patrick.net

M. Cote,

Wow, after your post I don't think I can bear to read property listings.

Got a hot listing in a hot, hot, hot market today via email. Clicking the MLS link, here's the feature photo:

http://tinyurl.com/ymvm9b

I sure do wish they took a decent picture so I can figure out what's on the Burma Shave signs.

"You’ll probably never look at a “lock box” the same way again either."

LOL! I'm going to be suppressing giggles every time I see a "for sale" sign. And "for sale by the owner"...and "for rent". People will think I'm hyper.

Would realt-whores use the same pictures for business and personal use?

I think I'll buy a couple shares of Estee Lauder to see if OO's HK observations are repeated here.

disclaimer: not financial advice

SFWoman Says:

> Kelly’s grandfather didn’t start Brobeck. Kelly’s
> stepfather’s father started Brobeck.

Was Kelley adopted? Since her last name was Phleger and people always called Atherton Phleger her “Dad” and Peter Phleger her “Brother” I figured that Herman Phleger was her grandfather…

> You’re the first person I’ve heard call Kelly smart.

I didn’t get in to a deep discussion about the direction of the UN since Herman Phleger was a delegate, but she did seem smarter that the average hot looking 94123 gal…

P.S. I always heard that she spelled her name Kelley (the way most WASPs spell of Kelly) , but than again my sister and her SF Spinster gossip sources are not always 100% correct…

Uh, not nearly as interesting as 19 year olds but here goes!

http://salem.craigslist.org/rfs/221366600.html

Great tale of greed run amok. We rented almost directly across the street from this home after we sold ours. The couple that owned it prior to 8 SEPT 2004 did ALL the work! In fact it's all they did was work. The place looked like a construction zone the whole time we lived there complete w/rented dumpster.

The couple that bought it on 8 SEPT 2004 (Zillow sales history agrees w/my memory) has done zip, point, sh@t! They bought for 269k and are now listing without realtor for $364,750. A $95,750 profit or a 36% return for taking out the garbage?

The open house the "Flip this House" couple had in fall 2004 literally created a traffic jam! I am not kidding. People were actually stopping and checking the house out just b/c there was such a scene. Also notice the listing was done almost 2 years to the day. What a joke. I'm just sick of it.

Oh, they're relocating to a "family property" and will really miss this place. Otherwise I guess they would have asked for more than the 18% a year appreciation they are currently demanding "post peak".

Even though this is miles from the BA I still felt it was a great example of sellers not only abusing the tax code to the "enth degree" but pricing based on their personal designs and financial needs rather than the realities of "Post Peak" (Day 371).

If for nothing more than my own curiosity I'll see what I can't learn about this "family property". What? Did you get a call from an attorney in Vienna just now informing you that your great uncle Morrison B. Tuddworthy the 3rd left you his estate? Totally unexpectedly? What is it that you know now, that you didn't 730 days ago?

I'm surrounded by scumbags! HELP!

George,

Yes, yes all the "feel good goodness" going on out there yes, yes. Every time I go past the gas pump prices are lower and I'm feeling so good I want to leverage to the hilt propping up the Portland, OR RE market if I have to do it my DAMN self! Quite a stir w/the Mercantile/CBOT merger hadn't heard much about the HB Index.

We're running an average of 5 new NOD's a day in most Portland area counties and surprisingly I haven't found one yet that wasn't under water! (Not good). Aggressive pricing and predatory lending continue to be the standard and it would be funny except for the fact that sellers continue labor under the delusion that this is a "hot market" or as Ray Hennessey says, "hot long enough for me to dump my property"!

My favorite RH quote?

What do you throw a drowning guitar player?

His amplifier!

George,

I'd recommend you keep your realtor license if the fees are not very high and you had enjoyed the work until recently. An honest and credible agent might be difficult to find in the times ahead, you might start to see RE work pick up in another year or two.

And this way, you get seniority by being around for those two years, should you ever decide to return to the field.

