patrick.net

Condos in subprime areas, no thanks Pete. If I can’t buy a SFH in a nice to decent area for 35% plus off then I’m not interested.

Do not count on a 35% _nominal_ reduction. It may still happen though, I do not know.

Skibum,

"I really don’t think things are so doom-and-gloom."

As long as one believes that the death of the middle class in just five years is "no big deal", then you're absolutely right.

"The correction is already underway and picking up momentum."

Prices are still rising. Rising inventories have yet to have any effect on prices. Correction, my ass.

"you can’t on the one hand bemoan being priced out forever while on the other hand predicting economic and political armageddon. The two scenarios are pretty much mutually exclusive."

Besides the fact that no one said that, it makes no sense standing on its own.

Priced out forever? Yes. I'm not predicting any kind of armageddon. Nobody here said that. I'm saying I don't care if armageddon comes. I'll be priced out of the rental market within five years if it keeps appreciating at the current pace. My wife won't leave town because her entire extended family lives here. So when we can't afford rent (could be more than five years, but probably not much more), she moves back in with her parents, and I file for divorce and leave town.

Home ownership is not the "American Dream". It's a weapon of mass destruction against the middle class. If you would have told me in 2000 that making a solid middle class income, having no debt, and six digit savings could STILL cause you to fail your family and become financially insolvent through the devaluation of your savings and wages, I would have stopped saving and started spending then. Spend it or lose it kids, because it won't buy you anything tomorrow.

I hope the working class take to the streets and start torching condos. THAT would be justice.

Prices are still rising. Rising inventories have yet to have any effect on prices. Correction, my ass.

MEDIAN prices are still rising. Rising inventories have yet to have any effect on MEDIAN prices.

There are so many homes to choose from now.

If you would have told me in 2000 that making a solid middle class income, having no debt, and six digit savings could STILL cause you to fail your family and become financially insolvent through the devaluation of your savings and wages, I would have stopped saving and started spending then.

I could have told you that. Too bad this board was not around back then.

There are literally millions of millionaires (excluding primary residence) in this country. There are tens of thousands of families with at least 1M of liquid net worth in the Bay Area. A 6-digit saving account means shit if it is not growing as quickly as other people's investment.

Do not just spend it or save it. Invest it. Increase your understanding of the world. Improve your relationship with God.

DinOR Says:

> Back in 1999 we took everybody up to Priest Lake, ID and
> rented a houseboat. Nice boat, great area, no jobs. A
> few months ago the NYT ran an article about an “undiscovered”
> area in eastern Oregon called Joseph. Now I’ll admit it is real
> pretty but since the article ran local realtors have been
> swamped with calls from as far away as Conneticut for
> crissakes! Talk about a rolling bubble! How often would
> somebody from CT be able to come out here? How would
> they get there?

The people that bought on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe in the 50’s, the North Shore of Lake Tahoe in the 60’s, Vail in the 70’s, Aspen in the 80’s and Sun Valley in the 90’s all made millions so people who can’t afford to buy in Tahoe, the big CO resort areas or Sun Valley are looking for the hot new place (where property will soon be selling for millions of dollars since resort/vacation real estate always goes up)…

SQT,

Well there you have it, when you're getting RE inv. advice from your hair dresser that's usually time to roll the credits!

Michael Holliday said the "Anticipation of death is worse than death itself"?

Well when you're dead you're dead. No more problems. When your mortgage goes up 20/30/35% it's death by a thousand cuts. Knowing it is following you around with the clock running in a declining market (and FICO) have got to be awful!

We're on the right side of this equation.

Home ownership is not the “American Dream”. It’s a weapon of mass destruction against the middle class.

This strikes me as too conspiratorial for my personal comfort. If anything, the American middle class has conspired against themselves. Who told them to buy oversized homes, fill it with crap they can't afford, and become willing pawns in this housing pyramid scheme? I suspect consumption has become a distraction from issues we need to face. America has victimized itself, and sooner or later it will need to come to grips with that.

I suspect consumption has become a distraction from issues we need to face. America has victimized itself, and sooner or later it will need to come to grips with that.

I agree. It is more important to find peace within ourselves.

"Do not just spend it or save it. Invest it. Increase your understanding of the world."

The only asset class that makes money is real estate. Where have you been? The highest performing investment next to real estate has been the stock market, which, adjusted for inflation, hasn't budged in close to a decade.

"Improve your relationship with God."
Just stop that.

"I could have told you that. Too bad this board was not around back then."
If this was such common knowledge, why did finance curriculum steer students into losing investments like stocks, bonds, and currencies -- and away from highly-leveraged real estate investments using exotic loans? Right -- they didn't. I call bullshit.

