Here she comes. Watch out boy she’ll chew you up.

From the NY Times:

Analysts Question a Threat by Fannie

Fannie Mae’s decision to begin punishing people who walk away from their unpaid mortgages could prove difficult to sell to the public and might be impossible to execute, housing and lending experts said Thursday.

The big mortgage financing company, which owns or guarantees millions of mortgages, announced on Wednesday that it would sue homeowners who have the capacity to pay but default anyway, David Streitfeld reports in The New York Times. It also said it would prevent these strategic defaulters from getting a new Fannie Mae-backed loan for seven years, which could potentially shut millions of buyers out of the market.

But it was unclear, the experts said, why Fannie Mae was threatening delinquent owners and what it hoped to achieve. The new direction seems to run counter to the Obama administration’s efforts to reinvigorate the housing market. And there were basic questions about how Fannie would be able to distinguish between those homeowners who defaulted intentionally and the unfortunate ones who had no choice.

“How are they going to do this, and for what result?” asked Grant Stern, president of the Morningside Mortgage Corporation on Bay Harbor Islands, Fla. “So they can find the people who have a little money left after their house crashed and take it away from them?”

A Fannie Mae spokeswoman said that the goal of the new punitive policies was to force defaulting homeowners to work with their servicers to surrender their houses through either a lender-approved short sale or by formally giving up the deed.

“We really want to encourage borrowers to pursue alternatives to foreclosure,” said the spokeswoman, Janis Smith.

This entry was posted in Housing Bubble, National Real Estate, Risky Lending. Bookmark the permalink.

221 Responses to Here she comes. Watch out boy she’ll chew you up.

  1. grim says:

    From MarketWatch:

    Geithner: Bank reform bill is ‘strong’

    (snicker)

  2. Confused in NJ says:

    The early bird catches the worm.

  3. grim says:

    From HousingWire:

    Housing Oversupply Could End Price Stability Before 2011: Radar Logic

    House prices across 25 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) rose 1% in April compared to one month earlier, and 2.4% compared to a year earlier, according to the latest from Radar Logic. An oversupply of housing and wave of distressed inventory, however, could drag down house prices later this year.

    Although prices show recent upward trends, Radar Logic warned that housing oversupply represents a major source of distress for the housing market.

    Prices started stabilizing at the beginning of 2009 due to a pickup in demand as house prices were declining from relative highs. But Radar Logic noted that demand could reach “exhaustion” soon. And the inventory overhang of distressed and non-distressed homes is affecting prospective homebuyers’ hopes for future appreciation.

    “Given the unprecedented number of homes in default, foreclosure, or REO inventory, and barring some unforeseen exogenous boost to housing demand, the price stability we saw in 2009 will likely come to an end in the second half of this year,” Radar Logic said.

    Radar Logic noted the volume of houses in real estate owned (REO) status or a state of serious delinquency is steadily rising.

  4. grim says:

    I like the Kindle because you can read it in the sun at the beach- with the ipad you can’t. I only wish the Kindle was backlit for night reading.

    Agree, the ability to read outdoors in sun was the deal maker for me.

    As for the nook, I considered it, but Amazon is already on their second generation and has a large user base.

    Nook still seems buggy, and I hear they fired the company that built it for them. Doesn’t inspire confidence.

    Also did a search for books I was interested in reading, Amazon had more (despite the claim that B&N has a greater total number of books).

  5. Final Doom says:

    Summer. Bank runs and riots for everyone!

  6. Final Doom says:

    It’s all turning to shit, folks.

  7. still_looking says:

    Yesterday one of our pulmonologists was telling us that he hasn’t received payment from Medicare for months now for services already provided.

    I’m seeing evidence that slowly people (the less oblivious people) are “getting it.”

    sl

  8. Juice Box says:

    Somebody got past the TSA and now they are searching planes, missed my boarding, Newark airport sucks!

  9. Mikeinwaiting says:

    Grim doing LBI this summer? Friend buying/bought restaurant (Bayberry)know of it?
    I may have to run this season he has no experience in the field. This should be fun, on my way down today to look over.

  10. Final Doom says:

    BERLIN (AP) – A Jewish dance group was attacked with stones by a group of children and teenagers during a performance at a street festival in the Germany city of Hannover, police said Thursday. One dancer suffered a leg injury and the group then canceled their performance.

    The teenagers also used a megaphone to shout anti-Semitic slurs during the Saturday afternoon attack, Hannover police spokesman Thorsten Schiewe said.

    Police said the incident is under investigation and that they do not have an exact number of attackers yet. Schiewe said there were several Muslim immigrant youths among the attackers.

    Two suspects, a 14-year-old and a 19-year-old, were being questioned, he said.

  11. Final Doom says:

    Chrissy Ronaldo about to get schooled.

  12. Nomad says:

    Fannie should go after everyone who does not pay their mtg.

    These people signed on the line to pay the mtg and when they walk, I pay and so do you.

    What a bunch of crap.

    Everyone’s got an excuse in this country. I for one am sick of paying for the mistakes and lack of discipline of others.

  13. Final Doom says:

    So, nomad, why aren’t you sick of paying for the mistakes and lack of discipline shown by Fraudy/Phony?

    Or, are you simply a fascist?

  14. Final Doom says:

    Is it OK when Morgan Stanley strategically defaults on office towers?

  15. renter says:

    I hope Helen Thomas reads Doom’s posting………

  16. Essex says:

    Rolling Back spasms for me. FuN!

  17. Essex says:

    Immigrants? I dunno. Anyone dumb enough to move here … should at least pay taxes.

  18. Essex says:

    I need a percoset or six.

  19. Pat the Mediaeval Princess says:

    …And now for something completely different. When I started scanning through the photos, I thought this was an article about architectural change. I can’t believe wsj has an entire new section just to push re.

    “…first listed in October for $4.4 million. The price as since been cut, most recently at the end of May to $2.9 million.”

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704629804575324793415872992.html?mod=WSJ_NY_MIDDLEForthStories

  20. Pat the Mediaeval Princess says:

    Now we can have a daily hit of price cuts.

  21. jj says:

    re 11, why didn’t they just throw some pennies into the crowd.

  22. Shore Guy says:

    The DC worms get the bird is more like it.

  23. NJGator says:

    Doom – Stu and I went to the Bloomfield Shoprite this week. Our cashier’s name was Jihad. Kid you not. It’s on the receipt. WTF?

  24. NJGator says:

    This is the guy we hired from Trenton to educate our children. Posted on Montclair Unmoderated:

    MHS principal introduced keynote graduation speaker Renee Baskerville tonight as someone who has spent her life helping the “poor and indignant”.
    I kid you not.

  25. Shore Guy says:

    “Fannie Maes decision to begin punishing people who walk away from their unpaid mortgage”

    And when did we becpme a society when people came to believe they should be able to take whatever action they wanted without consequence?

    If walking away makes sense, well, people have to do what they have to do. That said, they should not expect lenders to embrace them and offer them staacks of cash to buy something else.

