Fast tracking abandoned homes

From the Star Ledger:

Housing, banking advocates hail measure to speed foreclosures of abandoned homes

A piece of state legislation that looks to turn foreclosed homes into affordable housing also contains a little-noted provision that banking and housing experts say would provide an important step to unclogging the bottleneck holding back the state’s housing recovery.

A bill introduced last month by Sens. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) and Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex), along with a parallel measure in the Assembly, would create a legal mechanism to move abandoned properties more quickly through New Jersey’s enormously bogged-down foreclosure pipeline.

This process would allow mortgage lenders such as banks to petition Superior Court to expedite a foreclosure on properties they have reason to believe are abandoned and vacant. If the court agrees, it would then direct a sheriff, county agency or trustee to sell the property within 45 days.

While this expedited process would be used ostensibly to create a pool of homes that municipalities and community groups can purchase for affordable housing, supporters say its purpose goes beyond that mandate, in that the abandoned properties could be resold at market rates, too.

On top of that, shunting a segment of properties out of the state’s judicial foreclosure process would help alleviate some of the backlog weighing down the state.

“What’s happening right now is not the best way,” said Michael Affuso, director of government relations for the New Jersey Bankers Association.

As of the end of 2011, it took the courts on average 964 days to complete a home foreclosure in the state, the second-longest in the country, according to RealtyTrac. More than 30,000 homes in the state were in the process of being foreclosed upon at the end of last month, the real estate data firm found. But all told, there are 118,000 foreclosure filings in the state, according to data cited by the bankers association and Housing & Community Development Network of New Jersey.

At the current rate, it would take the courts 49 years to work through the current backlog of foreclosures, the bankers association has found.

This entry was posted in Economics, Foreclosures, Housing Recovery, Politics. Bookmark the permalink.

156 Responses to Fast tracking abandoned homes

  1. Mike says:

    Good Morning New Jersey

  2. Mikeinwaiting says:

    Hi Mike, hey folks go to the link in above header posted by Grim, check out first comment at end. Ding ding ding!

  3. Mikeinwaiting says:

    Just saw this on Seeking Alpha, can not imagine how bad the other states are.

    “It may have a reputation for skullduggery by officials and public figures, but New Jersey is the least-corruptible state in the U.S., a new study from the Center for Public Integrity shows. For muni investors considering where not to put their cash, Georgia came last in the integrity list.”

  4. Mikeinwaiting says:

    OK I figures it out the pols payed off the guys doing the study, those guys in Georgia just do not know how to play the game.

  5. Mikeinwaiting says:

    figures= figured

  6. gryffindor says:

    Fingers crossed for my dad and brother today – they are bidding on a fixer upper somewhere near Edison today. My dad has been sitting out the bubble ever since he moved back to NJ in 2005. Really hoping this works out for them.

  7. Mike says:

    Mike No. 3 Georgia? The bible belt? More corrupt than NJ? They ought to bring back the chain gangs.

  8. gary says:

    We went to a few open houses yesterday in River Vale, just to take a ride and enjoy the weather. Even though we don’t put much stock in open houses, there was one that we liked very much. It was a Split Level but the layout was perfect, the house just big enough, neutral colors, towards the end of a cul-de-sac and nicely maintained. The price, as usual, was too high but for the first time in years, the spouse and I seriously considered ( still are) making an offer even if it is a so-called lowball. And then… like a blind-sided sucker punch, came the property taxes.

    The property taxes are at $14,000. That’s $1166 as of 2011, to say I live in this modest house. I tried crunching the numbers from every angle and came to the conclusion that I would have to put something north of 30% down just to be able to sleep at night. I’ve repeatedly said that when the monthly tax payment starts to become a 2nd mortgage payment, somethings gotta give. That “something” is going to be the prices of houses. The need another serious leg down in order to meet the property tax theft. There’s no other why and it’s amazing how the realtors try to side step the prop tax issue with the usual talking points.

    I don’t know if I’m going to make an offer. I’d love to but even for those of us with assets and credit and who want to trade up, they’re trying to stretch us beyond the limit. The realtors still read from the cue card like muppet bots. I still can’t figure who the buyers are. Remember, this is a modest house I’m talking about. Sell? Sell to f*cking whom?

  9. Brass Balls says:

    Edison is close to city. Amazing how mainly indians buy in Edision nowdays. It is like Mecca. NJ’s version of Hicksville or Floral Park.

    Are they bidding with a bank? Kinda hard to bid with an owner, you just offer.

    gryffindor says:
    March 19, 2012 at 7:24 am
    Fingers crossed for my dad and brother today – they are bidding on a fixer upper somewhere near Edison today. My dad has been sitting out the bubble ever since he moved back to NJ in 2005. Really hoping this works out for them.

  10. Anon E. Moose says:

    Mike [3, 4, et al.];

    What the guys in Georgia have going for them is that they fly under people’s radar. In NJ sales are laboring under $12-15k property tax bills that rival or exceed the P&I, particularly with Fed-funded 3% interest rates. People start to wonder where the hell all the money is going.

