David W Myers

I am writing to applaud the price cuts made by Urban West Communities at their Creekside II development in Moorpark "Sitting on Empty Nests" by David W. Myers (Jan. 21). I can understand that earlier buyers may be unhappy to see prices reduced, but I would hazard a guess that many of these "First 22" would have been gloating over the "Last 32" if Urban West had made "unexpected and drastic" price increases instead (Letters, Feb. 4). This was the practice last year, when greed and profiteering was rampant among sellers, and buyers were being caught up in the frenzy, fueled by anticipation of overnight riches.

About David W. Myers' article (June 7): Are you aware that there is a requirement in the California financial code that states that a state-chartered savings and loan must have an appraisal done by an appraiser specifically approved by the institution's board of directors? While I have real sympathy for the applicant for a loan who gets to pay for the appraisal and then can't get a copy of it, nevertheless legislating that he must be given an "original copy" (whatever that is) of the appraisal so he can shop around for a better deal won't necessarily prevent him having to pay for a second appraisal if he goes to an institution operating under California laws.

The David W. Myers article "Condo Purchase Needs Extra Care' (Jan. 15) is constructive, but there are two important points that are not mentioned. First, the long-term successful operation of a homeowners association depends on the efforts and the talents of its members. One should not go into a condo situation with the attitude that someone else will always take care of the various necessary tasks. Even a complex large enough to retain professional management requires continuing interest and attention on the part of the homeowners.

Contributing to today's fire coverage were Times staff writers Fred Alvarez, Leslie Berger, Edward J. Boyer, Dwayne Bray, Jeff Brazil, Glenn Bunting, Mike Carlson, Sara Catania, Jack Cheevers, Aileen Cho, Henry Chu, Richard Lee Colvin, David Colker, Marla Cone, Miles Corwin, Aaron Curtiss, Tina Daunt, Poncho Doll, Faye Fiore, Ralph Frammolino, Larry Gordon, Michael Granberry, Carla Hall, Robert Lee Hotz, Berkley Hudson, Tracey Kaplan, Daryl Kelley, Chau Lam, Peggy Y. Lee, Myron Levin, Carlos V.

I was surprised that David W. Myers, always a dependable authority, would define a mortgage banker ("Learning the Lingo," April 1) as he did. Myers was all wrong in his definition. He wrote that "A company that provides loans with its own funds. . . ." Mortgage bankers are local firms that place loans for investors, not for themselves. Historically, many of these investors have been large financial institutions, often on the East Coast, financial centers. Mortgage bankers place the loans and service them, although sometimes servicing is "released" or sold to other firms.

Regarding the article by David W. Myers "New Downtown Apartments Aimed at Affluent" (June 25), foes of this complex have missed an important point of having such apartments in the city: to begin to alleviate the horrendous commutes and gridlocked freeways that Los Angeles has become famous for. The reference to "affluent yuppies" is such a tired cliched, and pointless when you consider that $1,500 per month is standard for anyone (not just yuppies)...

David W. Myers' amusing account of "Her Royal Majesty Queen Rose Mary J. Windsor's" antics (Aug. 20), needs a clear statement of her potential liability. She is committing "slander of title." That is the name given to the civil offense of claiming property to be yours that isn't. Purporting to convey property you don't own, even to yourself, may cloud the true owner's title when evidence of that false claim is lodged with the county recorder. Future buyers are bound to be confused by what their title reports uncover in the public land records.

David W. Myers' article misses the point that a home inspection can be highly advantageous in most home purchases regardless of disclosure requirements. I could cite extensive examples of situations where home buyers learned of substantial faults through a home inspection which would not be revealed by a seller disclosure. What about features or appliances that have not yet failed but are on the brink of wearing out? Was the home buyer's money spent unnecessarily when he learns that a roof is shot, even though the seller has truthfully reported no problems?

There have never been more housing choices for the elderly--aging in place, active-adult communities, congregate care, reverse mortgages and much more--but sorting out all the options can be confusing. A special 1 1/2-hour workshop at the third annual Los Angeles Times Home Buyers and Sellers Fair will offer fair-goers a chance to get expert advice on the latest developments in senior housing. The session will begin at 1 p.m., Sunday, April 5. C. Edward Wolf from the American Assn.