patrick.net

He?

I think he was referring to your son.

DinOR,

Yea, our last home I think is typical of the unevenness of how the bubble will deflate. Anyone familiar with Belmont will know the general area. The not-Hallmark, not McMansion cluster enclave in the hills off Ralston before 92/280. The McMansions are still appreciating, as are the slightly older homes in swankier Hallmark. But all those streets with 1950s/60s homes are dropping pretty quickly right now. I know that one of my old neighbors is seriously bummed. He wanted to sell when he thought he could get about $1.2M but he was talked out of it. He tells me now that their realtor doesn't want to list it for more than the high 900Ks. I zillowed him and it shows a range from low 800s to mid 900s and falling fast.

Like I said, Zillow is pretty flawed in how it extrapolates trend. It over-exaggerates volatility.

LILLL,

People come and just MAKE trouble! Why? We’re all in the same bowl of soup and they keep poisoning it!
QUIT POISONING THE D@MN SOUP PEOPLE!
A little respect for your fellow man. (woman)
Perhaps I’ll never understand people.

I think the contemplative answer is tragedy of the commons. I think the economic answer is unaccounted for externalities. I think the cynical answer is Ayn Rand was right. I think my answer is that people suck

John Haverty Says:
He can never be a politician, a lawyer, a realtor, a judge, a sheriff, a general contractor or a management consultant then.

I've come to realise this is all too true in this life. (You forgot salesman and middle or senior management.) It's 'survival of the fakest' in the new social Darwinist world. It's as though there's a gene for dissembling that only some of us get. Altho Robert Ardrey, or was it Konrad Lorenz, points out that deception is an inherent part of nature for survival, come to think of it - to protect territory, food and offspring. (Need to check my yellowing acid paper books from the flea market...)

Like I said, Zillow is pretty flawed in how it extrapolates trend. It over-exaggerates volatility.

Interesting. So Zillow's price algorithm is basically Reflexivity on steroids. But now the setting on the RE feedback loop has changed from "up up up" to "down down down".

Nice.

HARM,

I think it's just that as some areas are actually starting to trend down now we can see how Zillow is flawed. Vacillate wildly, apologies to Morrissey.

This is OT, but apparently Ha Ha has made a movie:

HA HA HA America

I can't say it lifts my spirits, though... :-(

LiLLL

All that matters in the end is that you are leading the life you believe is ethical and just. I know that norms are normative, but that doesn't mean they are virtuous.

Straying from the herd can be perilous, but it can also save your life at times.

And worst of all, housing has begun the slow process of falling into oblivion. What follows will likely be the worst depression in many generations, a world-wide depression. Depending on how this unfolds, it may be a time of many revolutions and utter chaos. Sort of like the Great Depression on roids, with a twist. Get some guns, because you may need them.

right, will do...

Sort of like the Great Depression on roids, with a twist. Get some guns, because you may need them.

I'm just going to buy a couple of fiddles and some Belgian ale, and invite DS over to help provide the soundtrack to Armageddon.

...comments stuck in moderation have been approved.

i was going to suggest drinking as the obvious solution, too ;)

I'll bring my copy of 'Eleven - A very loud compilation from JJJ-FM' and the combined works of Tool...

I think we'd get on well in RL despite our disagreements in the blogosphere, DS. I'll bring some Rammstein and Einstürzende Neubauten for good measure...

Randy H going to Ohio

I'll be paying homage to my roots for the next week. For those denizens of the Bay Area who've never visited the Heartland or been anywhere in the flyover states beside the airport, I highly recommend a semidecadal visit to Ohio. I promise it will anchor your perspective in ways you cannot imagine.

Be well everyone.

Randy H, I recommend San Sebastian Grand Cru, amazing. So good you don't know if you should drink it or rub it on your self.

So far in this thread, my favorite is Haverty's rant about the hippies. Sat here laughing. Way to go dude.

i'm aware it's 10.30 pm on friday night and lager frenzy time, whereas it's sat morning grumpy hangover time for me :(

but i was going to suggest an audioconference in the interests of trans-pacific harmony more than once...

i'm not the wry, cynical, permanently regressed cool geek i pretend to be here, you know...

oh, re the blogspot hijacking query, you'll have to pull my e-mail from here and send a note, i haven't geared up with thread management permissions yet...

John Haverty Says:
By the way, I have told people time and time again pay a premium for non-China (PRC) product! I want to buy made in USA/Japan/Swiss/Germany/South Korea - even Taiwan!

Feeding the PRC was a very bad idea, its like transferring power from one superpower to another.

woops, just bought an LCD widescreen TV, digital tuner and HDD recorder/DVD burner from PRC, for about 3/5 regular price. sorry about that...

a speaker at politics in the pub the other week simply said 'in 10 years, China will be THE superpower, no question'. good thing Oz gets on with 'em -- we're all set up to be their entrepot clearing house, not to mention exporting mountains of iron ore ;)

James Squire brews are highly recommended, particularly amber ale and golden ale - and the indian ale comes in at 5-6%!

http://www.malt-shovel.com.au/frames.asp?page=brewery.asp

hmm, keep meaning to tour their brewery...