    In NC or GA, where the tax bill barely reaches $5k a year, so long as the garbage gets picked up people don’t much notice that Commissioner Billy Joe has a new Dualie truck that doesn’t quite match his salary. Billy Joe (with his agriculture background) knows that he can shear his sheep many times, but skin them only once.

  11. POS cape says:

    #10 Gary:

    Yes of the two variables, home price and property tax, the 2nd ain’t going down. The 1st will have to drop to mid 90’s levels to see any recovery, IMHO.

  12. gryffindor says:

    11 – I don’t know all the details, just that they are bidding somewhere near Edison. They must be using a bank as I heard my brother mention mortgage. We’re all just hoping this finishes the housing hunt for them because my mom is driving us crazy over living in a rental and dealing with the landlord’s cheap appliances and not being able to do things “her” way. Last year she smelled something foul near the dryer vent. The landlord’s guy came over and insisted she was crazy and that there was no smell and no problem so stop wasting his time. She insisted he move the dryer and look in the vent and sure enough, it was fowl – dead bird hanging out in there.

  13. Brass Balls says:

    But bottom line is 12K in property taxes even on a POS cape for a family with three kids in the school district, all three taking bus, a kid on a team, garbage pick-up, police, fire, sewer lines, parks, library, that plus town locked into juicy benefit laden contracts with workers with guranateed salary increases and early retirement many years ago that cant be undone. Even if they could it would only be for new workers coming in and that would not help for 20 years until new workers start retiring with thin benefits.

    I pay under 10K a year RE taxes and have a few kids in school district, use the library, use the parks etc. Even if cut to bone what do you get it down to 8K. On top of that people making under 250K a year deduct 100% of RE taxes on income tax return. After tax break I pay less than 7K a year in taxes on my house. Now consider most people over 50 have no morgage not so bad.

    I do agree mcmansions and homes in tony towns get beat up. The town near me has mcmanions on 80X100 plots paying 30K a year taxes. Would I get anymore services for the extra 22K in taxes? Most likely not. It would just be out the window.

    POS cape says:
    March 19, 2012 at 9:01 am
    #10 Gary:

    Yes of the two variables, home price and property tax, the 2nd ain’t going down. The 1st will have to drop to mid 90′s levels to see any recovery, IMHO

  14. Brass Balls says:

    I now senior citizens are on a tight budget, but cooking your chicken dinners on the dryer vent is a little too much.

    gryffindor says:
    March 19, 2012 at 9:06 am
    11 – I don’t know all the details, just that they are bidding somewhere near Edison. They must be using a bank as I heard my brother mention mortgage. We’re all just hoping this finishes the housing hunt for them because my mom is driving us crazy over living in a rental and dealing with the landlord’s cheap appliances and not being able to do things “her” way. Last year she smelled something foul near the dryer vent. The landlord’s guy came over and insisted she was crazy and that there was no smell and no problem so stop wasting his time. She insisted he move the dryer and look in the vent and sure enough, it was fowl – dead bird hanging out in there.

  15. gary says:

    POS [13],

    I agree. The dam can’t hold everything back. If one decides that they can eek by with the monthly PITI right now, then they will be pushed over the brink when property taxes consume them. I refuse to go that route. The only thing left, as you’ve said, is a steady retreat in the prices.

  16. gary says:

    …that plus town locked into juicy benefit laden contracts with workers with guranateed salary increases and early retirement many years ago that cant be undone…

    Fine. Give the junkies in the politboro all that they want but the house muppets also need to understand the prices will continue to deteriate for years to come. Holding out for some dream price is akin to slowly bleeding to death. They can’t have it both ways.

  17. Mike says:

    Gary 10 Make a ridiculous offer, seriously what do you have to lose.

  18. gary says:

    Mike [19],

    Yup. There’s no downside. This realtor will call me this week. I’ll make an offer.

  19. Anon E. Moose says:

    Gary;

    We looked at a quirky house — contemporary in a neighborhood full of columials, all on 1 ac. plots — that was breathtakingly overtaxed for even the asking price, much less the market value. The listing comments even touted the tax appeal potential as a selling point! The funny thing is that if the house was anything other than a contemporary, it would have sold quickly for $100k more than ask. But I digress…

    The final analysis is this – at current rates, every $1,000 in taxes adds as much to the PITI as ~$17,000 in mortgage principal. So if two roughtly interchangeable houses have $2,000 tax difference, that represents ~$35k difference in buying power based on monthly nut.

    Imagine is listings had to reduce the taxes to a net present value? Ask $400,000; Taxes of $12,000/yr. = $210,000. Welcome to Your New Home! (Said the spider to the fly.)

  20. Anon E. Moose says:

    Gary [20];

    Tell the listing agent your offer includes a seller’s concession == the buyer’s side commission, and that while it doesn’t much matter to you who pays it, he might want to negotiate that with his listing agent.

  21. gary says:

    Moose [21],

    The listing comments even touted the tax appeal potential as a selling point!

    I heard this phrase from two different realtors yesterday.

  22. Juice Box says:

    Knock Knock!
    Who’s There?
    It’s the Sheriff the Democrats say this place is abandoned, you have 10 minutes to gather your things and get out!

