[AT] Re: AT Digest, Vol 16, Issue 8

[Chris Britton]

I work for A GC that is not on the banks board, that is friends with a 
couple of the contractors that ar on the banks board.  It's more or less 
common knowledge that if you use one of the contractors on the banks board 
to build your house, that your loan goes thru -much- easier.  I can 
personally relate to instances where a telephone call was made from a board 
member to the bank instructing them to give a small business loan to a 
fellow.. that fellow was doing some work on/at the house of that board 
member, etc.
I doubt any of that is illegal.. though am not sure.. but there certaintly 
are conflicts of interest.  My main concern would be trying to get a loan 
there using a contractor that was not one of the  few 'priveleged' board 
members.  I have doubts that the loan process would be as easy or would 
succeed.  Around this area, there is alot of 'politics' with and among 
contractors.  If you tick off certain contractors they can make it virtually 
impossible for you to get work done via another contractor.  I've seen it 
happen..  kind of a collective 'blacklist/8-ball-ing effect'.

Thats why i think it is weird.  For the same reason that I don't think my 
homeowners insurance appraiser should do home repairs as a side business....

Soundguy

>>From: Dave Rotigel <rotigel at alltel.net>
>>Subject: Re: [AT] Amish restraint laws
>I'd agree.  Here where I live, some of the local contractors are actually
>board members
>of the local bank.  Weird huh?
>Soundguy

>>Why would you think that this is a "Weird" situation?
 >>        Dave