patrick.net

There are a few I would love to say “I told you so” to, but I doubt I will get the chance. Oh well, karma will do the work for me I’m sure.

Karma is powerful. Have faith.

I loves me some Jeebus, why just the other day Jeebus and I were talking and Jeebus turns and says to me "are you fu$king crazy, why would you want so much debt"?

See, that's why I loves me some Jeebus.

Amen, Brother Coté!

Ditto for brothers X & John P. You obviously have the Spirit --go forth and spread the Good Word!

Yea, I walk through the valley of the shadow debtors, I shall fear no ARM resets; For my cash reserves are my keeper. Your debt load and upside down mortgages comfort me.

For Chrissake’s people, if you’re going to be a RE agent, Please, PLEASE make sure you have a bit of common sense. Your broker will thank you for it.

Now George, I don't know what planet you are from, but in Coastal California, houses sell themselves, all you need is a glossy headshot and the ability (being kind here) to at least be able to sign your name on all the commision checks you'll be getting.

George, I kid I kid :)

Robert Cote'

Every thread from now on should start with the prayer you have handed down to us!

Let us now bow our heads........

George,

That agent was stupid but it sounded like a typical stupid beginner's mistake. Of course, this guy is in his 40s and ought to know better from life experience.

I'm surprised these sorts of etiquette things aren't covered in realtor school.

George,

I'm not sure which was the funniest thing, the clueless newbie, the flopper in foreclosure, the shrewd genius of bill collectors or an agent offering to do an open house for someone IN foreclosure! LOL!

In fact, I am anticipating an inflationary “solution”, which will reward FB’s and penalise savers,

It is written that the only certainty in life is death and taxes. The last and most hideous of the 99 faces of Taxation is:

http://tinyurl.com/outtr

Flat RE prices with 4.5% inflation leads to "I'm not losing money, it hasn't dropped."

-------------------

Thus, there are four classes of potential converts:

1) If they're highly leveraged in a 5.3% 30 year fixed, their Faith in the idioacy of their Mortgage Lenders is more powerful than our Bubble God.

2) If they own the property outright, the death of the buying power of their assets is happening too quietly to convert them.

3) If they are in an ARM, they may be converted to our faith, but Hellfire and Damnation is all that awaits them.

thus, focus your efforts brothers and sisters to the last group:

4) The ones who haven't bought yet.

and lead them to salvation.

George, astrid,

In a way it's sad. Here's a guy in his late 40's and I don't know what his accomplishments or failings were but he came in wide eyed and bushy tailed only to have his ass handed to him in a lunch sack.

This is real common in this phase of the market. All of the older "vets" are hunkering down doing damage control and don't have a minute for anyone (no matter how eager). Rather than get any real mentoring they encounter indifference. The mind set of the vets is that this guy hasn't paid his dues, doesn't have their best clients 250K underwater, isn't underwater himself and....... probably won't make it anyway.

True story, I'll make it quick. Young gal from Portland fresh out of college gets job selling comm. phone service "cold walking". (Mind you she's been on the job starting her SECOND week) goes up on the north side of Columbia Blvd. She is never seen nor heard from again. I went up there ONE time to pick up a boat trailer off a guy from an ad. Brought a baseball bat. Every now and then local channels run a "feature" on the still grieving parents and their quest for "the real killer".

What? Your kidding right?

The "real killer" was her fucking employer for sending a 21 year old girl into the roughest part of town! It's all heavy equipment dealers, strip clubs, pawn shops and tattoo parlors for crissakes. WTF were they thinking! Second week on the "job" and you send her into the roughest part of town BY HERSELF?

This how we treat the next generation of sales people in this country, assuming they make it that far.

Scumbags.

George,
The underlying sad truth about your buffoon realtor story is, given the current RE environment, especially in FLA (tanking), what idiot decides NOW to get into RE? Did this guy just crawl out from under a rock somewhere?

The “real killer” was her fucking employer for sending a 21 year old girl into the roughest part of town!

She should not have gone. I would not have gone if I were her. Much of the Bay Area is a No Go Zone for me.

(We did go to a rough part of San Jose for some ethnic food. My wife said: we risked our lives for THIS?)

That’s HALF A MILLION off. That’s 17% down right there. Consistent with the “Versailles Palace” in Belvedere that’s down over 25%.

RandyH-
That's quite a find--I'll pass it on. I'm sure we'll see other jaw-dropping reductions in the future.