  23. gary says:

    Moose [22],

    Or, I can just bake them a cake. Better yet, how about I look at 1997 comps and ask them if they have any questions!

  24. Anon E. Moose says:

    Juice [24];

    Stop it! I laugh so hard every time you say that I spew coffee on my keyboard.

  25. gryffindor says:

    16 – LOL, I’ll keep that in mind if mom’s chicken dinner ever does go missing.

  26. gary (23)-

    This is akin to Ford selling the Pinto’s propensity to explode when rear-ended as a potential opportunity for you to score a windfall in a lawsuit.

    “The listing comments even touted the tax appeal potential as a selling point!”

  27. My agents report the muppet sellers are becoming emboldened again by the constant bleating of lies by MSM regarding new strength in housing.

    Looks like the next drop in prices will be fueled by the economic cataclysm that’s about to occur. Take your pick: Greece, Eurozone, Japan, war with Iran, etc…something’s about to happen.

  28. Happy Renter says:

    [10] “when the monthly tax payment starts to become a 2nd mortgage payment, somethings gotta give”

    Yeah — it will be interesting to see what that something is. I doubt I’ll stick around NJ long enough to see it, but one thought that came to mind when reading your post is whether we might see a freeze in property taxes in NJ, and the initiation of a local income tax.

    Not sure whether anything in the NJ state constitution would preclude The Little Town That Could! (TM)* from shifting the tax burden from property taxes to local income taxes. If I recall correctly, some towns in PA where I have family members have local income taxes and relatively low property taxes.

    If that change were made, at least one could buy in NJ with the knowledge that, while they may pay high taxes now while things are good with their income, if their future income is downsized, their local tax bill will be downsized too; makes sense for older retired people as well.

    A local income tax probably doesn’t make all that much sense in terms of fairly allocating the tax burden, but neither does a property tax system based on the value of the property. Seems the only “fair” way to allocate local tax burden would be to tax residents based on the # of people living at the property (quantity of garbage, sewage, avg. # of police/fire/ambulance calls per capita, and rough estimation of the # of kids in the school district).

    In any case, buying into a ball-and-chain of never-ending, always-increasing, out-of-control property taxes that are completely uncoupled from your income and your use of local services ought to scare the heck out of most people considering a house in NJ.

  29. Happy Renter says:

    *where is Jets12 these days? Must be too busy making money hand-over-fist flipping houses in Brigadoon-upon-Hackensack to post.

  30. Shiny, happy people holding hands.

    “Propaganda and obfusc@tion are the scheme of choice by the powers that be. They are counting on decades of government run public education to insure that millions of non-critical thinking dullards will be unqualified or uninterested in the truth about our grim economic prospects. The oligarchy’s master plan has centered on houses, automobiles, and the illusion of a jobs recovery.

    Whenever I’m trying to understand the motivations of the sociopathic Washington politicians, Wall Street bankers and mega-corporation CEOs, I always come back to the words of master manipulator Edward Bernays:

    “The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. …We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons…who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind.” – Edward Bernays, Propaganda, 1928

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/guest-post-asleep-wheel

  31. More:

    “You may have noticed the corporate mainstream media, crooked politicians and lying Wall Street shills attempting to pound the economic recovery storyline into the consciousness of a terminally distracted populace. This is part of the Bernays inspired master plan of a small cabal of powerful men to control the public mind and keep our mass consumer society functioning smoothly so these corporate fascists can continue to gorge upon the carcass of a once vital republic. Decades of mass media consumer indoctrination, dumbing down of children through public school education and the conscious manipulation of attitudes and opinions of the malleable masses has succeeded. The invisible government of the rich and powerful has effectively converted responsible citizens into mindless consumers of products, bought with debt, peddled by associates of the invisible government. The crowded shopping malls, automobile showrooms, and restaurants are a testament to the power of propaganda and the intellectual bankruptcy of a vast swath of the American population.”

  32. gary says:

    In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons…who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses.

    Try explaining this to the muppets. It’s so obvious it’s comical. Give the masses iShit, Facelessbook and fast food. Sedation reached, mission accomplished.

  33. Anon E. Moose says:

    Meat [29];

    My agents report the muppet sellers are becoming emboldened again by the constant bleating of lies by MSM regarding new strength in housing.

    Big time. I’m looking forward to sending a big fat f-ing “You choose… poorly” to the sellers who countered $5k below ask that’s at least $60k above market when their ask falls below my bid (which topped the nearest & most recent comp by over $50k). The return address will the nicer neighborhood in their town.

  34. Brass Balls says:

    Actually the consitution does not allow you to charge for school based on number of kids. Better way would be to double the tax on childless couples since what do they need the money for anyhow.

    Years ago the Tom Souzzi out on Long Island said any Senior Citzen who never had kids and does not want to pay school taxes can opt out. All they need to do is sign a form saying they will never use the services of someone that requires a HS degree. No lawyers, Doctors, etc. No one applied. I guess old folks need doctors and lawyers. People who plan on having kids or had kids were out of luck. If you think about it old people have the most kids in the school districts. Take an average 1960s/1970s Mom with four kids and and each kid has three kids, for a total of 12 grand kid If she never married there would have been 16 less kids to put through schoo. If all 12 grandkid are in public school it could cost up to 200K a year. Meanwhile she cries about here 10K taxes. Grandma, mabye you and Grandpa should have hold hands a little more and popped out less kids. Your grandkids are costing us a fortune.

