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� <br /> So I lowered the price---still "as is." Still no takers. The realtor said: well, obviously "as is" is not <br /> "as buyers want" in this market, even at a cheaper price. So, do you want my advice on how to <br /> sell this house? <br /> Well, obviously I did, so I had to take the next step, which meant putting some cash on the table. <br /> That was tough to swallow. I didn't have a lot of cash, and it was very hard for me to put some of <br /> it into improving a house that had no buyers and had already cost me a lot in carrying costs. <br /> However, I pulled together about 20,000 to fix the house up; doing those things that potential <br /> buyers who had seen the house had said should be done if they were going to buy it. The 20K <br /> wound up helping the house sell for 40K more than the lowered "as is" price. <br /> Now somebody could have bought the house "as is," spent 20K and saved themselves 20K. <br /> That's what I would have done if I had been buying, it is certainly what I would consider most <br /> logical, but I wasn't buying the house; I was trying to sell it. So I had to listen to the buyers, not <br /> to myself, and do what they suggested it would take to get them to buy the house. <br /> What the buyers for this product wanted was something that was already fixed up, and they were <br /> willing to spend more money to save themselves time and hassle and walk into a predictable, <br /> turnkey situation. And it worked for me too---I made 20K more than I expected because I put <br /> some of my own money in up front. But I first had to take the risk, and I didn't do that until I had <br /> been unsuccessful doing it my way. <br /> I think it's clear that Orange County has tried over the past years to conduct economic <br /> development "our way." We see the results, which haven't been very good by all the statistical <br /> measures comparing us to our neighbors—an increasing reliance on residential property taxes <br /> and missed opportunities to fully participate in the robust growth of the Research Triangle Park. <br /> But that was yesterday. This is today. Today we have the opportunity to learn from the past, but <br /> move forward into the future. Today we have 2450 acres of contiguous undeveloped land in the <br /> Economic Development Districts. We have a diverse labor force that spans the skills spectrum. <br /> Our proximity to major transportation and distribution corridors and resources has only become <br /> more valuable as similar properties around us are developed and removed from available <br /> inventory. It's the right time to do something different---if we're serious about "selling this house." <br /> The next step is going to involve spending some money. <br /> This plan is a clear and basic approach that leverages our current assets and makes smart <br /> investments to strengthen our long term economic health. I encourage the county to insert the <br /> EDC's three new proposed line items into the budget that funds this and future year's economic <br /> development efforts. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> Anita Badrock <br /> Anita Badrock <br /> Former Chair, Economic Development Commission <br /> 32 year Orange County resident <br />