St. Sebastian Grand Cru?

Yup that's the stuff, amazing.

I don't buy Chinese, PRC items.

I don’t buy Chinese, PRC items.

I do not care where things come from, so long as they are legal.

I wish I could have responded to Face Reality and Fake P during the exchanges. But I am busy doing more important stuff, like following that small itsy bitsy, tiny sporting event happening in Germany.

Evergreen in San Jose was a hot area, I mean real HOT. Fully supported by Techie Indo-Chinese people, buying newly constructed McMansions. The house prices almost doubled from 02-03 to 2005. One can make arguments on both sides about that area's desirability.

The inventory, per ZipRealty has jumped from around 150 in the begining of the year to around 350 !

One particular street in this area seems to be having problem. I have not been there. All this info is from ZipRealty.

Here goes. 4 houses on the same street, with drastic price reductions, and on the market almost forever.

----- Listing 1 MLS #: 620710
1398 THORNBURY LN, San Jose - Evergreen, CA 95138
Price Reduced: 06/09/06 -- $1,350,000 to $1,250,000
Days on Market: 58

----- Listing 2 MLS #: 618033
1199 THORNBURY LN, San Jose - Evergreen, CA 95138
Price Reduced: 04/12/06 -- $1,161,900 to $1,100,000
Days on Market: 70

----- Listing 3 MLS #: 611550
1267 THORNBURY LN, San Jose - Evergreen, CA 95138
Price Reduced: 04/06/06 -- $1,185,000 to $1,149,900
Price Reduced: 06/09/06 -- $1,149,900 to $1,079,888
Days on Market: 101

----- Listing 4 MLS #: 608331
1357 THORNBURY LN, San Jose - Evergreen, CA 95138
Price Reduced: 03/06/06 -- $1,235,000 to $1,195,000
Price Reduced: 04/07/06 -- $1,195,000 to $1,155,000
Price Reduced: 06/06/06 -- $1,155,000 to $1,050,000
Days on Market: 115

Do I need to say anything more ?

oops, made the mistake of only reading the last 50 posts to catch up... sorry to hear about your situation, LILLL - and I was blithely musing on the biological roots of dishonesty. Maybe the small claims court system? Apart from SCC, under the Dept of Fair Trading here, you can complain about a registered business and, if the problem remains unresolved, get a hearing for only $10 resulting in an order to pay if you're found to be in the right - most businesses don't even bother showing up, cos they know they're going to get their asses kicked. is there anything like that there? only probs might be interstate jurisdictions... cost of lawyers is insane in US too, tho you can probably represent yourself in SCC -- which are meant to be short and sweet hearings and over and done with; perhaps showing the intent to get on with it by starting a process will frighten the company, as they probably operate under the ppl that most people will write the money off and not follow through on their scam...

BA or Not BA, San hofuckingsebag? Give me a mother fucking break. Your posting just shows how fucking far peoples fucking heads are shoved up their fucking asses. San Hosebag is a fucking garbage dump with no redeeming qualities. Fuck that place i hope all those mother fuckers go bankrupt and have to move back to the basement. Fuck ya'll. Seriously, fuck San hosebag, it's filled with maggot fucking McDebtors, I hope they all get ass packed in the most vile medival way possible.

I'm sorry maybe I wasn't clear enough, FUCK SAN HOSEBAG

Apart from SCC, under the Dept of Fair Trading here, you can complain about a registered business and, if the problem remains unresolved, get a hearing for only $10 resulting in an order to pay if you’re found to be in the right - most businesses don’t even bother showing up, cos they know they’re going to get their asses kicked. is there anything like that there?

I recommend just sending a box of dog shit, LILLL let me know if you wish to pursue this option, Hank has the brown wave from his 4 days in the kennel and I would be happy to box up a sample for the fuckers in NC.

DinOR Says:
Randy H,
Yeah, that’s pretty much the place and period I was thinking about. It just struck other midwesterners as so odd that off all places Youngstown, OH became a hot bed of crime.

hee, my mortgage broker mate in DC grew up in youngstown - she doesn't talk about it much for some reason... :P

newsfreak Says:
Muzzle Anne Coulter!!
Anne Coulter looks like she needs to eat a 2 lb steak or a big plate of sushi.

My diagnosis is that it's nothing a good *** once in a while wouldn't fix, she would become a sunny liberal with flowers in her hair in no time...

Amnesty Yes! We must have amnesty, we have no choice.
yes, but don't forget the mexican-american war, Anglo-Saxons claiming their 'manifest destiny', hmm:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_War#War_in_California

The Spanish Empire's just getting its land back, by degrees...

is there anything like that there?

I recommend just sending a box of dog shit

heh, ru-uff justice.

LILLL,

I'm just ill about your earnest money. Really, I am. The cost of doing business is painful enough. PAYING for a transaction that never took place is criminal. Period. Who do these people think they are! Trust me, they've already spent the money. Here's yet another example of how realtors exempt themselves from fair trade.