    A local income tax probably doesn’t make all that much sense in terms of fairly allocating the tax burden, but neither does a property tax system based on the value of the property. Seems the only “fair” way to allocate local tax burden would be to tax residents based on the # of people living at the property (quantity of garbage, sewage, avg. # of police/fire/ambulance calls per capita, and rough estimation of the # of kids in the school district).

  35. Happy Renter says:

    [36] “Actually the consitution does not allow you to charge for school based on number of kids.”

    I didn’t suggest that — my hypothetical suggestion was to tie the local taxes to the # of people residing at the property. Seems a pretty good measure of how much that residence is costing the local government. Nonetheless, I doubt that would ever be implemented.

    Still, a local income tax would be a more flexible arrangement. I pay high NJ state income taxes (actually, mostly NY, but same thing) and while I don’t like it, I’m at least “OK” with it on some level, because I have relatively high earnings. A ball-and-chain of paying never-ending, always-increasing “rent” to the local crime family (i.e. municipal government) in perpetuity is much worse, imo.

  36. Brass Balls says:

    Interesting, I am seeing A LOT of people with 20+ experience applying for jobs in the 2-5 range. Some people are appplying for jobs at 50 years of age suited for a 25 year old. Some even are saying I need the benefits, a full time job is much better at this stage than consulting, I can’t be picky at these stage of my career.

    Seriously, you should be applying for a job you love at a company you love. At least make it appear that way. I am finding that in boom times meaning. 1993-2008 some people who graduated college between 1982-2002 rode the good times and were happy to sit in the cube, no staff doing day to day work, no MBA, no certifications, no networking etc. And were happy they made 120K base with a 30K bonus. They had less responsibility and quality of life. Well issue is they are 40-52 now unemployed looking for work and age appropriate jobs would be Department Manager, Board Member, SVP etc. And they are not qualified. So they apply to junior jobs suited for people under 35 and issue there is they would be reporting to supervisors 20 years younger. Also weird what is their career path? It is clear they just want a place to park their butt for at least five years to get some vesting, do as little as possible. That same guy hired as an SVP to lead a department at 52 may kick butt out work everyone and who knows make CEO. That same guy at 52 in a cube with staff five level down I don’t know his motivation. I feel bad for these people. But it is like a MOM saying I can’t believe I have five kids. You know we all saw it coming. Lots are Bear, Lehman, type people where a 45 year old could make 200K doing a repetitive little job in a cube with no staff. Flash forward four years they are almost 50 unemployed looking for staff work at a 100K pay cut.

  37. Brass Balls says:

    I am already getting screwed at Federal and State level as taxes are based on earnings now you want to do it at the local level? No way. The only tax I can control is RE taxes. Why can I control it? Cause I can choose to live in a small house in a low tax town and even with a high income pay low RE taxes. If RE taxes are based on income folks like me who pay the most will pay more. Also plenty of people in blue collar towns have 3-4 kids, and we have small houses. Your technique would favor empty nestors who are retired living in mansions. Low income no kids. But punish the guy in Levitown Long Island in a shack with five kids and a moderate 200K income.

    Ireland has zero property taxes and property is now dead cheap, heck college is free. Moving there would solve all your problems.

    Happy Renter says:
    March 19, 2012 at 11:10 am
    [36] “Actually the consitution does not allow you to charge for school based on number of kids.”

    I didn’t suggest that — my hypothetical suggestion was to tie the local taxes to the # of people residing at the property. Seems a pretty good measure of how much that residence is costing the local government. Nonetheless, I doubt that would ever be implemented.

    Still, a local income tax would be a more flexible arrangement. I pay high NJ state income taxes (actually, mostly NY, but same thing) and while I don’t like it, I’m at least “OK” with it on some level, because I have relatively high earnings. A ball-and-chain of paying never-ending, always-increasing “rent” to the local crime family (i.e. municipal government) in perpetuity is much worse, imo.

  38. Anon E. Moose says:

    Brass [36];

    A) Those mansions you speak of were there long before Toll thought to Mc- anything.

    B) Seniors just avoid the property tax penalty by moving to nice houses with high fences in undesirable school districts after the last kid graduates. Two signs on the lawn in May – “Congratulations Graduate” right next to “Home for Sale”. You think anyone moving into Meadowbrooke Pointe gives a sh!t how bad Uniondale schools are?

  39. Happy Renter says:

    [39] “The only tax I can control is RE taxes. Why can I control it? Cause I can choose to live in a small house in a low tax town and even with a high income pay low RE taxes.”

    Low tax town? In NJ? Surely a multi-millionaire man of mystery like yourself does not live in a ghetto with 5 kids crammed into a three bedroom crapshack? And if so, that’s the status quo you are arguing in favor of?