I hope the working class take to the streets and start torching condos. THAT would be justice.

Idiotic. We need more high density high rise condos and less SFH to ease the pressure and for bait for the empty nesters sitting on 1500sqFt Homes. Torching 1/4 acre+ Prop 13 SFHs would probably assist the rest of us but your wife will be happier if you duct tape her and move to Denver instead of ending up in Jail.

100 flights back to the Bay Area over the next 20 years
$500 x 2 x 100 = $100,000. Cheaper than a BA downpayment.

FAB,

"looking for the hot new place"

Well, no argument there. The reason I thought the article about Joseph, OR was surreal was b/c there is really nothing to do there. Not even gambling. At least Tahoe has entertainment and is considerably warmer. I've never been there in winter but I understand Joseph has tundra-like winters!

Kurt,

"This strikes me as too conspiratorial for my personal comfort. If anything, the American middle class has conspired against themselves."

Dude, you gotta read, skimming ain't gonna cut it.

Pasting from my earlier post:

"This is similar to when women entered the workforce en masse. With each household suddenly enjoying more disposable income, then “disposed” of it by engaging each other in bidding wars over the same commodities that they were buying before. In exercise in futility, and a net loss for everyone.

Now, similarly, those with houses are doing the same thing. Houses are being used as weapons to compete. "

You and I are saying the same thing.

The only asset class that makes money is real estate.

I missed it. That was the past. What is the future?

If this was such common knowledge, why did finance curriculum steer students into losing investments like stocks, bonds, and currencies — and away from highly-leveraged real estate investments using exotic loans? Right — they didn’t. I call bullshit.

Huh?

Red Whine,

First of all, chill out. I'm not some troll trying to get your dander up. In fact, I was hoping to point out to you some positives in the whole economy/bubble picture. But I do need to counter your arguements:

Prices are still rising. Rising inventories have yet to have any effect on prices. Correction, my ass.

You fail to recognize that most here agree that rising inventory is THE leading indicator before price declines occur. Again, patience. Moreover, prices are indeed starting to budge in SD, Boston, FL and elsewhere.

You also deny armageddon predictions. Well honestly, statements like,

You know what? The New Ekkkonomy is destroying America far faster than any terrorist group could EVER hope to do it

or

Home ownership is not the “American Dream”. It’s a weapon of mass destruction against the middle class.

sound pretty darn armageddon-ish to me. Besides, your behavior of stopping 401K contributions is indicative of a doom-and-gloom sentiment.

I feel for you - it really sucks to have to worry about your family being able to weather the upcoming economic upheaval. All I'm trying to say is that I'm still of the camp that the economic situation will correct itself. The issue of the ongoing loss of the middle class is however, pretty real, but housing is not the only thing to blame for this.

FRIFY-

You can't go spouting off logic to an emotional woman. C'mon, you know that.

"100 flights back to the Bay Area over the next 20 years
$500 x 2 x 100 = $100,000. Cheaper than a BA downpayment."

No amount of logic, albeit good logic, is going to persuade a hysterical woman who is being pulled away from her entire extended family. She takes a walk with her mother after dinner every night. This ends badly. Not that I would tell her this, but I wish she would just find someone who owns real estate, and "let me off easy."

Funny you mention Denver. That was one of my top picks!

No amount of logic, albeit good logic, is going to persuade a hysterical woman who is being pulled away from her entire extended family. She takes a walk with her mother after dinner every night.

What is wrong with that?

I agree. It is more important to find peace within ourselves.

And so true around here! Back when I was single and living in "statusy" Los Altos, I remember how obsessed college grads were at landing that big paycheck, or finding a spouse that could provide the "good life" in abundance. So much hinged on grabbing that wad of $$$, that all else was thrown out the window: community, civility, social ethics--even contentment. Now, some of them have everything they wanted, but little of what they need. I say f*ck to all of that, and count ourselves lucky to have lived outside the US--and gained a healthy sense of perspective.

“I hope the working class take to the streets and start torching condos.”

Clearly illegal and unamerican.

Skibum,

"sound pretty darn armageddon-ish to me."

Okay, you're right. Let me recant that in place of something I said earlier:

"I actually believe that this is the end of life as we know it, and the beginning of a different life."

Life will not end. Life as we know it will. Mentally, I still fail to wrap my mind around how quickly the middle class and the cornerstones of that lifestyle (ability to retire/pension, home ownership, etc.) proved to be an accident of history.