  26. Outofstater says:

    #26 “poor and indignant” Maybe the principal didn’t make a mistake. Poor and indignant applies to a lot of people. Pathetic if the P really meant “indigent” though.

  27. Outofstater says:

    #27 Exactly. Actions have consequences. It may take a long time for the consequences to occur but they do eventually show up and they are sometimes quite unpleasant.

  28. jamil says:

    Shut down Fannie and Fred, criminally prosecute people who cooked the books, and get rid of the the politicians who pushed loans for everybody strategy. Uh, I forgot. Mario Cuomo, Jamie Gorelick, Barney Fwank (and his boyfriend), Congressional Black Caucus and others were members of the Protected Party. Silly me.

  29. “Fannie Maes decision to begin punishing people who walk away from their unpaid mortgage”

    Shouldn’t FNM’s first recourse here be to force a buy back on the paper it that didn’t meet it’s underwriting guidelines? Fannie didn’t originate any of these loans.
    If borrowers are defaulting because of a lack of income/reserves/DTI ratios/etc, then this is the loan originator’s problem (obvs this is a very broad generalization but you get the idea) force the originator to buy back the loan at the paper’s face value. Voila, no more problems for FNM and JPM can now deal with its s***ty underwriting.

  30. If walking away makes sense, well, people have to do what they have to do. That said, they should not expect lenders to embrace them and offer them stacks of cash to buy something else.

    Thanks Shore, nicely put.

  31. Nomad says:

    Doom,

    others includes banks, fannella, frederick et al. others is all inclusive.

  32. Final Doom says:

    renter (16)-

    I hope Helen Thomas chokes on a matzo ball and dies.

  33. Bubble Disciple says:

    “If walking away makes sense, well, people have to do what they have to do. That said, they should not expect lenders to embrace them and offer them stacks of cash to buy something else.”

    But the lenders will offer them stacks of money because these debtors are their best customers; they make some money on interest and fees and then the public bails the bank out for the rest.

  34. Final Doom says:

    So, after the biggest stim bomb of all time, US Q1 GDP number now revised down to 2.7%.

    I think we can all now acknowledge we are in a full-fledged depression.

  35. A.West says:

    Anyone going to bid on these home auctions?
    http://blaurealestateauctions.com/#

    So typical that telemarketing scammers would try to buy respectability. Had people fooling grandmas, calling them to support firefighters and police, so they could afford the built-in outdoor barbeques, “English garden”, and wine cellar. Well, probably similar to most mayors in NJ, but it’s bad, no matter how you do it.

  36. Final Doom says:

    (35)-

    Exactly. Our nation has become such a collection of pea-brained zombies that the only real idea TPTB have had to help the economy recover is to somehow restore the creditworthiness of deadbeats who never deserved credit, in order to have a big enough pool of future borrowers to buy (yet again) into a completely rigged-up asset megabubble.

    The only places you can go to hear ideas similar to this are:

    1. skid row

    2. methadone clinics

  37. joyce says:

    (13)
    You’re problem is with the govt (controlled by the banksters) forcing the public to take on the debt.

    When a person and a bank agree to a contract, it clearly stipulates what will happen if the person stops paying… the bank can foreclose on the property. If when the bank eventually resells it they take a loss, that should be on them not the taxpayer.

    Blame the govt.

  38. Final Doom says:

    west (37)-

    These auctions would be so much more fun if they brought out the former owners at the end and publicly executed them.

  39. jamil says:

    Breaking News: Economy Grows by 2.7 Percent in First Quarter, Slower Than Previously Estimated

  40. Final Doom says:

    joyce (39)-

    The banks and the gubmint are one in the same. Gubmint is simply a banking subsidiary now.

  41. Orion says:

    GDP

    Would not be surprised if the final, final revision came in at 1.7%.

  42. jamil says:

    I feel safe already!
    http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/24/obama-administration-picks-critic-immigration-enforcement-key-role-ice/

    White House Picks Critic of Local Immigration Enforcement for Key Role at ICE
    The Obama administration has tapped an outspoken critic of immigration enforcement on the local level to oversee and promote partnerships between federal and local officials on the issue.

    Former Houston police chief Harold Hurtt has been an outspoken opponent of immigration enforcement on the local level and critics say his policies enabled illegals to kill two Phoenix police officers

  43. Shore Guy says:

    “46 US States like Greece”

    Only without the weather and blue water.

  44. a mad as hell reinvestor101 says:

    Final Doom says:
    June 25, 2010 at 8:42 am
    (35)-

    Exactly. Our nation has become such a collection of pea-brained zombies that the only real idea TPTB have had to help the economy recover is to somehow restore the creditworthiness of deadbeats who never deserved credit, in order to have a big enough pool of future borrowers to buy (yet again) into a completely rigged-up asset megabubble.

    Bullspit. Every damn body needs some damn credit, otherwise you can’t get a damn house. My whole damn flipping business was based on the credit I can’t get now.

    You’re a damn commie terrorist anyway, so as far as you’re concerned, you don’t give a damn about people like me getting credit and driving this economy because it doesn’t fit your damn doomsday scenario. Tell you what, give people like me some damn credit and this economy would turn around immediately.

  45. Nomad says:

    #39 – Joyce, no one forced the consumers to take on debt. They did it at their own free will and they should be held accountable for the finacial liability they signed up for.

    The banks collateralized the mtgs and played a shell game as well so they have skin in this mess too.

    Consumers and banks fueled the fire from both ends.

    Roll back the clock 7 years or so and verify income and assets on mtg applications and much of our nations current problems would not exist.

    People used their homes as ATM machines to live the “good” life which most could not afford but everyone, consumers, gov’t, banks… looked the other way.

    Problem as I see it is that our country may not be near the bottom and if things continue to get worse, and I think they will, then what we are experiencing as a nation currently may some day be looked upon as the good old days.

  46. Final Doom says:

    Finreg doesn’t touch gubmint’s favorite dumpsters, Phony & Fraudy.

    No change, no regulation, deterioration will continue apace.

  47. Shore Guy says:

    “ty. If when the bank eventually resells it they take a loss, that should be on them not the taxpayer”

    Yup. And if the losses causethe bank to fail, so what. We can take the performing loans and transfer them to a new entity and if the USG wants to recapitalize the new bank, fine, just get a good rate of return and do NOT protect the putzes who ran the failed bank into the ground.

  48. still_looking says:

    triple digits down today?

    sl

  49. Cindy says:

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703615104575328020013164184.html

    The Dodd/Frank Act…

    Oh yeah – With a name like that, it’s bound to be a humdinger….

  50. Final Doom says:

    nomad (47)-

    Every short sale package I complete is a soup-to-nuts abstract for the prosecution of a potentially slam-dunk case of mortgage fraud…both lender and borrower.

    I have NEVER been contacted by any type of law enforcement, and I expect I never will be.

  51. whipped says:

    want to know where your tax dollars are going?
    The other day I was doing a fertility test on a patient who did not speak a word of English (No hablo) and was trying to get pregnant.
    Guess who paid?
    MEDICAID. Think about it. Than you can sigh.

