patrick.net

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.

Lucerne, Switzerland. Not Scandinavian though. Stockholm is nice too, but it has a different feel.

Lucerne, Switzerland. Not Scandinavian though. Stockholm is nice too, but it has a different feel.

Luzern is pretty--if you can deal with shrieking American tourists 24/7. (I lived in Zürich for a spell myself, which is "safe", but rather boring). Perhaps Zug, the upscale tax-dodging enclave, or Chateau D'Oex, Gstaad, Montreux (too many Brits though), Gruyere (fondue!), or even Basel for a German/French/Swiss mix.

I bet Stockholm is more interesting than anywhere in CH. Amsterdam too--and I'd take the good w/bad. Bergen, Norway is also very picturesque, but as much as I like the cold, I couldn't handle winters there.

Has anyone seen the movie "Hostel"?

The one about the American backpackers in former Soviet block nations? If Peter P rents it not only will he not leave the country, he won't leave his house!

Yeah, the urban apologists surely suffered a setback here in the US with the Paris suburban riots. Suddenly the “emulate Europe” credo lost appeal.

I heard somebody was murdered in NYC last week too. We better all run off to live on Cote's farm.

"Bergen, Norway is also very picturesque, but as much as I like the cold, I couldn’t handle winters there."

Really? Even with the Gulf stream and all that?

I have never been to Amsterdam when it wasn’t 55 degrees and raining.

Yes, even my Dutch friends complain about the weather there. Switzerland is dark enough in the winter; I cannot imagine Norway in the dark months...I'd go crazy. Another worthy option would be sunny, south Switzerland such as Lugano. More cultural diversity than the rather staid German quarter.

DinOR,

Well how “sticky” is using white-out?

It's certainly cheap and lazy. Maybe she blew her budget on the glossy.

" Yeah, the urban apologists surely suffered a setback here in the US with the Paris suburban riots. Suddenly the “emulate Europe” credo lost appeal."

Huh? I thought that was a warning to stay out of sketchy suburbs and exurbs, especially once the section 8 people start to move in.

I would like to spend a winter in Tromso. I figure I'd either kill myself by April or reach some sort of heightened mental state.

Robert Cote'

Yeah, the urban apologists surely suffered a setback

"Urban Apologists". That's a new one for me.

Do you agree that urban centers ever served a utilitarian function historically?

Or follow La Rosey’s lead and do Gstaad durning the ski season and Rolle the rest of the year?

Oh I bet...those towns on L. Geneva are very nice (pricey too!)
I should really get back there and refresh my memory.
Uh...maybe when I get a new job! :)

My marginally Catholic boyfriend knows less about Catholic saints than atheist me. So I wonder if the American Catholic church even bother to teach about the saints anymore.

SFWoman-
I've heard that about Reykjavik too--a lively music/cultural scene. I wouldn't have guessed, but creds to them for carving out a comfortable existence there. There's an example for all of us. I people can make a half-frozen sub-arctic island a nice place to live, we can do the same with the US.

"I people can make a half-frozen sub-arctic island a nice place to live, we can do the same with the US."

Their winters are actually less harsh than the winters in Buffalo, NY and they heat their homes geothermically, so heating oil prices are not concerns.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USNY0181?from=month_bottomnav_business

http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/ICXX0002?from=month_bottomnav_business

The ARM from HELLoc!

...busting through the floorboards, its fingers tightening around the neck of a sleeping FB'er.

Paris is scary? You are very easily frightened. The suburbs of Paris can be scary at night, but the city is extremely safe.

The restaurants are nice indeed. But the subway can be scary at night.

Amsterdam too–and I’d take the good w/bad.

Amsterdam is too interesting for me. I like places that are boring enough to keep out weird people. :)