Re: "carrying owls to Athens". Since owls were the symbol of ancient Anthens, I imagine that proverb is akin to "preaching to the choir". Sure, enough of that on these bubble blogs, but some of the concerns were well-founded, IMO.

Brother HARM,
RE: your thread graphic, have you seen the stories about how more sellers are using the St. Joseph statues to help sell their homes? This is the case in heavily Catholic Boston:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/08/20/when_sales_fall_they_call_st_joe/

My question: where in the Bible, or whereever St. Joe comes from, does the real estate link come from? Was he a realtor in Bethleham or something? President of the BAR? Was he a New Testament Flipper?

For those that may be even remotely curious this is what we know so far:

www.doenetwork.us/cases/1954dfor.html

What a sad commentary on how we "look out" for younger people and newer sales people. I still think about what her parents must still be going through. They had hoped that the scumbag that's a suspect in the Brooke Wilberger case might "know" something.

Scumbag.

However, as they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

All roads in the Bay Area are paved with gold bricks.

George,

Its Sticky alright Randy, Sticky in Big Friggin’ Clumps.

I'll openly and gladly report observations and analyses even if they contradict my theories or conclusions. In fact, learning I was wrong about something is far more of a growing experience than learning I was right.

THAT SAID (lol, I couldn't resist DinOR), this listing has been on the market since at least late January, perhaps even last Fall then delisted in late Nov 05.

That sounds pretty sticky, but again, one stubborn seller a market does not make. ;)

Peter P Says:

We did go to a rough part of San Jose for some ethnic food. My wife said: we risked our lives for THIS?

Peter, you of all people should realize that some food is worth the risk! We've gone into shady parts of San Josebag for outstanding Vietnamese, or Oakland for ribs and BBQ.

It seems very pagan.

Speaking of pagans... the Wicker Man remake is coming out this Friday. I doubt it can be as good as the original one.

Randy H,

Well how "sticky" is using white-out?

SFWoman Says:

Saint Joseph is the patron saint against doubt and he is represented by carpenters’ tools, so perhaps that is why they bury one of those? It seems very pagan.

Not to sound like a fundamentalist purist, but it's funny to me how much of Christian and Catholic tradition seems indeed pagan and or idolatric (is that a word?) in nature: Christmas trees, celebrating Christmas near the winter solstice, patron saints, the rosary, Virgin Mary worship, Mormon protective undergarments, etc. Not to offend anyone of those faiths, but I just find it fascinating.

I have always been fascinated by the Catholic patron saints. It is, er, interesting....It seems very pagan.

I imagine the practice arose from ancient Rome's pantheon of gods. As a onetime catholic, even I find the whole thing confusing. It would suck to be a "saint" if you're burdened for all eternity by the faithfull's prayers, like a NYC switchboard. Burying St. Joseph in your front yard for "seller's luck" really takes it. Yep, from an anthropological standpoint, it's very similar to beliefs we now deem "pagan".

Peter P,

I hear you on the "no go zone".

Even the services do a better job than this. (Perhaps b/c we were considered "property" of the U.S taxpayers). Any time we went up to the BA we were told stay out of Hunter's Point, this street and ESPECIALLY this bar or whatever.

I'm from the southside of Chicago but there's plenty of places that everybody knew nothing good ever happens! We need to help young people, not just let them "sink or swim"! IMHO.

George Says:

As long as price levels remain consistent (even if slightly declining), it remains easy to list the flips you buy well at 5-10% below everyone else.

You bring up a very intersting point. If indeed the RE market experiences a more or less "orderly" decline, it seems plausible to be able to continue to profit as a flipper. If you're able to purchase properties below comps and "flip" them quickly enough at prices below comps while still raking in a net profit, you can basically take advantage of distressed sellers on the buy side and falling knife-catchers on the sell side. I wonder how feasible this is?

it’s very similar to beliefs we now deem “pagan”.

That's because in order to stamp out paganism - all the Christian holidays and beliefs etc were tailored to coincide with pagan ones - Christmas=Winter Solstice etc

Robert, nice adaptation of the 23rd. I actually did my own a few months back:

http://patrick.net/wp/?p=161

The Realtorâ„¢ is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul
He leadeth me in the paths of appreciation for Amerika’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of Bitter Renters,
I will fear no Bubble: For thou art with me;
Thy Lexus and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine bidders;
Thou annointest my head with liquidity; My cup runneth over.

Surely bounty and wealth shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the House of Everlasting Appreciation forever.

Any time we went up to the BA we were told stay out of Hunter’s Point, this street and ESPECIALLY this bar or whatever.