    Anyway, I think the issue is that NJ property taxes are very high (and ballooning out of control) for even very modest housing. And in addition to being never-ending, these property taxes are completely uncoupled from (a) the benefits one receives from the local government and (b) one’s ability to pay. The latter matters much less, but is still a factor.

  40. Painhrtz - I ain't dead yet says:

    In more important news Manning signs with Broncos, God tells Tebow to STFU

  41. A.West says:

    Get the local govt out of most of the local services it provides, and service quality will rise, taxes will fall. People’s decisions about what and how much of something they consume are profoundly effected requiring them to consider its cost. And service levels dramatically improve when a service provider must earn voluntary exchange from customers.

    Last Friday and Today, my daughter is being indoctrinated, required to watch the left-wing movie musical “Newsies” where child labor goes on strike against greedy corporations. The movie was a total flop with audiences and even film reviewers, but it’s the 4th grade teacher’s favorite, given its pro-union message. They’re sticking it to the man every day.

  42. chicagofinance says:

    I keep warning this certain group of my client base. There are doing exactly what you say. They are 40-ish and flush, and I keep warning them that they need to stay current, because they need to work 20 years, but their shelf life is 5-10……few want to hear my nagging….

    Brass Balls says:
    March 19, 2012 at 11:13 am
    And were happy they made 120K base with a 30K bonus. They had less responsibility and quality of life. Well issue is they are 40-52 now unemployed looking for work and age appropriate jobs would be Department Manager, Board Member, SVP etc. And they are not qualified. So they apply to junior jobs suited for people under 35 and issue there is they would be reporting to supervisors 20 years younger. Also weird what is their career path? It is clear they just want a place to park their butt for at least five years to get some vesting, do as little as possible. That same guy hired as an SVP to lead a department at 52 may kick butt out work everyone and who knows make CEO. That same guy at 52 in a cube with staff five level down I don’t know his motivation. I feel bad for these people. But it is like a MOM saying I can’t believe I have five kids. You know we all saw it coming. Lots are Bear, Lehman, type people where a 45 year old could make 200K doing a repetitive little job in a cube with no staff. Flash forward four years they are almost 50 unemployed looking for staff work at a 100K pay cut.

  43. Within five years, the only “work” that will matter is the work you do to eke enough food out of your garden to survive until the next year.

  44. …that and the “work” you put in hardening the perimeter around your home. If, that is, your home is still standing.

  45. chicagofinance says:

    Juice Box says:
    March 16, 2012 at 10:20 am
    Chi – did you ask Timmay a question or did they not let you past the rope?

    Sorry I blew this off from Friday. The Geithner thing was so bad. It was essentially a speech written for the Obamunist and read by Timmay….not kidding…the Economic’s Club of NY…the tag line is “The foremost non-partisan forum…in this country.”

    He reads this monotone drivel that is exactly word for word in language from the administration, and says sparsely anything about markets or the economy. He even threw in “Sub-Saharan Africa” for good measure.

    It was the large ballroom that was carefully structured. As opposed to being in the middle of the room, the stage was pushed off into the distance far away from any bankers etc. The cameras (for C-SPAN et al.) and the distinct minority in the audience were all pushed into one area. ALL the applaused came from a tiny corner of the room. The bulk of the room spent time looking at their forks, the ceiling, then their PDAs…..

    Q&A was cut off. Alan Blinder and John Lipsky were up there….each asked one quick question and it was done in under 5 minutes. The questions were scripted as was the response.

    Clinched….pulling the lever for Republican for the first time in my life…..disgusting….

  46. The only vote that will change anything is a vote with a bullet.

  47. Brass Balls says:

    50 happens to other people. only chumps like me paid off their mortgage, max out 401K and buy income producing assets.

    Hey what do you think of the BATS IPO this week? The Lehman Creditors are selling their stake but most of the investors are not monitizing their investment, which is a good thing.

    chicagofinance says:
    March 19, 2012 at 12:02 pm
    I keep warning this certain group of my client base. There are doing exactly what you say. They are 40-ish and flush, and I keep warning them that they need to stay current, because they need to work 20 years, but their shelf life is 5-10……few want to hear my nagging….

    Brass Balls says:
    March 19, 2012 at 11:13 am
    And were happy they made 120K base with a 30K bonus. They had less responsibility and quality of life. Well issue is they are 40-52 now unemployed looking for work and age appropriate jobs would be Department Manager, Board Member, SVP etc. And they are not qualified. So they apply to junior jobs suited for people under 35 and issue there is they would be reporting to supervisors 20 years younger. Also weird what is their career path? It is clear they just want a place to park their butt for at least five years to get some vesting, do as little as possible. That same guy hired as an SVP to lead a department at 52 may kick butt out work everyone and who knows make CEO. That same guy at 52 in a cube with staff five level down I don’t know his motivation. I feel bad for these people. But it is like a MOM saying I can’t believe I have five kids. You know we all saw it coming. Lots are Bear, Lehman, type people where a 45 year old could make 200K doing a repetitive little job in a cube with no staff. Flash forward four years they are almost 50 unemployed looking for staff work at a 100K pay cut.