  52. Final Doom says:

    Cindy (51)-

    Is this anything like a Tijuana Donkey Show?

    “The Dodd/Frank Act”

  53. #47 – Nomad – Joyce, no one forced the consumers to take on debt

    Hmmm. I think this might be arguable.

    Rather, I’d say than consumers were forced in to debt, in greater and greater amounts, over the past 3 decades via a combination of inflationary pressures & lack of wage growth. Debt was substituted for the latter.

    People used their homes as ATM machines to live the “good” life

    I’m sure some did. Many though were using it to keep their heads (barely) above water.
    Rhetorical Q; How many cash-out refis were debt consolidations to pay off credit cards that are used to fund everyday living expenses?
    Vague Unresearched Anecdotal answer; When I was doing mortgages? Most.

  54. Cindy says:

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704227304575327273014747664.html

    Jobless Bill Dies Amid Deficit Fears

    “…1.3 million unemployed will have lost their assistance by the end of this week…

    Note to self: Do NOT look up Tijuana Donkey Show……

  55. Final Doom says:

    For the better part of 35 years, the US economy was built on the foundation of promoting ever-increasing amounts of consumer spending while simultaneously suppressing wage growth.

    None of the ideas on how to effect a recovery have veered too far from this basic, original and idiotic premise.

    Until we have an idea that is not sheer lunacy on its face, the pain will continue.

  56. Final Doom says:

    C’mon, Cindy, live a little…

  57. joyce says:

    47&55

    No one forced the banks to lend people the money either (with no doc loans, etc). Yes the people who had zero skin in the game are now forced to come up with the difference. It’s terrible.

    You can’t get blood from a stone. Whether the borrower can’t pay or doesn’t want to pay [which could be argued is ethically wrong], the lender has its recourse spelled out in the contract.

  58. Note to self: Do NOT look up Tijuana Donkey Show……

    Try the Havanna Donkey Show! *Much* better than … oh.. wait… I see what you mean.

  59. Mr Hyde says:

    Nomad 47

    You are missing the point. Both the banks and the people signing the loans agreed to a legal contract that clearly states the penalty of not paying the mortgage. The person who takes the loan has no more and no less responsibility then is stated in the legal contract.

    The fact that your personal sense of ethics finds the legally accepted consequences of walking away from the house odious is a personal matter.

    In some states the contracts state that they bank can go after you for deficiencies and in some states they cannot.

    Your demand that home owners be held liable outside the binding contract is no different then demanding double jeopardy.

    I have yet to hear you call for the banks and corporations to be forced to make good on RE contracts that they legally walk away from.

    The problem here is that if you actually enforce some form of double jeopardy you are essentially violating the sanctity of legal contracts. Its Pandora’s box to start forcing penalties outside of legal contracts just because someone isnt happy about the outcome. Such actions make contracts about as worthy as a 1,000,000,000$ Zimbabwean dollar.

    You are also missing the point that as many here have pointed out, all parties involved are generally better off in the long run having a house foreclosed upon and the former owners moving on to a more stable financial situation as opposed to the home owners being on the end of bleeding to death financially for the next decade.

  60. joyce says:

    (49) exactly

    The whole argument that “the financial system would have collapsed” dear god! was completely bogus. All that would have happened was the stakeholders (bondholders, stockholders, and some third parties exposed to the firm somehow) would have taken a loss. Probably a big one… but that’s it.

    There would have been tight credit conditions, maybe for a year. There would have been a lot of confusion and uncertainty during the “restructuring” of all the companies. I guess very few of the companies would have been completely liquidated because certain small parts of all the companies were profitable (or at least attractive to other investors).

  61. Mr Hyde says:

    Shore,

    If i am looking for a blue water white sand vacation, where do you suggest looking for more “unspoiled” locales? I dont plan on going back to the Caribbean/Bahamas for years given the current state of things.

  62. Mr Hyde says:

    Tosh 60

    LOL

  63. jamil says:

    59 “No one forced the banks to lend people the money either (with no doc loans, etc). ”

    Actually, they were forced.
    Take a look at congressional hearings where Bawney Frank and CBC demanded banks to do exactly that or else.
    Community Reinvestment Act and various non-discrimating BS laws also specifically forced banks to hand out loans to people who were unable to pay them back.

  64. Mr Hyde says:

    I hate to agree with jamil, but the banks were forced to a degree to make hi risk loans to low income and minority groups. However, the banks also ran with the whole mortgage securitization scheme and packed 50 lbs of mortgage manure into a 40 lb drum and sold it as AAA.

    Once again, there are no innocent parties in the matter. if the banks had kept the risky loans wiothin the groups mandated by the government then the fallout from this mess would be minuscule compared to what it is.

    Tosh is right, its really about people having chosen the only avenue available to them to maintain their lifestyle, and that was credit expansion. of course the government heavily encouraged such actions.

    No one here is innocent. We will all burn in credit default hell together.

  65. Isiah Thomas says:

    Just like homeownership, not everyone should go to college. At least not one where the degree you’ll earn won’t cover the tab.

    http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2416408220100624

  66. #66 No one here is innocent.

    Its hard when everyone in the story turns out to be a bad guy.

  67. joyce says:

    65
    What about giving people loans for their “primary residence” when they had 7 of them? What about cash-out refinancing of $2mil homes? Did the CRA force the banks to loan that money to the “minorities” living in 3 million dollar homes?

    I forgot, Republicans are godly and Democrats are to blame for everything.

    Silly me, I always thought they were one party working together screwing the people on slightly different issues.

  68. still_looking says:

    whipped, 53

    what do you do? (I’m just curious)

    don’t forget – they are breeding future taxpayers. :)

    sl

  69. a mad as hell reinvestor101 says:

    No one here is innocent. We will all burn in credit default hell together.

    Speak for yourself. I’m not guilty of one damn thing unless you consider trying to make some damn money flipping real estate a crime. I’ll tell you who’s guilty, people like you with negative talk and cries of damn doomsday.

    I got news for you. Look the hell outside…the sun is up and shining.

  70. still_looking says:

    71.

    How’re those gasoline soaked panties working out for you? :)

    sl

  71. a mad as hell reinvestor101 says:

    still_looking says:
    June 25, 2010 at 9:39 am
    71.

    How’re those gasoline soaked panties working out for you? :)

    sl

    Oh boy, here’s comes Dr. Meanie. Lady, if there’s anyone who scares the hell out of its you. You have a damn mean streak worst than Clot, but he’s just a guy with a mangy ass dog talking shlt, you’re Che Guevara and a damn murderer.

    LET ME ALONE

  72. Mr Hyde says:

    RE101,

    You apparently like SL and clot better then me :( DO i at least still make your “list”?

  73. a mad as hell reinvestor101 says:

    Mr Hyde says:
    June 25, 2010 at 9:48 am
    RE101,

    You apparently like SL and clot better then me :( DO i at least still make your “list”?

    You damn terrorists have changed your names so much to evade survelliance, it’s getting hard to keep the damn list current. But guess what? I don’t give a shlt and I’ll add names all over again if I have to. I think you used to be Kettle. Fess up dammit.