In my arena, I would firstly have to be at the very least somewhat familiar with your "tolerance for risk" meaning if the investment headed south to the tune of 5%+ are you O.K with that? If you harbor designs for a 20% upside are you willing to "stomach" a 40% downside? Do hold other assets elsewhere? If this company goes "de-listed" will it affect your retirement date? If so, perhaps we should reconsider. Have you ever traded on "margin" before? Are you familiar w/options? (which is really what you bought, and THE most riskiest of propositions). Let's set all of that aside for just a minute O.K. From a more rudimentary perspective have you so much as ever set foot in North Carolina? Are you aware that b/c said move would be strictly for a "change of scenery" that said moving expenses would NOT be tax deductible? And a million other things!

Since we all know that real estate is always a good investment for everybody all the time I guess NONE of these things are an issue. Nor will they ever be. This is how they operate. I'm fully aware that there are those among us that will shout from the rooftops that LILLL is her own gal and this is a free country and she can do as she (and her husband) pleases! Oh, I'm all for that! However; when I take someone's money (and I do every day) I must first exercise "the prudent man rule". I know, it doesn't get talked about nearly enough these days, but it still exists! It is still the law. If it were my money, would I be doing this? Is this financial suicide? Can I "cover" a margin call? Would this be a good investment for my mother? If I wouldn't do it, why would any other fool? Why, why, why, why why? John Haverty, you're an engineer. Isn't that what engineers ask any time they implement a change? Why X 5? If you still get a YES after the 5th query THEN make the change? Why is this "deal" better than your current deal? Why is this "new" asset" better than your current asset?

People, these are questions we need to be asking ourselves! LILLL, It's not my intent to get on a soapbox and preach here but at any point did anyone in NC so much as ask you how your husband (entertainment anchored) would be able practice his craft on the opposite coast? Did anyone challenge you as to just how you would be able continue your business 3,000 miles away? Or is it just assumed that you are a "California Lottery Winner" without the economic realities that tether the rest of us. Get your money back kid. This is wrong. This ain't right.

DS,

"it's sat morning grumpy hangover time"

Ahem, (clears throat second time)

Hangovers, my dear sir are a time honored tradition in the DinOR family! Each and every one is "special". Precious I might add. It is (in my twisted mind anyway) the best part of drinking. One must take extra special care to be "most pleasant" after a bender (lest mom pull the plug). Go on about your day with extra kindness and an unending need to please others. Savor every moment and always remember "just because you've had a few drinks doesn't mean you can't be a gentlemen". Right about now my eyes look like two "piss holes in the snow". Please excuse me now as I have to fix breakfast for my wife.

I have to work in San Jose. I hate it. Buying houses in there make me shudder. Anyone shelling out 1M+ to live in anything associated with Crud Jose is a maniac.

I live in Downtown San Jose. OMG. It is horrible!

My apartment complex is very well-managed though. It has the best managers I have ever seen. That said, I am moving to Sunnyvale in two weeks. The area is too bad.

Having lived in SJ for a year, I have become a strong supporter for:

1. Prohibition (at least no alcohol in public)
2. Death Penalty
3. Mandatory military/social service for youngsters

Young people should spend more time in the library, not bars. If they have ego or emotional issues, they should channel the excess energy in serving their communities.

God, we need religion in the class room.

LILL , if someone can blow away someone over bar seating, then I would think it is certainly justifiable to threaten to blow away someone for stealing your money.

Killing people over stupid things is the worst. We need to bring back public execution. Such people should be hanged high outside the city hall.

I grew up in southwest San Jose near the foothills. I'm part of the history of that place. It'll always be my home. There were great times and a golden era there. I now reside in Phoenix.

But, they've raped it. They've turned it into an overpriced third world shit hole.

I weep for San Jose, and admit that's it's time stick a fork in its ass and turn it over, it's done!

San Jose is over, barring any sort of renaissance. What have they done to San Jose? It's like Rosemary's baby! Its eyes...its a possessed baby!
god damn you evil bastards!

Hey Rat:

ST (Santa Teresa High) class of 1984. What a friggen' great year!

The 80's rocked. 1981 was fricken' sublime!

Actually, the late seventies had some cool Cali stuff going on.

My cousins were seventies kids. Graduated in Sunnyvale.

I went to James Lick High, eastside San Jose…lovely place…looked like a factory.

LILLL went to James Lick MyBalls? ahahahaha, funny, me? Independence.

M. holiday how is Phoenix? Tempe? Good or bad or indifferent.

LILLL, wow amazing. Sort of same hood. Never figured you for an Alum Rocker.

LILLL, Independence HS in San Hosebag, hence the origin of my loathing.

X- you having a party on the 4th?

Possibly, you in?

Saying that the entire San Jose is sh*thole is really an over-generalization. I personally find Almaden, parts of Santa Teresa, and particularly somewhere south of San Jose quite charming. Small pockets still retain the rural feel of the past.

The scary parts are East San Jose and the parts next to the airport. Evergreen is just too plastic. Anywhere along the western foothill is good all the way down from the peninsula, if you just ignore price for a minute. Price will correct itself, but geography hardly changes. I'd say if you keep yourself anywhere along the western foothill, you can't go wrong, even if you have to go as south as Gilroy.

I have a general dislike for East Bay for the lack of vegetation except for patches of brown grass 9 months out of a year.