patrick.net

Headset,

I wouldn't mind paying a premium for green technology. What's the environmental impact of making a standard solar cell setup?

I've heard on the "Big Island" (one of the wettest places on earth) they're also big on using "water catchment" systems. Basically roof to gutters, gutters to tanks, sanitization = potable water! Why not?

Or people could live in smaller houses, install better insulation, get rid of inefficient household appliances, install double pane windows, and wear weather appropriate clothing.

During the cold months, my parents' electric bill regularly run 1/3 of their friends with a similar size home. It just depends on how high or low you're willing to set your thermostat.

astrid,

Do you have any idea how many people I know that expect to be able to walk around their house barefoot in January!? Uh... have you people heard of a sweater? It's like the slightest variation in interior temp. and you might as well be living in a tent?

"I wouldn’t mind paying a premium for green technology."

I hope that mindset becomes the norm. I'd love to see the status symbols change from the 3 ton SUV or 3500 sqft house to how much one sells back to the grid.

"What’s the environmental impact of making a standard solar cell setup?"

I do not know. But since the panels are long term use they should have little impact. As solar gains in popularity, I would think that battery development would create longer lasting and more recycleable features.

"Or people could live in smaller houses, install better insulation, get rid of inefficient household appliances, install double pane windows, and wear weather appropriate clothing."

You can do both conservation and solar, they are not mutually exclusive. In fact, you may have to do the things you mentioned first in order to create a home sustainable by alternative power alone.

"Was that out in Christmas Valley?"

That sounds familiar. They did mention propane generators, although one resident sad he has not needed his generator for two years.

KT,

Thanks for the heads up. I understand there have been some improvements and they now filter through "osmosis" or much in the same way as a jacuzzi is santized? Either way it's of little concern for me. Washing clothes, showering and flushing water would be the brunt of our use. Bottled water from an occasional run into town would suffice and long time posters here know that if I had a "tummy ache" it sure wouldn't be from water!

We had a local MD here in Portland that developed his own catchment system (complete with "excluder") which rejects the first 10 gallons and his own filtration system all purchased from a local hardware store. The city came in and said, you can't do that! When it was tested his water was BETTER than the city's.

They sent him a bill anyway!

"They sent him a bill anyway!"

Is he on city sewer? Sewer rates are often calculated on water useage, so maybe they were thinking that with no water bill he was freeloading on the sewer.

Our markets have become much more efficient with the internet. What was once 5-7 year real estate cycles have become 2-3 years. That is why the rise has been so quick, and the fall quicker than in previous cycles for certain areas of property.

I disagree. While the Internet is beginning to have a significant impact on information available to the buyer (Zillow, county tax assessor websites, etc.) and lending (not always for the better), and a handful of new FSBO companies are just starting to nibble away at the NAR/MLS monopoly (Help-U-Sell, Redfin, Property Shark, etc.), the sale/escrow process is still nearly as inefficient as it was 20 years ago. The proof can be found in the 5-6% sales commissions that are *still* common (vs. 1-2% typical in other countries), and long transaction times.

The Internet did not repeal the business cycle for stocks, nor will it do so for real estate. We've had a nearly 10-year RE bull market (1997-2006). This was hardly a "quick" run-up by any measure, nor is the correction phase likely to play out any faster. Real estate continues to be "sticky" on the way down, as evidenced by sharply falling sales compared to much smaller mostly single-digit YoY drops in prices, if that. Most people will do nothing until their IO/option-ARM resets (see Credit-Suisse chart) and they are forced to sell. This will not happen all at once, but gradually over several years, as it all depends upon the type of loan, teaser or fixed-rate-lock period, and when they got the loan.

It might be *possible* to get a deep-discount deal right now (see Surfer-X & DinOR), but for most of us, especially in extreme bubble regions (CA, FL, etc.), it is not *likely* to happen anytime soon, because most FBs still have not hit ARM-reset wall and do not have to sell. The typical bubble market clearing price is still WAY above fundamentals and is likely to remain so for several more years.

Headset,

That wound up being the long and short of it. In fact, that's what prompted the investigation. The City accused the good doctor of tampering with the water meter! When he showed them the system he'd designed and built they were like, "uh... that can't be very sanitary!"

So he gave them a sample to test. I mean, the guy's a doctor o.k? When the sample came back rated better than the city they got miffed and billed him based on past consumption anyway! He didn't care, he knew he was doing his part, had fun with the city and got better water out of the deal!

“I wouldn’t mind paying a premium for green technology.”