  74. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [11] doom

    Muslim naz1 skinheads????

  75. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [66] hyde

    “the banks were forced to a degree to make hi risk loans to low income and minority groups. However, the banks also ran with the whole mortgage securitization scheme and packed 50 lbs of mortgage manure into a 40 lb drum and sold it as AAA.”

    This is absolutely accurate. Take it from one who was in the room.

  76. All "h-Train" Hype says:

    The banks and the gubmint are one in the same. Gubmint is simply a banking subsidiary now.
    ________________________________________

    Amen Brother!!

  77. jamil says:

    “What about giving people loans for their “primary residence” when they had 7 of them?”

    Big Government forced the banks to hand out loans to people who were unable to pay them back. Because of that, banks were forced to get rid of them and that’s why Big Government, mainly through Fannie Mae, started to back these loans.

    This in turn allowed banks to put all garbage loans there and further fueled the bubble.

    Remove the role of Big Government, and no housing bubble.

  78. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    Well, final day in Newark. Waiting for the phone call, telling me to come to conf. room X.

    Should be a short meeting. Did my diligence so I already know what to expect. Should go smoothly unless they want me to sign things but won’t pony up the cash. No cash, no ink.

  79. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [65] jamil

    “various non-discrimating BS laws also specifically forced banks to hand out loans to people who were unable to pay them back.”

    On point, but not accurate.

  80. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [56] cindy

    “Jobless Bill Dies Amid Deficit Fears”

    Well, that’s rotten timing.

  81. Cindy says:

    82 Nom

    Hang in there…at least you know the law..

    I’d go in there to sign papers and be flummoxed….

  82. House Whine says:

    82- Comrade- tCongress has wrangling over this for many weeks. If it makes you feel any better I believe that for now NJ still has their EB extension in effect, at least until the end of the year. I don’t think the NJ legislature wants to change any of that right now.

  83. Libtard says:

    Jammin’ Jamil (79):

    “Remove the role of Big Government, and no housing bubble.”

    Oh how you conveniently choose to ignore Phil Gramm’s role in all of this. Wasn’t he part of Big Government?

    http://www.thenation.com/article/john-mccain-crisis-enabler

  84. House Whine says:

    Speaking purely from a personal perspective- I am not convinced that jobs are coming back anytime soon. Within the past 2 weeks, 3 middle-aged guys I know are all getting laid off from their 6 figure jobs. IT, Pharma, Law. Very sad for them and their families.

  85. Shore Guy says:

    “Should be a short meeting. ”

    Thay are not letting you use an office for a couple of weeks or months in order to run a job search? Every attorney downsizing I have be privy to has at least had that.

  86. Shore Guy says:

    They, even

  87. jamil says:

    85 Letarded aka Van Jones:

    Actually they were part of Big Gov, but anyway, trying to blame Gramm in this is a stretch a bit too far. It was Community Reinvestment Act, congressional harassment of banks (mainly in name of diversity) and Fannie Mae that were behind the housing bubble. They were unnecessary and only hurted the economy.

    Less the Government is involved in housing or in any other economic activity, the better it is for the country.

  88. Jamal Van Jones says:

    Summer. Bank runs and riots for everyone!

    The summer of George!

    Meanwhile, in the real world, mortgage rates fall to historic lows. Umm, weren’t these supposed to skyrocket after the Fed ended its purchases?

  89. Libtard says:

    House Whine:

    I agree. This (slight) recovery is not a recovery at all. It’s simply a stimulus infused stop gap to a much needed quality of life adjustment. It truly is a race to the bottom.

    Anyone hear about the recent ponderings of negative lending rates?

    When you’ve used your last bullets, the hunted becomes the hunter.

  90. Jamal Van Jones says:

    It was Community Reinvestment Act, congressional harassment of banks (mainly in name of diversity) and Fannie Mae that were behind the housing bubble. They were unnecessary and only hurted the economy.

    Did you clean the basement as Mom asked you? How many times do you have to be told to clear your dungeons and dragons game after you are done?

  91. #86 – House Whine –I am not convinced that jobs are coming back anytime soon.

    They’re not. Lots of lay offs still going on for Wall St.
    This year’s SIFMA show was a floor and a half at the Hilton. It used to be four.

  92. jj says:

    Even Boomer was added late to fill room. Lucky I am a rock star

    toshiro_mifune says:
    June 25, 2010 at 10:33 am
    #86 – House Whine -I am not convinced that jobs are coming back anytime soon.

    They’re not. Lots of lay offs still going on for Wall St.
    This year’s SIFMA show was a floor and a half at the Hilton. It used to be four.

  93. Libtard says:

    “Umm, weren’t these supposed to skyrocket after the Fed ended its purchases?”

    Well no one, except for most of us here (as usual), expected Europe’s finances to be more of a litter box than ours. The strength in our currency (created from the flight to safety from the Eurolitter box) is the only reason mortgage rates are dropping to record lows. Unfortunately, 99.5% of the population don’t have a lick of savings for the downpayment necessary to purchase a new home, nor do current homeowners have any equity to be able to refinance. Who wins? The big banksters, as always.

  94. still_looking says:

    Re101

    You are safe, I kinda like you.

    (smooches)

    sl

  95. Only a *slightly* unrelated note…

    I’ve have been absolutely hammered with sales in the past month to month and a half. Brooks, Hickey, Saks, Barneys, etc. So much so that it has been very very noticeable. Does anyone have any ears in to the retail world? From the sales notices, as well as what the sales were on, it looks like retail fell off of a cliff.

  96. Mr Hyde says:

    I am not one to harp on someone else’s typing as i’m barely literate, but a new meme?

    The economy “hurted” even though we have substantial “pant up” demand?

  97. still_looking says:

    tosh, 97

    I was thinking that last night as I was deleting email after email about every kind of sale imaginable from every type of store!

    sl

  98. Nomad says:

    People took on debt at their own will. Inflation my ass, growing up, if we did not have the money, we did buy, end of story. My shoes were replaced when they had holes in them, not before. If the car had 10″ rust holes in it and we did not have the cash for a new one, guess what. Same for vacations, no money, no vaca.

    If Americans kept a record of everything they spent money on, and got rid of the non-essential crap, they would be able to get by. I knew families w/4 kids and the home had 3BR and 1 BA and they all survived just fine.

    On the topic of contractual obligations for a mtg, not sure what the recourse is for failure to pay but I have no issue making them sell everything they own and sending the bank the $$ and then being put on a payment plan for the balance. I would also have no problem doing this for the commercial real estate market either.

    Individual or corporation, no difference an obligation is an obligation. Call me old school, but they new way of the world ain’t working.

    Enforced accountability works and a little fire under ones backside is always a nice motivator.

  99. #99 – I dig sales and all, but the amount of stuff I’m getting is worrying.

  100. Shore Guy says:

    Ket,

    My favorite place is the Grand Anse in Grenada. I don’t know that we would buy there, but we mighr lease a place there in retirement.

    Dominica is fairly unspoiled as well. If you can time your trip to be there during Carnival it is a real hoot.