  48. Shore Guy says:

    Yea, right. I wonder if this is like saying that the Titantic has the lowest risk of sinking today:

    http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/03/report_nj_has_lowest_corruptio.html#incart_hbx

    Who says Jersey’s got a corruption problem?

    A report released today by the Center for Public Integrity says New Jersey has the lowest risk of corruption among all 50 states, snip.

  49. chicagofinance says:

    The End Is Nigh (clot Hometown Edition):

    Memphis cop suspended after police microphone records him having sex in his squad car

    More than 30 officers heard the broadcast, police say
    By Philip Caulfield / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

    Memphis Police Handout

    Memphis police said Officer Dion Anthony was having sex with an unknown woman in his squad car when the audio was broadcast over a police scanner.

    A beat cop in Memphis is under investigation after police microphones recorded him having sex in his squad car while he was on duty last week, authorities said.

    Memphis police sources said more than 30 cops in the Mount Moriah precinct heard the audio of Officer Dion Anthony having sex with an unknown woman on March 12, local station WHBQ reported.

    Additionally, anyone with a police scanner would have also heard the kinky pair’s huffing-and-puffing, sources said.

    Anthony, who joined the force in July 2007, works between 2 and 10 p.m., and the illicit broadcast went out sometime around 8:45 p.m., police officials said.

    Memphis police spokesman Sgt. Karen Rudolph told WHBQ that investigators were not sure whether the audio was picked up by Anthony’s shoulder radio or the console mic in his squad car.

    “Anytime you communicate via a hand-held or console microphone you want to remain professional,” Rudolph said. “Our job is to make sure all officers follow procedures. In this instance it’s possible he didn’t follow proper procedure.”

    Anthony was suspended on Tuesday.

    Memphis police said a hearing on the incident was planned, and that the audio would be released at some point.

  50. Brass Balls says:

    Here is some unheard of news. A girl I know is planning on quiting work to go back to school full time. I was like, How? Turns out she graduated college spring of 2008 joined 401k right away, joined stock purchase plan right away and got stock grants. Well her 401K match was 12/08. 12/09, 12/10 and 12/11. Her profit sharing stock was giving Feb 09. 10, 11 and 12. Her stock purchase plan at 15% off was from July 1st 2008 till today. She is applying now and plans to start in January 2013 right after her 2011 stock grant vests. Amazing how timing and luck is everything. By joining stock market in 2008 it has all been up!!, by getting a job before crash at a company that survived crash she did great. Can you imagine starting your 401K in a company with a 100% match while stocks are going up 100%? Amazing that she only knows a stock market that only goes up.

  51. Shore Guy says:

    “Actually the consitution does not allow you to charge for school based on number of kids.

    To which constitution are you refering? Education financing is not a subject of the U.S. Constitution. NY may have something in its but, as I recall, other than the T&E language in NJ’s there is not much mentionin NJ either. Maybe a NJ Con. expert can chime in and enlighten us.

  52. PGtips says:

    BrassBalls “But bottom line is 12K in property taxes even on a POS cape for a family with three kids in the school district, all three taking bus, a kid on a team, garbage pick-up, police, fire, sewer lines, parks, library”

    BLAH BLAH BLAH we could get all the above with half the property tax bill ten years ago. What’s your point?

    Another one who thinks buyers cannot reason or add to see that buying is still unaffordable. Another leg down soon.

  53. Anon E. Moose says:

    Chifi [51];

    “Our job is to make sure all officers follow procedures. In this instance it’s possible he didn’t follow proper procedure.”

    I wonder what the official and proper Memphis PD procedure is for getting a little piece of tail while on duty and in one’s squad car? I’m hoping there’s lots to the story… Maybe his ‘companion’ is a pro who he was shaking down for protection, who offered to pay in trade and set him up good.

  54. “If you were head of Central Planning (howdy, Ben!) and were tasked with crippling the real estate market, here’s what you would recommend…”

    http://www.oftwominds.com/blogmar12/cripple-RE3-12.html

  55. chi (51)-

    Yup, that’s my hometown.

  56. Brass Balls says:

    I hate RE taxes. The neighborhoods I want to live in great schools, easy commute, college educated and catholic in the tri-state area all have huge taxes which I refuse to pay. It is not the price of the home that bothers me it is the taxes. I live in a junk house. I have a 56 year old furnance. Average bathroom is 40 years of age. I have a one car driveway and kids share bedrooms. You know what I know a few people in my town who make between 300k and 500K who do the same. Houses with high taxes are drains on income.

    Back in 2007 I started saving for my save up home. Original goal was to put 10K a month in the account. Five years in that is now a decent chunk of money. Even better it is throwing off 5k a month in income. Buying a home is a binary event. Two outcomes you make money, you lose money. Betting 1.2 million on a binary event to get a trade up home is risky. Why dont we just flip coins. My wife no longer wants to trade up. Vacation to Disney, Atlantis, Beaches, Cars, College all are nothing in a budget with no mortgage and low taxes. In fact near me I see little capes with no mortgage that early retirees live in on a limited income. You know what, no mortgage 5k taxes and everything walking distance with low utility bills and upkeep you don’t need much to retire early.