I hope that mindset becomes the norm. I’d love to see the status symbols change from the 3 ton SUV or 3500 sqft house to how much one sells back to the grid.

That's exactly what bin laden would want us to do.

Support America. Keep on shopping.

Va Beyatch,

Hey how are you! I couldn't remember if the poster @ Ben's was from Bakersfield but he always had the funniest posts! Dude has got to be rolling around naked in "I told you so" right now!

What a joke. Almost each and every one of the EIGHT homes in default were purchased within weeks of one another (ala CS style) and spread out amongst blood related kool-aid drinkers. Pffftt. Some "big" investment firm huh?

Thanks for your business...... (mom!)

I HATE it!

Muggy - sure you can register even in Florida. I even had a seller in Florida contact me looking for buyers!

I'll try to make it clearer on my page.

Patrick

Got this via spam of all places:

http://doolittle.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=65827

Does this mean GSEs can't buy "illegal" paper? (I don't think they originate.) Wasn't this a rather large chunk of the sub-prime stuff?

@HelloKitty,

Thanks --funny site! Ironically, that was commissioned by the VAR (Virginia Association of Realtors) ostensibly to counter *ahem* unethical behavior in the ranks. It says so at the end of the "quiz".

Casey!S

Good theories, but more important than wages being stagnant for the better part of a decade and the fact that we're looking at the tip o' the iceberg where re-sets are concerned, the majority of the blame falls squarely on the doom and gloom media.

Remember there's only 3 things that matter in real estate, debt, debt and debt.

Hellow Kitty,

Is Ted Truitt Jack Black or is that just some guy that does a really good impersonation? Love the white suit btw!

I was talking with a friend and he brought to my attention that the real departure ramp for subprime actually goes back to 1986. Since I don't appreciate when people are more bearish than myself I asked him to explain. He said that when c/c and other revolving debt was no longer tax deductible it "forced" a lot of people (based on DTI) out of the prime market. I thought that was an interesting point and another nail in the "it's all subprime's fault" coffin. I had often thought of it in terms of shifting debt/tax deductibility, but never as a catalyst for the growth in subprime.

Wow. Begging for business. Hmmm... doesn't sound like much of a "sales pitch" to me. I've got enough problems of my own without having to worry about whether or not "Don" is getting bored.

As they used to say in the ad business, "what's in it for me?"

Actually, it says it's a credit union - doesn't that mean it's more on the up and up?

Muggy,

I called. It's a real number!

Pathetic.

Perhaps Don could advertise for a date, with a giant billboard of himself standing there, pants down, d**k in hand, sobbing, "Date me... PLLEEEASE!!!"

@eburbed,

Nice "end of the week wrap up"! To be fair though the DC and WA home's PITI should have the assumptions changed to reflect "0" Down and a neg. am loan! (Remember, it's all about the payment).

Muggy,

I have noticed that the credit unions seem to be positioning themselves to take advantage of the meltdown. And when I say meltdown I don't just mean subprime! I'm talking about trust. For the most part they're outside of the REIC. In fact I'm pretty sure most RE playahs don't even know they exist.

Just think how many FB's could've got a lower rate and better terms w/ their own C/U but instead wound up at the hands of some pedophile MB?

Peter P becomes a Vegan

That is a true 10-sigma event. :)

The SF Chronical Chart on the DataQuick website has been updated with the April numbers. No need to hurl those March numbers at the SoftservePricesss. I noticed that in my hood sales are down more than the average ~18% decrease.... maybe the fortress is cracking in the East Bay. I would like to see inventory numbers before dancing a jig, though.

I hate to say it, Randy, but Mill Valley is looking pretty solid. The hottubers may be the last to go (I guess when the Realtors lose their attitude, it will be time to buy.)

I am typing away in the Southwest terminal at PHX right now.

I do not understand why anyone would want to retire in Phoenix or Scottsdale. Ads for new homes are everywhere. The heat is unbearable.

Sedona, on the other hand, is absolutely lovely. I can easily see myself living there.

I'm not sure what I like so much about this article. I think it is the fact that the writer mentions the National Association of Realtors at the beginning of the piece, but then refers to them at "the Realtors" (instead of NAR) thoughout the article -- like they were some kind of crime syndicate or something of that ilk.

Housing enjoyed an extended surge in which sales of both new and existing homes set records for five straight years until 2006. The Realtors are forecasting that existing home prices could decline by around 2 percent this year, which would be the first setback for an entire year on records that go back four decades.