    Barbdos is not unspoiled or off the beaten path but is nice.

    I have not yet gotten there but Saba is supposed to be about as quiet as one can get. Think volcanic cone with a single road.

    Monserat (yes half the place is under a lava flow) is also supposed to be nice, and people are THRILLED that anyone has decided to come. I have not been there but when on Nevis (also nice but not the same kind of escape as Grenada or Dominica) we met some folks who suggested we go.

    We tend to like the lush islands over the less lush ones, such as tha Caymans, Aruba, St. Kitts, the Virgins, etc.

    It is not an Island but Belieze is also a great place. The snorkling is the best I have ever encountered and the mainland has great variation in a very small package. It is also a possible retirement location.

    Martinique is nice too, but I have not been there in close to 20 years so I can’t say anything meaningful about it.

    I am not much of a fan of either Antigua or St. Lucia. I found the folks on St. Lucia to be the most off-putting of any island.

    Don’t overlook the Bahamas, either. They are close and there are lots of out of the way places away from the mega hotel complexes.

    Jamaica is okay, but nowhere near as nice as Grenada or Dominica.

  101. Mr Hyde says:

    Shore,

    With the whole gulf oil mess, i will probably be excessively picky and avoid any locations in the general proximity from the virgin islands to the bahamas. besides, i have already been to those places.

    Belieze sounds nice.

  102. relo says:

    101: While I agree with you in principle, you are overlooking the fact that the banks don’t want the properties.

    In my experience, there were people who had jobs and savings and cash-flow positive properties for many years. Jobs went south, rents dropped, depleted their savings trying to keep up – and here we are.

    sell everything they own and sending the bank the $$ and then being put on a payment plan for the balance.

  103. #104 – Thanks Cindy!

  104. a mad as hell reinvestor101 says:

    still_looking says:
    June 25, 2010 at 10:38 am
    Re101

    You are safe, I kinda like you.

    (smooches)

    sl

    WHAT???? Bullspit.

    Let’s get something straight Lady, I’m not damn stupid. No one is going to go from being damn Dr. Che to being kind unless there’s some damn ulterior motive. Look, I’m not some damn pig that you’re going to fatten up for your damn dinner table with some damn sweet talk. No telling what kind of damn stunt you’re trying to pull off here, but you’re going to have to get up early in the damn morning to put one past me.

    You’re damn skippy, homey don’t play dat.

  105. Libtard says:

    Belize or Costa Rica are probably my two picks as well. If you get out of the cities, desolation is the name of the game. Will most definitely retire in one of those two countries. Belize is English speaking which is a plus to most, but I don’t plan to communicate much, let alone be located anywhere near anyone else. Spoke with a local the last time we were there and he said property taxes were $50 per year if you live in a nice hut far from the cities. Just give me a kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom, internet connection and propane electric. I’ll fish and garden until my death.

  106. Amusing and somewhat on topic;

    The ‘Real Housewives of NJ’ seem to be completely representative of the state. They’re all bankrupt;

    http://jezebel.com/5571003/all-of-the-jersey-housewives-are-going-broke

  107. meter says:

    @55 –

    “How many cash-out refis were debt consolidations to pay off credit cards that are used to fund everyday living expenses?”

    If by ‘everyday living expenses’ you mean cruises to the Bahamas, flat-screen TVs, manis and pedis, finished man-caves, then yes, true.

    No offense, but unless you’ve seen these credit card statements and can tell me that people were refiing to pay for groceries, heating bills, and gas for the SUV, I call BS.

  108. #112 – meter – No offense, but unless you’ve seen these credit card statements and can tell me that people were refiing to pay for groceries, heating bills, and gas for the SUV, I call BS.

    I have. I was a mortgage processor for a number of years. Most of the time what they were paying off were medical bills.

  109. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [83] cindy

    Thanks. I will be sure to appear somewhat flummoxed.

  110. Jamal Van Jones says:

    If by ‘everyday living expenses’ you mean cruises to the Bahamas, flat-screen TVs, manis and pedis, finished man-caves, then yes, true.

    Can you prove this?

  111. Jamal Van Jones says:

    Most of the time what they were paying off were medical bills.

    That cannot be true. We have the best healthcare system in the world. There is no other explanation besides the one that these people are lazy, stupid and greedy.

  112. #116 – That cannot be true. We have the best healthcare system in the world.

    Hmm. There’s a serious lack of exclamation points in your statement. I’m not sure you really believe that.

    To bet fair to what meter said in #112. I think we all realize that there are certainly people doing exactly what he said. In the experience that I’ve had they aren’t the majority though.

  113. jamil says:

    116 Letarded Stu:
    We undoubtebly do have the best healthcare system in the world. If you have cancer (even if you are dirt poor), where do you think you have highest chance of survival? US, UK or Cuba?

    As for people paying off medical bills. 95% of those people spent all their money to non-essentials, then even a $200 medical bill is too much. You can’t blame medical bill for that.

  114. Final Doom says:

    plume (80)-

    Walk into the conference room and toss a .38 onto the table.

    Great icebreaker in these situations.

  115. Final Doom says:

    lib (85)-

    Please do not annoy the ideologue.

  116. #188 – Oh, Jamil. If your battered wife syndrome weren’t so pervasive in the culture it would almost be cute.

  117. Final Doom says:

    I’d like to see Rachel Maddow sit on jamil’s face.

  118. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [119] doom

    ah, no.

    I plan to employ a calm, friendly, yet persistent negotiating style. Something that says let me help you improve on this. They won’t be expecting that, and won’t know how to react.

  119. #122 – You my friend have developed some odd fetishes over the years.

  120. Essex says:

    Avon Beach today! Gorgeous Beach Day!

  121. jj says:

    Home opener this year for Giants they want me on the field at the open as they are letting the VIPs on-field. Not into it but wife likes eli manning.

    I wish people would leave me alone, this recession is so deep and bad third rate VIPs like me are playas. Last time I was this important was 1991

  122. relo says:

    127: I would think that with an Adonis, such as yourself, at her disposal the Mrs. would scarcely have time to notice others, even from afar. Much less a goofy one such as Eli.

    Not into it but wife likes eli manning.

  123. Used to be 2010 Buyer says:

    Housing Double Dip: A Game Changer for Financials

    Daryl G. Jones, Hedgeye

    We have started to see data points that reflect a slowing of the domestic housing market. In fact, on Wednesday, new home sales collapsed coming in at 300K, which was down 40% month-over-month. In terms of context, this was the worst new home sales number since 1963, which was when record keeping began. So, this was the worst number . . . ever. And ever, as they say, is a long time.

    http://www.businessinsider.com/housing-double-dip-hedgeye-2010-6

  124. A.West says:

    Tosh (110),
    Thanks much for that link. That was totally on topic. I’m apparently out of touch culturally, and feel like I’m a martian visiting earth. Do humans in the USA actually admire and aspire to this lifestyle? Are people watching to scorn these people or to imagine living like them?
    I think it was about 10 years ago that I first heard the word “bling” used, and found it vaguely disgusting. Has the US become the nation of bling-like lives?

