patrick.net

The desire for a house as an accomplishment is so desperate I doubt any organization can oppose it at this point. Maybe in the future.

No, everyone has their own "agenda" so good luck with that one. Plus you are in Fremont, so you know everyone from various background has their own agenda.

Our lawmakers at the county level are old folks who generally love higher price and have parents/friends who benefit and/or indirectly benefit from it (government worker). So you're not going to get the support. Homebuilders collectively have learned "restraint" anyway and they are very well happy with the moderate pace.

donjumpsuit says

Perhaps there is some 'cure' for this.

We're a long way from it. Those kinds of social changes happen over very long periods of time, like centuries. Wealth is elusive and there are plenty of people who sincerely believe that if they convince you to part with your money then you are just inferior and deserve the loss. They also sincerely believe they deserve the gain.

why do you assume that you are in the company of only white males here? Reading many posters here over time, it seems many are ESL'ers, sface included

donjumpsuit says

I wonder if a movement could be started to reignite home building, encourage permits and starts, or spur high density housing boom, just by organizing a campaign to punish existing overpriced home sales and reward new home construction.

Well if you are serious about this there IS land in the SFBA still available to build on. I posted a thread a while ago outlining the costs to rebuild a custom house in San Jose including the addition of new square footage.

/?p=1230048

I also posted a link to this website which can give ballpark figures on construction costs in your area.

http://www.homewyse.com/

Another option is modular construction:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modular_building

Or if you are feeling lucky and want to get your hands dirty keep your eye out for little gems like this one.

http://www.redfin.com/CA/Saratoga/16981-Bohlman-Rd-95070/home/555325

This house was for sale a few months ago for $600k The price dropped to $500k a few weeks later. The description indicated the house was unsafe to enter and would require at least $350k of work to fix. The house went pending on Dec 3 ago but the deal fell through two days later. Now its off the market so who knows, the sellers might be even more motivated.

For the right (cash) buyer that could become a 4000 sqft house on 4 acres of Saratoga CA 95070 for under $1M. That's hard to beat!

Here's an idea: Allow FHA loans for land AND construction. Maybe even allow people to live on vacant lots in RVs up to a year during building.

Developers, current home owners and Realwhores would never let that become law.

Another one: Mandate increased density X miles from the city center once the population, or home price, reaches Y.

That would really make the vested interests scream, though.

If san fransisco was truly the liberal city it claims to be, then emminent domain all the old housing stock and build up cabrini green sec 8 housing all over the city

thunderlips11 says

Here's an idea: Allow FHA loans for land AND construction. Maybe even allow people to live on vacant lots in RVs up to a year during building.

Developers, current home owners and Realwhores would never let that become law.

That would just drive prices up.

How?

You can't get a bank loan to buy land, esp if you don't own property.

If a typical young person or couple could buy a 1/5th acre for $50k with $7k down...

Another thing that needs to go is the minimum square footage requirement. We should be encouraging, not discouraging, people from living in smaller places.

donjumpsuit says

I am curious.

Me 2 :)

thunderlips11 says

If a typical young person or couple could buy a 1/5th acre for $50k with $7k down...

Then the cost of such lots would soon skyrocket unless the supply compensates accordingly.

The banks, being public-service organizations, would surely release shadow inventory if such a sit-out-the-market protest were declared.

donjumpsuit says

What would happen if we started a movement to pledge to "not buy" real estate until new home sales (or listings) outpace existing homes.

or ...

make a pledge you can go out to as many open house this weekend and low ball offer by say what ever amount of similar home priced in the mid 90s plus inflation (30%).

let the seller get the message, after a dozen people do that.

what happens when enough people only offer 30-40% less ?

you get the picture...

thomaswong.1986 says

donjumpsuit says

What would happen if we started a movement to pledge to "not buy" real estate until new home sales (or listings) outpace existing homes.

or ...

make a pledge you can go out to as many open house this weekend and low ball offer by say what ever amount of similar home priced in the mid 90s plus inflation (30%).

let the seller get the message, after a dozen people do that.

what happens when enough people only offer 30-40% less ?

you get the picture...

Then the house goes off market into the shadow inventory...which doesn't exist.

What would happen if we started a movement to pledge to "not buy" real estate until new home sales (or listings) outpace existing homes.

You have a better chance of winning the lotto.

APOCALYPSEFUCKisShostikovitch says

Fuck it. Pledge to fucking burn every unoccupied building in America and live in tents until every TBTF bank is nationalized and all of their execs impaled.

While satisfying that would just reduce the housing supply even more.

Better solutions would be to:

1) Have non-productive commercial areas rezoned for residential. I remember SJ was in the process of doing this in 2007, not sure what came of it.

2) Do whatever it takes to prevent the atrocity of good land being wasted to construct more sports stadiums. If the stadium gets built anyway boycott any team that plays there and any business that advertises there until the monstrosity is torn down to make room for residential housing.

3) Encourage the creation of homeless shanty towns on golf courses. Make sure the residents understand the water hazard is for bathing in and the sandtraps are giant litter boxes. Ridicule anyone who plays golf as a player of the sport of pussies.

Golf courses suck up a huge amount of valuable space for the benefit of very few, better to put nice houses on that land with some public parks.

4) Institute a progressive luxury tax on any home larger than 2000sqft and/or lot larger than 1/4 acre.

5) Build a reliable, frequent (trains every 10-15 minutes ) high speed transit system to allow workers to commute to SF from Fresno and Placerville within an hour.

New Renter says

1) Have non-productive commercial areas rezoned for residential. I remember SJ was in the process of doing this in 2007, not sure what came of it.

yes, this is certainly true and can be first pick.. across much of Santa Clara County.

how about the muni golf courses... or Moffet Field !

thomaswong.1986 says

donjumpsuit says

What would happen if we started a movement to pledge to "not buy" real estate until new home sales (or listings) outpace existing homes.

or ...

make a pledge you can go out to as many open house this weekend and low ball offer by say what ever amount of similar home priced in the mid 90s plus inflation (30%).

let the seller get the message, after a dozen people do that.

what happens when enough people only offer 30-40% less ?

you get the picture...

This is actually a good idea. If nothing else at least you could waste a bunch of realtors time. Although crowding up open houses will present an illusion of demand and others will just bid the shit boxes up further

errc says

Although crowding up open houses will present an illusion of demand and others will just bid the shit boxes up further

the more the merrier and certainly not a "single fluke" a realtor will brush off.

yes, the crowd all agree.. they all bid 40% lower... without exception...

its called... "Gang Bang Bidding".... be sure to lube up the Realtor !

errc says

why do you assume that you are in the company of only white males here? Reading many posters here over time, it seems many are ESL'ers, sface included

And women.

thunderlips11 says

How?

You can't get a bank loan to buy land, esp if you don't own property.

Why would you want would-be first-time home buyers be speculating on land?

If a typical young person or couple could buy a 1/5th acre for $50k with $7k down...

They already can buy more than 1 acre for less than $50k, often with seller financing, for most geographical area of the US.

Another thing that needs to go is the minimum square footage requirement. We should be encouraging, not discouraging, people from living in smaller places.

Minimum square footage is to prevent tiny shacks taking up entire buildable lots.