George,

During the stock market meltdown I never really considered any other line of work no matter how ugly it got. Why? Because I'm an 'old' dude I suppose is why? No, seriously, I seemed to know instinctively that most if not all of the easy money guys/gals would be gone (their loyalty is to "the life" not the clients) and the regulators would clear out the rest. After having survived the debacle, I'm a better person for it (if not more experienced).

But I do know what you mean. People that are "internally motivated" (meaning those that don't need the threat of having the employee break room closed to get back to work) always assume it's OUR fault! It's something we're doing or not doing that is causing our situation. We're not cold calling enough! We're not advertising enough! All the while never even stopping to consider that the situation just may be totally beyond our control!

I don't know how long it will take FL to turn around (we're still in various stages of denial out west) so your recovery will likely come sooner. When it does (and ultimately it will) you'll be able to claim that you've always been there for your clients, the community. That in the aftermath you were part of the solution, not one of the guys creating the problems that lead to this. People will know this b/c had you been about fast, loose and easy money....... you would have been gone by now!

SQT's husband was one of like two guys that survived the crash in his office. People will be able to sense that level of commitment. It's not a bad idea to get a sideline, but I wouldn't let your lic. lapse. Had you been a mindless cheerleader on the way up, yeah I'd bag it. Since you did everything in your power to conduct yourself ethically during that time you have plenty of credibility to draw on!

@Chris Guldi,

Welcome to the party! Nice to give George some company :-) and having more RE pros around helps to provide an inside perspective.

@George,

You've gotta do whatever it takes to put food on the table (or is that, 'put food on your family'? ;-) ), but personally I think it'd be a shame if you left the biz completely. My feeling about the correction/crash/souffle deflation/etc. is that it's a healthy thing IF all the toxic loans and Casey Serin types get washed out, mainly leaving decent folks like yourself.

HARM, and other image posters,

If the picture is not workplace appropriate, can you please just post a link instead of the actual image.

@SP,

Sure, but while the thread graphic is, uh... mildly provocative, I didn't think it was too over-the-top for office viewing (the young lady is wearing a uniform, after all).

Are you working for Al-Jazeera or something? :-)

DataQuick "Bay Area Home Prices Decline"

http://www.dqnews.com/RRBay1006.shtm

@SQT,

Did you ever have a conversation with Angelyne when you were living in the same building? Just curious to know where she got the money to pay for all those billboards.

DataQuick “Bay Area Home Prices Decline”

Wow. -5.5% Y/Y for Contra Costa. Looks like those communtable-but-not-exacly homes will be hit hard.

That last post sounded ageist.

Is there a law against age discrimination in blogs? :)

I AM NOT A LAWYER but I am under the impression that discrimination against vegetarians (it is neither of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age or disability) at employment may be legal.

But is it a religion? Oh, I hope some large coporations try! If the veggies come back and claim that they are religious groups, then we can hope to have their laws struck down! Ha Ha.

But is it a disability? Perhaps. Let them claim that and see their popularity plummet!

You sound like you’ve been harrassed by some militant vegans.

My real estate friends are turning vegetarians.

I can tolerate "buy now or be price out forever" but I cannot tolerate "you cannot eat veal". :)

As mentioned on astrid's blog, I screwed up some veal. It is not something too easy. Your husband may be a "hidden" talented chef. ;)

BTW, my mom did not cook (my dad did) and now I cook more than my wife does.

There should be a "Veal is Real Good" campaign. :)

@DinOR,

This will get ugly and I am beginning to feel like George Bailey when Mr. Potter makes him the partnership offer during the panic.

This is doubly appropriate - after all, the Bailey S+L was all about mortgages for the "little guy," right? Was George Bailey the first subprime lender?????

New thread: Is healthcare a bigger problem than housing?

But dinner has to be fairly simple. It can be frustrating sometimes.

We should talk about simple-but-fancy recipes on astrid's blog! ;)