    I think not, there are so many decent people just trying to work hard and build a life for themselves. But TV/Movies show in contrast, a country out of control.

  125. Confused in NJ says:

    BP is going to try lowering a custom made 4 ton Tampon into the well head. If it works, they can inject concrete for a permanent seal.

  126. jj says:

    It is 100% true. However, my friend who is the big time playa and I got seats near Jamie Lynn Singler (mark sanchez” new gf) for Jets opening day. He is going to have a lot of trouble throwing TDs with me and little miss meadow soprano going at it in row one. Elli is a harmless thing for me. My wife should be happy she gets to meet Elli and Elli gets the chance to meet me and maybe I throw him a bone and give him an autograph

    relo says:
    June 25, 2010 at 1:12 pm
    127: I would think that with an Adonis, such as yourself, at her disposal the Mrs. would scarcely have time to notice others, even from afar. Much less a goofy one such as Eli.

    Not into it but wife likes eli manning.

  127. jj says:

    Yes

    A.West says:
    June 25, 2010 at 1:40 pm
    Tosh (110),
    Thanks much for that link. That was totally on topic. I’m apparently out of touch culturally, and feel like I’m a martian visiting earth. Do humans in the USA actually admire and aspire to this lifestyle? Are people watching to scorn these people or to imagine living like them?

  128. Mr Hyde says:

    Shore,

    Dont forget to bring your own security:

    Only 227 Greek islands are populated and the decision to press ahead with potential sales has also been driven by the inability of the state to develop basic infrastructure, or police most of its islands.

  129. Mr Hyde says:

    Which one of those scary looking women is the former cokehead whore? Maybe she should go back to that line of work and pay off some of the bills.

  130. #130 – Are people watching to scorn these people or to imagine living like them?

    I will confess I don’t watch the show. I only read the recaps on Gawker. But, I think its in the same realm as “My super sweet 16” and “My Big fat fabulous wedding”; you watch to scorn. Kind of like the bad guy wrestlers from the 80’s; Iron Sheik & Nicholai Volkoff.
    It’s amusing for a bit and then very very tiresome.

  131. House Hunter says:

    tax credit closing extention is dead on arrival…Yes, it’s dead now, but Senate sources say they are looking into “other options.”

    http://www.cnbc.com/id/37925372

  132. Mr Wantanapolous says:

    [132],

    Elli? LMAO. Typical, an egghead pencil pusher. I’m sure Elli is hoping that troast comes out of retirement.

  133. relo says:

    136: That’s a lot of $2 tricks, which would appear to be her going rate at this point.

  134. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [122] doom

    Whose that supposed to punish? Jamil or Maddow?

  135. Yikes says:

    jamil says:
    June 25, 2010 at 10:05 am
    “What about giving people loans for their “primary residence” when they had 7 of them?”

    Big Government forced the banks to hand out loans to people who were unable to pay them back. Because of that, banks were forced to get rid of them and that’s why Big Government, mainly through Fannie Mae, started to back these loans.

    wow, hilarious. And clueless and misinformed. Typical for this clown

  136. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    Still sitting in my office, waiting for the phone call. I was hoping to beat the traffic.

  137. Jamal Van Jones says:

    “other options”

    = 16K credit. YAY!!!!

  138. Mr Hyde says:

    Nom 143

    1up them and call the partners requesting a meeting in your office

  139. relo says:

    143; Take leisurely stroll past the offices of those you suspect will be a party to the tribunal. Be sure to whistle. Maybe a nod and wink. When/if the call comes, make ’em wait a while.

  140. Mr Wantanapolous says:

    “I got news for you. Look the hell outside…the sun is up and shining.”

    50.5,

    Most flippers have been caught with one leg of the trade lifted. In your case, both legs have been unfurled. Let’s hope the least of your problems is a severe sun burnt posterior. Not sure if aloe vera juice will be a remedy for that whipsawed ass.

    Hard to believe, I offered you a pick-ax, a few years back, to assist me in my digging venture.

  141. House Whine says:

    Nom- one of my former law firms used to wait until the very last possible minute to hold “the meeting”. Kind of like torture for the person about to leave the firm. Head games?

  142. Final Doom says:

    I’m really hurt that Nom doesn’t think a loaded .38 on the table will help along his exit interview.

  143. Final Doom says:

    Chile vs. Spain and a pitcher of one very lethal fruity drink.

    Gonna be a good afternoon.

  144. relo says:

    149: Maybe the gun application has something to do with the procrastination, if that is the way it’s going to play out.?

  145. Mr Wantanapolous says:

    Nom,

    Fcuk em. You’ll walk out of that joint with your head held up high. Johnny Most would be calling them McNasty and McFilthy.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu8Da3pe9h0

  146. still_looking says:

    so what’ll it be? the friday ramp up or the friday sell off?

    50/50 shot

    sl

  147. still_looking says:

    Nom,

    Leave early. Make em wait til Monday.

    sl

  148. homeboken says:

    Nom – Have you envisioned the doom’s day scenario. They keep you there, and wait until you can’t take it any longer and quit on your own?

  149. jamil says:

    142: “wow, hilarious. And clueless and misinformed. Typical for this clown”

    Yikes. You are so typical liberal. As you have no substantive arguments, you retort to old school liberalism. Shoot the messenger.
    I would ask you to provide meaningful arguments to show where my statement is not correct, but that would require from your side, IQ higher than Joe Biden, so never mind.

    Let’s pretend it did not happen. BigGov not involved.

    Btw, just for fun, see #66 and #77.

  150. Fabius Maximus says:

    Chile +550

  151. Mr Wantanapolous says:

    Historic low mortgage rates, not seen this low since Ward and June Cleaver and housing still in the tank, spiraling downward; 30 million under/unemployed and $12T of stimulus, bailouts, monetary and fiscal boondogles. Net result; insolvent banks, bankrupt states/govt’s and worldwide zombiism.

    Tied to the hip of NYC? Well, there has be a seismic shift, we are one day closer to Tokyo. Hopefully, it won’t be worse.

    Then again, not all gloomy. There is a bull market in cds on sovereign debt.

  152. jurisprude says:

    [143] Nom,

    Is it possible that you are just imagining the worst case scenario, but it’s actually not happening?

  153. jcer says:

    Jamil, one cannot deny the role the government had in this housing bust, but the banks and more over the bankers are the ones who figured out how to make big money doing this and elevated the crisis to the next level. Freddie, Fannie, and the FHA all have had a piece of this but the market for CDO’s is really the atom bomb in the room.

  154. Barbara says:

    Tokyo? If only we could achieve Japans standard of living. Never gonna happen.

  155. #156 – You’ve never read or seen Br’er Rabbit, have you?

  156. meter says:

    WHAT A GOAL by Villa from about 50 yards out.

  157. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [159] jurisprude

    I am 99% sure. Cannot say why now.

    There’s always a possibility that they pushed it back, but I doubt it.

