Maria Hopkins, Maria Hopkins Associates

Leading economists have said that our economy in Massachusetts is doing well as is the nation overall. Real estate values are stable in some areas and still increasing in many areas especially east of Rte. 495. Financing is readily available although still not always easy to get, and the composition of a credit score is as mysterious as ever, so therefore difficult to control. I also just learned that the free credit scores available on websites are not your “real score.”

Although those trying to earn interest and returns on an investment hate the rates being this low, it has been a stabilizing factor for the real estate market. If rates go up, it is bound to have an impact on all real estate values. A slight increase may affect refinances but not sales. Any major increase could be devastating.

Economists also say that the reason we are not seeing a real recession is that low oil prices have been a factor. Our cost of fuel impacts every segment of the market so let’s just hope that oil stays reasonably low and interest rates don’t move too much so that the real estate market remains healthy and thriving.

Whichever side of the debate you’re on about minimum wage, I think everyone can agree that interest rates and fuel costs really affect a minimum wage worker. While I think $15/hour is overkill and may do more harm than good, a reasonable increase is probably in order.

The most important issue for the future is our health insurance and the cost of it. The current system sounds good in theory, but too many people are paying too little to the system, so it is not sustainable. The health insurance is still one of the most important issues to think about next year when we go to the polls. The rising health insurance costs will impact most of the population’s standard of living.

So I hope our politicians can get it right. Getting it wrong could have disastrous repercussions to us all.

Maria Hopkins, SRA,RA, is president of Maria Hopkins Associates, Spencer, Mass.