!

Ha!

39

Here ya go Dan…happy?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/09/AR2005090900795.html

40

Well that is just a token move he did not get fired.

It needed to happen. He was in over his head.