  158. ChicagoIP says:

    #155 Nom

    I had to relocate from NY and leave my firm in 2008 due to wife’s job change. I waited to get fired, so I can leave with BigLaw severance. Of course I ended up survived both the stealth round and the 10% across the board round. By October I had to leave on my own, no severance, no unemployment, and no bonus for slaving through most of that silly year after they fired every other associates within one years of my level in the department.

    When I was handing in the resignation, my boss said “these days you train someone and they just leave.” Boohoo, like I should feel bad. No good deed goes unpunished.

  159. Mr Hyde says:

    Nom,

    leave early. Say you were “sick”.

  160. Mr Wantanapolous says:

    Barbara,

    Come on. Not comparing today’s standard of living.

    Take a look at their 1990 stock and real estate bubble. Instead of letting dead banks die they printed and strung them along. Result; a deflationarey spiral for two decades. Forget about the lost decade, they were zombies for 20 years. At that time we blasted the BOJ, insisted that they let the insolvent banks die. Today? We are all turning Japanese. Actually, we will end up worse. They were flush with savings when their crisis hit.

    http://www.forecast-chart.com/historical-nikkei-225.html

  161. jj says:

    Is it managements job to manage the staff’s career.

  162. Mr Wantanapolous says:

    Barbara,

    It all pertains to idiotic central bankers and economic, illiterate govt leaders.

    Same as it ever was.

    http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/a-13-2009-03-19-voa72-68677957.html

  163. Qwerty says:

    Close by June 30th or no soup for you:

    “Home Tax Credit Closing Extension Dead”

    http://www.cnbc.com/id/37925372

  164. Mr Wantanapolous says:

    “Is it managements job to manage the staff’s career.”
    JJ,

    It certainly isn’t staff’s/taxpayers responsibility to bail out brain dead management.

  165. jurisprude says:

    [165] ChicagoIP

    Sounds like you’re talking about Latham. These are the lies that the BIGLAW partners tell:

    1. Clients won’t pay for junior associates’ time so we have to cut their pay. [Clients don’t give a s**t about how much the partners pay their employees; they only care about their bill]

    2. We provided you with so much training. [Thanks? As we overbilled the client so many hours and made your rich by using that training]

    3. The associates are overpaid. [In dollar amounts it sounds high; but in reality the partner/associate pay ratio is at its highest since the early 90s. Plus, after the high COL of NY, high taxes, and high student loan, the salary barely buys a middle class living].

    So, I think any junior lawyer who’s eager to work for a big firm whose partner/associate ratio is more that 1:1 is crazy.

  166. Essex says:

    126. Neat.

  167. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [166] hyde

    I would, but I want this done.

    [172] jurisprude

    One thing I have learned when filling an open lateral position—try to find out why it is open.

  168. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    Ironically, the person responsible for my situation just left for the weekend. Nice.

  169. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [172] ChicagoIP

    If you bailed on Latham, it proves your intelligence.

  170. jj says:

    Mr Wantanapolous you may be some bsd vip bad ass playa with a mofo attitude but you don’t scare me as I will swing by and kick your honkie butt

  171. Mr Wantanapolous says:

    jj [177],

    No, not at all. Just a contra party to the coke heads.

    First; You’ll have to face Mrs Wantanabe and Mrs Strigalapolous. They are the bad asses. Mrs Wantanabe is pissed that her yen carry trade has bitten the dust. Mrs Strigalapolous is fuming that she now has to work a full week. Good luck.

  172. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [152] Bob-opoulos

    “Johnny Most would be calling them McNasty and McFilthy.”

    Ah, that brings back memories. “This is Johnny Most, high above courtside . . .”

    And remember when he called Ralph Sampson a “gutless coward” for “beating up little 6’1″ Jerry Sichting”?

  173. ChicagoIP says:

    172 & 176
    If you bailed on Latham, it proves your intelligence.

    Not Latham but so many of the 145k firms were doing the same. Of course if I were really intelligent I’d just bill nothing for 4 months in 2008 and then get fired for 6 more months of pay plus. I’m a fool for believing in paying debt and getting paid for real work.

    But whatever. I’ve got no mortgage, no credit card debt, no student loans and a small piggy bank under my mattress. Smart or not, I sleep well at night, for now.

  174. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [152] BC wantanopoulous

    Some more Classic Most:

    “Greer is putting the ball in play. … He gets it out. … and Havlicek steals it! Over to Sam Jones. Havlicek stole the ball! It’s all over! It’s alllll over! Johnny Havlicek is being mobbed by the fans. It’s alllll over! Johnny Havlicek stole the ball.”

    and

    “And…Now there’s a steal by Bird! Underneath to DJ who lays it in!!…Right at one second left!! What a play by Bird! Bird stole the inbounding pass, laid it up to DJ, and DJ laid it up and in, and Boston has a one-point lead with one second left! OH, MY, THIS PLACE IS GOING CRAZY!!!”

  175. jurisprude says:

    [176] Nom,

    So you safe for the weekend? I sometimes wonder if one just stops showing up for work, how long it would take for them to cut off the salary.

  176. Essex says:

    182. This is how the gubmint rolls:

    http://tinyurl.com/2ffce3f

  177. meter says:

    @183 –

    If that jackass lived in my town, I’d collude with a few other townspeople to smash every window in his house and torch his ride.

  178. Barbara says:

    184.
    that jackass DOES live in your town. He’s in every NJ town. We got about 40 of them in my town alone.

  179. Barbara says:

    we’ve

  180. Sas3 says:

    Essex #183,

    Union rules, fear of litigation of “unfair dismissal”, contractual cr@p. They serve a purpose, but they get wildly abused by some people. Road to hell paved with good intentions.

    Very much like in corporate world (e.g. AIG bonuses, GS wind fall, and FNM’s prolonged life).

    S

  181. Yikes says:

    USA 2, Ghana 1. Book it

  182. borat obama says:

    Last, mf’er.

  183. borat obama says:

    Hi fiveee

  184. still_looking says:

    Oy veyeeeeee

  185. Well We all saw this coming, I hope it straightens out soon!

  186. Barbara says:

    this bot is good….too good…..*whispers* THEY’RE LEARNING….

  187. Final Doom says:

    I think the US will beat Ghana tomorrow, too.

    They are a little disorganized at the back & I think they’ll give up 1-2 cheap ones.

    Really disappointed with Chile today. Bielsa played Russian roulette starting with three in the back. First mistake became a 50-yd goal for Villa; if Chile had four backs, the keeper wouldn’t have had to move on Torres.

    I don’t think anyone can beat Spain if they get a lead.

  188. gary says:

    All I want to know is: did Ducky get multiple offers over asking or is he still trying to decide?

  189. Final Doom says:

    File under: rats jumping ship.