Much of the SF is not that safe anyway, not just Hunter’s Point. There are bad areas in Atherton, Menlo Park, and Palo Alto.

Even Sunnyvale, one of the "safest" cities in the US, does not look that safe.

Why is the Bay Area so infested with gang problems?

Not to sound like a fundamentalist purist, but it’s funny to me how much of Christian and Catholic tradition seems indeed pagan and or idolatric (is that a word?) in nature

Another thing that gets me with all these recent stories of supposedly pious Christian people praying to St. Joseph to deliver them a Greater Fool to overpay for their mis-priced properties: Is screwing over a complete stranger a "Christian" thing to do? Is praying for material gain at someone else's expense a virtue? I'll admit it's been many years since I've been to Sunday school, but I must say I don't remember being taught THAT particular commandment.

Is screwing over a complete stranger a “Christian” thing to do?

Perhaps it is a pagan thing to do. I wonder if they will resort to human sacrafice if their homes do not get sold.

You have to really want to be enlightened to seek the truth no matter what you are told. I stumbled across this site about three months ago but even before that I knew the numbers weren't kosher. Everything had skyrocketed in a very short time not just housing...

Now that we are at the brink of some severe economic corrections it will reverse. Today oil is at 71 and I see it going lower did anyone notice how gas has come down alot this past week? It's $2.61 in South Carolina. It's greed pure and simple unchecked and condoned by our free markets. Because most don't understand how the markets work we simple accept the price increases instead of askig for justification.

They say "supply and demand" Blah Blah Blah. What happpened in just a years time? It's all bullshit... Super wealth for the few at the exspense of the masses. The best thing one can do is have mostly cash, gold, and live very cheaply until this catastrophe is over. Oh and pray....

There are bad areas in Atherton, Menlo Park, and Palo Alto.
Even Sunnyvale, one of the “safest” cities in the US, does not look that safe.

Perhaps looks can be deceiving? For that matter, there are parts of San Rafael, Fairfax, Novato, and Mill Valley that look somewhat seedy to me. But if I lived there, I might have a much different impression. Unfamiliar settings tend to make me cautious.

Increasingly Americans are confusing Jesus with Santa. Between burying statues and Prosperity Christianity and Cheap Grace you can justify anything, as long as you mention that you have accepted Jesus as your personal savior.

Ahhh... that explains this: http://www.prayerofjabez.com/BreakthroughPages/JabezPage.html

Perhaps looks can be deceiving?

But unfamiliar places like Victoria, BC look nice and safe.

SF Woman,
RE patron saints, if St. Joe is truly the patron saint against doubt, this board's patron saint should be the anti-Joe, given our contrarian nature. Would the disciple Thomas of doubting Thomas fame be appropriate?

Maybe we should all read this:

http://www.catholiccompany.com/product_detail.cfm?ID=3837

I can't believe there's a book called "Catholicism for Dummies."

"Increasingly Americans are confusing Jesus with Santa"

Lord, I know you're a really busy guy but we're in way over our heads and getting behind on our payments. Don't get me wrong, we're not greedy here. We just want things to go back to the way they used to be. You know Lord, when we could re-fi every 9 months and take out big fat stacks of cash? Is that so much to ask? Well since the "lenders" have cut us of could you please see your way to finding us just ONE GF to take over our payments (and give us a little "walking around" money besides?)

Amen.

"we're throwing our money away renting"

God I love that line! That tired, dog eared abusive line!

Let's look for just a minute all the floppers that are now offering vacant property For Sale, For Rent or of late "lease w/option 2 BUY!"

Even if they are lucky enough to have renters they are certainly not having anywheres near their PITI covered!

So I ask you, who's "throwing their money away?"

But unfamiliar places like Victoria, BC look nice and safe.

Well, yeah--that's one of those tidy tourist towns I regularly visited as a kid.
Victoria's storefronts and hanging flower baskets are nice. Carmel or Tiburon are like that too--but alas more expensive. Same goes for some smaller European cities.

Still, I know what you're driving at. I think of places where due to high living costs, lower wage earners live a desperate existence. I don't like that about big, overpriced metro areas. Personally, I'd prefer to live in a modest town with a stable middle class, than a "status" area with huge income disparities.

Personally, I’d prefer to live in a modest town with a stable middle class, than a “status” area with huge income disparities.

Very true. I love Scandinavian cities in the summer. I can walk at night alone! I like the feel of Lucerne a lot.

I cannot stand Rome. We practically had to scan for insurgents, I mean pickpockets all the time. Paris is fine, but it is still quite scary.