The 401k decision I still maintain to make sense. If you know:

1) That the money will decrease in spending power even if your investments "beat inflation."

and

2) That retirement is an impossibility even if you max out your 401k contributions to $1250 per month (max. allowable) plus your $4k Roth IRA, it's like a kid saving his allowance to buy Egypt.

The choice is obvious. Spend and enjoy. When you buy a memory by going to a show, taking a weekend trip, etc., you have "banked" something that cannot be deflated into non-existence. It was -- and hence cannot be un-done.

Davis_renter,

Thanks for the link and the data, even if it is depressing. Numbers like those press even the most ardent free market capitalist like myself. While the evaporating middle classes are the focus of most popular concern here and in other forums, it is the dramatic growth of the impoverished that keeps me up at night. This can only go so far before there are big, ugly, generally unplanned changes that will make just about everyone who reads this blog unhappy.

"consumption has become a distraction"

It's funny you would say that. Jeff Immelt (GE CEO) said basically the same thing today. And this coming from a company that owns entertainment divisions. I think he said we are becoming the "massage capitol of the world".

I've been saying this for years. Don't get me wrong, it's fine to have hobbies and interests but stick with them. I know people that have jet skis, motor homes, ski boats/fishing boats, dirt bikes AND sand rails! Sheesh, pick something and stick with it!

You and I are saying the same thing

Red Whine-
Sorry, sometimes I skim in the interest of time. Agreed: people definitely compete/gloat over their homedebtorship.

Under this scenario, it seems prices may moderate and slide a bit but no crash and certainly no 35% plus drops.

Ahh yeah, that's because everyone in California is a millionare, besides I think all those middle/upper management types making 200K plus are dying to move into 1/1 stucco shitboxes. You Sir are a man of genius richly deserving to be on a bud light commericial.

Just for clarity, the flippers, specuvestors and FBs I talked to in my own small, rural midwestern sampling (sadly many were old friends and a few relatives) were entirely LOCALS.

It's not as if Californians are poring into NE Indiana and SW Ohio flipping the 800K McMansions. It is folks who live there doing it. They just imported our brand of insanity.

What distresses me is that, as a generality, most of these folks have significantly less nominal income + wealth, so they will be bigger FBs as a % of their losses. Some dual income BA yuppies with $250K joint income will get hurt bad enough with a toxic $650K loan, but now imagine the single income, 3 kids, $70K/year family in Indiana with nearly the same sized loan. If BA FBs are "junk bond" grade investments, then the poor folks in the Midwest are "toxic waste" grade.

RW,
What is most definitely true about your thesis is that the American idea of the "middle class" is very likely going to turn out to be a short blip on the historical time scale. Post-ww2 industrialization, the glee of winning the war, the GI bill, etc etc all helped to create the US middle class. We're reverting back to the roaring 20's, robber baron model of American economics.

However, I do agree with Peter - even if you do opt out of your 401K, don't just blow the wad - invest it. I do realize, though, that the current volatility in almost every market makes it a difficult road. Does your employer match your contributions?

The "rolling boom" scares me. Places that I never would've expected to ever be expensive are slowly starting to edge that way. Nashville for example seems to be having a massive influx of Los Angelos natives. Why? Because for one, country music is HOT, MtV moved their CMT operations from NY to Nashville, the whole " good ole' boy" style has been popular in the mainstream for a few years, and so on. People in Lons Angelos incorrectly equate Nashville with the Los Angelos of the South.
As a result, homes in the old part of downtown Nashville are now in the 450-500k range, which is ridiculous for the area. But..... like most of the towns mentioned, you can simply move about 10 minutes out of town and the prices plumet back down to the 75-100k range.
That's the BIG diffrence between Nashville, Austin, Dallas, Boise, and all the places inbetween and California. In California, no matter where you move to, you're Fuck*d. The prices are ALL high, no matter how far you live from the city. In these other areas, a quick 10 minute drive is all it takes. The diffrences between these "flyover" places and here is that the inner cities are being redeveloped for the upper crust of their respective markets. So the rich wanna' live in downtown Boise. Big deal- Just live a little outside of the city proper. With the amount of new building going on in the South, there is no logical reason for prices to get too high in general, but I would agree that the extreme inner cities will.

RW,

1) That the money will decrease in spending power even if your investments “beat inflation.”,

Can you explain what you mean here in a bit more detail?

Red Whine

You can’t go spouting off logic to an emotional woman. C’mon, you know that.

Sadly true, and yes the inlaws are here for me as well. Sigh.