But Lawrence Yun, senior economist for the Realtors, noted that the expected price decline would still be modest in comparison to the 50 percent appreciation in home prices that occurred during the boom period.

"knows why carbon matters"

Huh? Because silicon steak would taste funny?

PeterP, nice to see a post from you. You reminded me of me sitting in the NM airport typing away. I agree, I can't imagine living in Phoenix, hell I can't believe I went and visited a friend out there a couple of years ago. I liked Sedona as well.

I'm sure you have some interesting observations about the housing market there. It was still booming when I visited but the inventory had just started growing, and sitting longer. It's kind of fun to see the non California market, we sometimes think CA is the whole world until you go somewhere like AZ or NM and see how totally different the market is as far as price and desireability.

SQT,

"...I don’t think any of us can. We just blindly forge ahead anyway...."

unless u r a Princess.

It’s kind of fun to see the non California market, we sometimes think CA is the whole world until you go somewhere like AZ or NM and see how totally different the market is as far as price and desireability.

Sedona is one of the prettiest places I have visited.

This house in Sedona (7 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms) looks very nice. It is definitely not cheap though. :)

http://www.coldwellbankersedona.com/exceptional.htm

I moved out of the BA last year.....it really is amazing how far your money goes once you leave.

I had saved a couple $100Ks for the purpose of upgrading my rat-shack Cambrian Park house for something more livable in, say, Campbell. But I finally had to ask myself why. Pretty much every place else in the country is much much cheaper. Although my family had lived in the BA since the mid 1800's, I was the last one there: everyone else had either died or moved away. So I was free to shop around.

I got out a map of the US and did some thinking. I eliminated most places quickly (deep South, NE, midwest, southwest). That left Virginia/NC and the Pacific NW as candidates. I ended up picking Boise and relocating here. Now I have much less invested in a much nicer house and the bulk of my money is in cash and stocks. Selling out in San Jose in April 2006 was in retrospect a great idea.

sybrib,

So you're going to buy me a tiara, a magical pony, and endless drinks at various European watering holes, right?

Otherwise and as I've specifically requested before, cut it out.

sybrib

Attacking someone personally because they have a differing opinion from your own leads me to believe you're weak of mind. Argue the point all you want. But if you want to go call names there are no shortage of shout-blogs out there to suit your fancy.

Although The Marina is unquestionably one of the greatest locations in the country to raise a family, today the apartment buildings, shops and restaurants seem to be bursting at their seams with beautiful, young and fit 20- and 30-somethings.

Huh? How is The Marina the "greatest locations in the country to raise a family?"

If I want to raise a family, and have the money, I will be in Marin County, Connecticut, or other nice places. There is too much riff-raff in SF.

DennisN,

Good for you! Boise is becoming something of a destination for Portlanders as well. Something about the rain, (I'm told?) That and socially it's like "The Rose City" was 30 years ago. Going on vacation? No worries, your neighbors are only too happy to pitch in and they expect the same. Before PDX became a "couples town" (everything is structured around art galleries and SHOPPING) it was a f_a_m_i_l_y town.

Btw, having cash is a good thing. :)

Hey, this is a long shot, but doesn't this Realtor (TM):

http://www.hill-co.com/about/detail.php?aUID=225

fit the profile of TOS? The credentials seem better than I'd have expected from the "real" TOS, but, who knows!

From OO's tips, I signed up at property shark and started looking at my neighborhood (Rivermark) at Santa Clara, I know most of you guys here despise McMansions but I am just reporting the mortgage data that I see. Where our tract was built, it was sold around 700K, then it jumped to 1M and now about 1.2 M for the same house. People are carrying 600 -800K mortgages, many people only put down 10%, and I only recall couple mortgages that are conforming out of about 30 properties I looked at.

Contrary to Sybrib's believe, many of these buyers are Asian but they don't pay all cash, in fact, I only saw 2 cash transactions. Maybe they put there money somewhere else, but I doubt it. When ARMs reset, it's gonna hit hard for the later buyers, at least so far most of the early buyers here can refinance if they haven't already.

The Marina is a terrible place to raise a family. It is a great place for young 20 something professionals who like the (formerly known as) "Yuppie" scene. If you have kids there are few kid-friendly restaurants, you have to pay through the nose for private schools, and you have to put your kids on a stretchy leash while playing in the park for fear of sundry unsavory characters lurking about.

For the same $ one can raise a family in nicer parts of Marin, San Mateo or Santa Clara counties, and running to the store for emergency diapers during potty-training doesn't become an hour long exercise in frustration and overpriced futility.