    This stock market rally put a floor under home prices. People are still getting stock grants, 401K matches, putting into 529 plans and mutual funds. When people see their 1q statements and realize how much money they have they will want to buy. Rising rates might actually boost home prices as people want in now.

    Other trouble with trade up home hard to grieve taxes. I go down, they google my house, I am in jeans talking about my three kids and tough times guess what I win. Try winning in a mansion. They think you are rich.

    Same reason I never ever drive my BMW when getting a quote on something. I am a regular blue collar guy.

    Happy Renter says:
    March 19, 2012 at 11:38 am
    [39] “The only tax I can control is RE taxes. Why can I control it? Cause I can choose to live in a small house in a low tax town and even with a high income pay low RE taxes.”

    Low tax town? In NJ? Surely a multi-millionaire man of mystery like yourself does not live in a ghetto with 5 kids crammed into a three bedroom crapshack? And if so, that’s the status quo you are arguing in favor of?

    Anyway, I think the issue is that NJ property taxes are very high (and ballooning out of control) for even very modest housing. And in addition to being never-ending, these property taxes are completely uncoupled from (a) the benefits one receives from the local government and (b) one’s ability to pay. The latter matters much less, but is still a factor.

  57. Brass Balls says:

    It is called inflation. 10 years of 4% raises, is 40% more. With rising fuel costs, rising pension contributions, rising insurance, rising medical added for double taxes you would get the same as 10 years ago. Plus ten years ago. pensions were not an issue. Between 1993 and 2001 you contributed very little to pensions. A combination of high stock market returns with high interest rates on long term treasuries. You put in one buck and magically it tripled. Then came 2001-2009 a long period of a bad stock market with low rates. The pension funding alone was killing some towns. Most towns, salaries, benefits, interest payments on bonds are the big three. For now muni bonds are being issued dirt cheap that will help the town. But the ten year non-callable bonds issue between 2002 and 2011 may be an issue if rates start rising quickly. Debt service is a killer.

    PGtips says:
    March 19, 2012 at 12:46 pm
    BrassBalls “But bottom line is 12K in property taxes even on a POS cape for a family with three kids in the school district, all three taking bus, a kid on a team, garbage pick-up, police, fire, sewer lines, parks, library”

    BLAH BLAH BLAH we could get all the above with half the property tax bill ten years ago. What’s your point?

    Another one who thinks buyers cannot reason or add to see that buying is still unaffordable. Another leg down soon.

  58. Happy Renter says:

    [59] “I live in a junk house. I have a 56 year old furnance. Average bathroom is 40 years of age. I have a one car driveway and kids share bedrooms.”

    Winning!

  59. Brass Balls says:

    Yes it is!!! Whole big article in journal about retirees living in bungalows. Small is in. Near me little houses sell quick. Big ones sit and sit. Funny no one today is even in the house. Think about it, dual working couple, kids in day car all day and then people go away for vacation. Other than sleeping I am rarely in my house. Having a big house is a funny thing. Reminds me of when I was a kid and my nieghbors house was a pigstye and run down. He said I have it the best. I look out at nice houses and you fools look at my house. He had a point.

    BTW I am convinced the people in the big houses make a lot more than me. To have a 1.2 million home, 30K taxes, designer clothes, private schools and brand new cars and fancy vacations, nanny, babysitter these folks are bringing home one million a year. They are also saving for retirement

    Happy Renter says:
    March 19, 2012 at 1:19 pm
    [59] “I live in a junk house. I have a 56 year old furnance. Average bathroom is 40 years of age. I have a one car driveway and kids share bedrooms.”

    Winning!

  60. Libtard in Union says:

    Hey Grim? Did you delete my earlier tree post?

  61. Libtard in Union says:

    Was in Atlantic City this past weekend (didn’t win unfortunately) for my casino host’s birthday party. I was at a table containing 4 couples. Of the other three couples, two were retired public workers and the other was in sanitation for NYC. He told me it’s the greatest gig ever. He works part time, but collects full-time benefits and wages. He said it has something to do with working without a contract.

    The crazy thing is, whenever I attend one of these free banquet things, the room is always filled with public workers. Last party I attended, it was a guy currently on disability with NJ Transit. He was a rail maintenance guy. BTW, he was dancing up a storm!

  62. Libtard in Union says:

    Oh yeah, the sanitation guy has two Mercedes and his wife drives a BMW X7.

  63. Brass Balls says:

    Fireman Ed went out on Disability. Cant you tell how disabled he is at Jets games.

  64. gary says:

    Again, the public sector wants to pig out at the trough, that’s fine. But, the muppet house tour guides better get the word out to the little chubby muppet sellers that the price drop is accelerating. That realtor is going to call me within the next few days, and I will attach a $1000 check to an offer and she will submit it despite the ghastly look I’ll get with my price. I’ll show her my assets, my income, my FICO and then I’ll do the math and show her why the property taxes have derailed a possible transaction.