It's a lot easier to tell the other guy to get tough and logical with his gal. It makes me feel like a real man. I was washing piles of dishes last night so you now know where I stand.

I have until Winter to formulate Plan B. Distract and delay tactics are losing their efficacy. Footrubs and massage coupons might last me to next Spring...

Can you explain what you mean here in a bit more detail?

Let me try. Since real estate goes up even if it drops, spending power decreases even if your investment bests inflation.

There are tens of thousands of families with at least 1M of liquid net worth in the Bay Area. A 6-digit saving account means shit if it is not growing as quickly as other people’s investment.

Do not just spend it or save it. Invest it. Increase your understanding of the world. Improve your relationship with God.

Will the person holding Peter P hostage kindly release him?

God? I call my imaginary friends "Bob" and "Sally". Ahhh the propoganda of the BA, tens of thousands of families with 1m liquid. Really. Did this information come to you when conversing with your imaginary friend? People in the BA really should go away for a while and then take a look at their self proclaimed nirvana. Ok, I'll bite, and I'll be generous, say 100000 families in the BA have 1mil liquid. The BA population is what 2-3 million? So those 100000 families are driving the housing costs? Amazing. On a seperate note, how does one qualify for a 650K note? Granted I only make a paltry 95K/yr. Am I missing something, because to qualify for a 650K note you need to make in the high 190s or so. HaHa's bullcrap notwithstanding, how many people are making that much coin? Not many. It's the realm of middle/upper management. I am just so sick of the crap. So you make 250K/yr, what does that get you in the BA or $anta Barbara? A condo or a 1/1 crapbox. Nice.

And you won’t make it into that league unless your born into it, marry into it, or build an empire (like Gates).

You will not get there unless planets align. Seriously. Do not give free will too much credit. Fate is fate!

Surfer-X,
That's a good point. Peter and others can keep citing the oodles of uber-rich BA residents, but the core of the bubble phenomenon has nothing to do with those people. It's the pathetic masses clammoring to buy the stucco sh#tboxes via bidding wars and crappy loans that defines the bubble. Google millionaires will be in their own little sub-world of the BA housing market whether or not there is a bubble going on.

The number of millionaires in the United States surged 14 percent in 2003, to 2.3 million, according to the World-Wide Wealth of High Net Worth Individuals survey released Tuesday by Merrill Lynch and Capgemini.

United States — Population: 295,734,134
According to the CIA fact book.

So 7/10's of 1% of the US is a millionare, BFD. This 7/10's of 1% is driving the whole insane RE market? It corrects hard, sticky? Not a chance, just as you yelled "new paradigm" on the way up, so shall it be on the way down. Or does it revert to "old paradigm" on the way down. SFH are not investments, and just like you were told during the dot.bomb era, it's a new paradigm, the playing field is level. No it's not, it never will be. You fools that think you can keep flipping your SFH and make 200K every two years are drinknig too much cool aid. The music has stopped in the next two quarters the lights are going to be turned on and then you'll truly realize just how ugly your dance partner is.

Good luck suckas.

buffpilot,
I think about 50% of all Californians are thinking of moving. Read any blog, site, newspaper, or talk to people around here- even on this blog about what their plans are, and the answer is if things don't get better, then they'll move. Millions of them already have, and many more will follow. That's why I'm holding off for 3 years. In that time, hopefully a combination of people moving out along with a stall in home buying will bring the demand way down, and the supplies way up, but up because there will be less people. That means cheaper houses sooner or later.

WW2,

"Fuck*d"

While I always appreciate your comments perhaps the next time you use a "PG-13" version of profanity you might want to substitute a letter besides "e". Just a suggestion.

Davis_renter,

I would be very interested in the out-migration data. Thanks in advance.

Dinor,
I was trying to not offend the tender eyes of some of our loyal readers, but being that we're all educated adults, perhaps the "e" will be added as neccesary for a more dramatic effect!

DinOR Says:

While I always appreciate your comments perhaps the next time you use a “PG-13″ version of profanity you might want to substitute a letter besides “e”. Just a suggestion.

How about if he used, "Fucke*"?

Peter and others can keep citing the oodles of uber-rich BA residents, but the core of the bubble phenomenon has nothing to do with those people.

I never said these rich people can/will rescue the housing market. I merely try to demostrate that it takes more than a "six-figure saving account" (mentioned by RW) to stay ahead.

"...what does that get you in the BA or $anta Barbara? A condo or a 1/1 crapbox. Nice."

Who else thinks SB, SLO and evirons are in for a hard landing? Like Surfer-X said, there are only so many rich guys to pump up these coastal markets forever.