    “As we speculated previously, the sudden and unprecedented departure of Peter Orszag, the day prior to the US Budget’s formalization (which incidentally never happened as now the US will likely not have a 2010 budget at all, for fear of disclosing to most Americans just how broke the country is ahead of mid-terms) was due to Orszag’s disagreement with the administration’s, and particularly Larry Summer’s, inability to fathom that reckless spending is a recipe for bankruptcy. As the FT reports: “Peter Orszag, Barack Obama’s budget director, resigned this week partly in frustration over his lack of success in persuading the Obama administration to tackle the fiscal deficit more aggressively, according to sources inside and outside the White House.” And so, as any remaining voices of reason realize they are dealing with a group of deranged Keynesians, soon there will be nobody left in the administration who dares to oppose the destructive course upon which this country has so resolutely embarked, which ends in one of two ways: debt repudiation, or war. And with the only remaining economic “advisers” being the trio of Summers, Romer and Geithner, you know America will somehow hit both of these mutually exclusive targets.”

    http://www.zerohedge.com/article/ft-reveals-orszag-resigns-over-inability-persuade-summers-and-obama-keynesianism-leads-suffe

  190. Final Doom says:

    gary (195)-

    I miss Duck. It would actually be fun to have him here to use as a pinata.

    I’m not calling for anyone else to be banished from this blog. All the idiots who either left or got the plug pulled would be priceless comic relief right now.

    Hell, I even miss bi.

  191. Final Doom says:

    BC, it’s too bad we’re married. We’d be playas in China:

    “Many women won’t marry a man who doesn’t own a home. This recent shift, along with soaring real estate prices, has created a woefully frustrated class of bachelors.

    “A man is not a man if he doesn’t own a house,” said Chen Xiaomin, director of the Women’s Studies Center at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law. “Marriage is becoming more and more materialistic. This is a huge change in Chinese society. No matter how confident a woman is, she will lose face if her boyfriend or husband doesn’t have a house.”

    Dating websites are now awash with women stipulating that hopefuls must come with a residence (and often a set of wheels) in tow.

    “I’m 25 years old, looking for a boyfriend…. I want you to have an apartment and a car…. The apartment has to be built after 2000 and the car has to be better than a minivan,” read one post on the popular Chinese Web portal Baidu.

    Growing male frustrations have given rise to a new female archetype: the bai jin nu, or gold-digger.

    On the wildly popular TV reality program “Don’t Bother Me Unless You’re Serious,” one woman tried to size up a suitor by asking matter-of-factly, “Do you have money?”

    The man cut to the chase: “I have three flats in Shanghai.”

    The hard-boiled bachelorette, Ma Nuo, has gone on to become one of China’s most recognizable bai jin nu. Marry for love? Fat chance, said the material girl: “I would rather cry in a BMW than smile on the back of my boyfriend’s bicycle.”

    http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2010/06/gold-diggers-in-china-say-show-me-house.html

  192. gary says:

    US housing has collapsed (except for Upper Bergen County, of course), government bond yields have collapsed, the stock market is bipolar, bank credit continues to drop, and mark-to-market value of debt is headed south.

    Your move, Mr. Bernanke.

  193. gary says:

    Doom [196],

    As long as we have Reality TV and TGIFs, we’ll be fine.

  194. gary says:

    The Obama administration is calling for an extra $316 billion in “stimulus” spending in addition to the $862 billion already appropriated. The rub is that the all of the “stimulus” money is being borrowed, and that’s adding to already mushrooming debt. Right now, the CBO forecasts deficits of $1,250,000,000,000 or an immense 5.6% of GDP in 2020 — and that’s following a strong recovery. That year, the federal debt will reach 90% of national income, putting the U.S. in the fragile position of a Greece or Portugal. Interest payments will absorb one dollar in every six of federal spending.

    Hey, did you know that 70% of Americans are severely overweight?

  195. gary says:

    Right now, many investors and managers are simply terrified by the absence of a roadmap to avoid ruinous debt. “We need to know that Washington can make tough choices, that our leaders are willing to do things that are unpopular,” says Paul Willen, an economics professor at MIT. “More than anything, people need to feel that this is not out of control.”

    ROFLMFAO!! Hey, somebody go get Ojamma a pack of Kools, he has to go outside and think about this one.

  196. Barbara says:

    Dear sellers,
    when houses of THIS caliber and town are listed at 400,000, then sanity will have returned to the market. Until then, the staring contest continues.

  197. gary says:

    Barbara,

    I’ve been told that it’s very competitive in Northern NJ and if one can’t afford to buy here then perhaps one should consider a “lesser” town or out-of-state even. ;)

  198. Barbara says:

    gary, true. I’ve got some nerve asking for such a low price for 80s ghetto cupboards and sink, mediocre schools and out of control taxes. Coal mining, here I come.

  199. NJGator says:

    Barbara 206 – Don’t you realize that you should be honored to just have the opportunity to pay Montclair taxes. And on the bright side, when our town taxes you to oblivion and you are poor and indignant, at least you’ll get to use the town pools for free.

    You really need to learn to be a glass is half full kinda gal. Maybe you need another martini.

  200. Confused in NJ says:

    Heres a single gold coin that should provide a gold hedge.

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100625/lf_nm_life/us_austria_gold_coin

  201. meter says:

    Ain’t this a kick in the ass. Kevin Costner – more than just a pretty face:

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_ts2851

  202. Barbara says:

    hehe I need several martinis, who’s buying? Oh wait, I am…

  203. LoveNJ says:

    GSMLS listing at 35066, highest since 2006

  204. Maylook1day says:

    Inventory number nice but I’ve still not seen a decent home under $600k. Still 3br/1bth situ’s, on road, no backyard etc. Two listings of interest had no garage – no let me ponder that, life in the burbs w/no garage.

  205. Final Doom says:

    Nice to know I’m not alone:

    “I lived in Chile during the Pinochet dictatorship—I can spot a fascist police-state when I see one.

    The United States is a fascist police-state.

    Harsh words—incendiary, even. And none too clever of me, to use such language: Time was, the crazies and reactionaries wearing tin-foil hats who flung around such a characterization of the United States were disqualified by sensible people as being hysterical nutters—rightfully so.

    But with yesterday’s Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project decision (No. 08-1498, also 09-89) of the Supreme Court, coupled with last week’s Arar v. Ashcroft denial of certiorari (No. 09-923), the case for claiming that the U.S. is a fascist police-state just got a whole lot stronger.”

    http://gonzalolira.blogspot.com/2010/06/is-us-fascist-police-state.html

  206. Alan Kroll says:

    Fannie Mae has written a lot of loans over the last few years. Many buyers have come into the market with weak financial positions. A lot of buyers received both down payment assistance, and also got their closing costs paid by the sellers. When you get a $10K or $20K gift (down payment assistance plus closing cost assistance) you really don’t have much skin in the game to stay with a home that has lost some value. Some of the folks got into property ownership the easy way are looking for the easy way out, the strategic default. It makes a lot of sense for Fannie Mae to give them a wake up call and set expectations that they want borrowers to pay their mortgages. The US taxpayer is on the hook for Fannie Mae losses. We need strong policies for federally insured mortgages so we don’t all have to pay for some to walk-away.

  207. fiwedding says:

    It’s almost gone now. I find myself reaching for it twice as often as my Macallan single malt.

  208. estetik says:

    Why this web site do not have other languages support?

  209. niniii0 says:

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