  65. xolepa says:

    (59)
    Winning! To me that’s equivalent to getting that pony (trophy) for taking 15th place in a travel soccer tournament. According to the BB definition, I won in 1986. But guess what, I don’t like 15th place finishes. My parents seemed to be the BB type. They paid off their mortgage in 5 years. I and my brother lived humiliatingly cheap over those years. Looking back, one of the worst years in my life as they sacrificed the quick payoff with our misery. I surely could live the life of BB. But I had a choice. He has a 1600 sqft house. I could have payed off in cash a house bigger than that in the 1980s. But I took another path. In the house that I built, my finished basement is bigger than his entire house. I can piss outside with total privacy. If a car parks at the end of my cul-de-sac I (or my neighbors) call the cops. They don’t belong there. 300 acres of premanently preserved farmland 50 feet away. My pool provides privacy and calm in summer, I don’t need any beach, Atlantis, blah, blah, blah. The rental property incomes cover my PITI.
    He went his way and now we are blessed (doomed?) to believe he can show us the road to enlightenment. Now HE is stuck as he can’t move up without getting nailed. I guess everyone is allowed to make a bad decision.

  66. xolepa says:

    expected reply:

    Whah. I don’t like swimming pools. They’re for girly men.

    Whahhhh. Farmland! Doesn’t that smell. Green Acres ain’t the place for me.

    Whhhaaaaaaahhhhh. What are you a pervert, pissing in broad daylight?

  67. Double Down says:

    “It is called inflation. 10 years of 4% raises, is 40% more.”

    Actually it’s almost 50% more (compounding effects).

    One thing to consider, while sitting on the sidelines not buying that nicer house you can afford, is that people don’t live forever. Their health diminishes sooner still. Kids grow up, move out.

    So if you have the cash, make the move.

  68. Anon E. Moose says:

    Gary [67];

    Not really for sale. If they won’t take market, it won’t sell. Doesn’t matter how many realtors they hire or how many open houses they have – it just isn’t for sale. Add to that selling agents killing at least as many deals as they deliver, its as much a wonder that anything gets sold as it is that such morons have control of nearly half-million dollar assets. Its like putting a 14 year-old behind the wheel of a Lambo.

  69. Juice Box says:

    Xolepa – Must be tough getting to be an ole dog on Wall St, we don’t hear anything more about bar fights on Stone Street or skirt chasing or tall boys on the LIRR. The name change from good ole reliable JJ to Brass Balls may be due to the latest downsizing on Wall St and lack of bonuses all around. It probably has him quite spooked so he is busy doing a twice a week Just for Men treatments, the occasional naked yoga class and the low carb diet to trim the tire off the midsection. Pretty soon JJ will be telling us a move to Mumbia will be good for his career.

  70. xolepa says:

    Actually, I was once a young dog on Wall Street. Hated it. The culture was so different from my Jersey hick boy style. That’s when I became self-employed for over twenty years. Did do a consulting gig at Chase Plaza during period of 9/11. Yeah, I was a survivor. Passed thru South tower 12 minutes before first hit. Had survivor syndrome for several months and permanent change in my esophagus after breathing the air until mid November, when the stench of burnt body tissue finally cleared.

  71. njescapee says:

    Did Warm Winter Steal Spring Housing?

    http://www.cnbc.com/id/46784776

    As if we really needed a reminder that today’s housing market is still very fragile, the first installment in a slew of housing data to be released this week came in below expectations.

    Home builder sentiment, as measured by the National Association of Home Builders’ monthly sentiment survey, was unchanged in March, and February’s reading was revised down.

    This after five straight months of gains in builder confidence.

    “Many of our members continue to cite obstacles on the road to recovery, including persistently tight builder and buyer credit and the ongoing inventory of distressed properties in some markets, said NAHB chief economist David Crowe in a release.

    Most troubling was a big drop in sentiment out West, which is where the bulk of the nation’s foreclosures and distressed properties are. Banks are really ramping up the foreclosure process now that the so-called “Robo-signing” settlement is behind them and new guidelines are in place. That means more foreclosed properties will be hitting the housing market, as the still-swelled pipeline finally begins to empty.

    While the all-important South region, most meaningful for the builders, saw an increase in sentiment, it is still below the national average, and overall current sales were down and buyer traffic was flat. Only sales expectations over the next six months rose. That could have a lot to do with unseasonably warm weather.

    With temperatures in most of the country hitting near record highs in January and February, it begs the question, did much of the Spring market start early, and did it steal from the historically strong months of March and April?

    “We think it has pulled forward a useful amount,” says analyst Stephen East of ISI Group. “It definitely helps breaking ground and has been a big help on the jobs front.”

    In fact ISI studied weather in all four regions and reported that while favorable economic trends and specifically job growth are the primary driver of renewed housing activity, “We believe some demand was pulled forward from the later Spring months, implying the first quarter could be above investor expectations, while the second quarter could be below expectations.”

    Weather cannot be discounted in home sales, especially sales of new construction, since builders can offer potentially faster turnarounds for new orders if they’re not hampered by frozen earth. February saw a big spike in the “current sales” component of the home builder sentiment index. Buyer traffic in March was unchanged.

  72. gary says:

    Moose [71],

    $14,000 in property taxes for a 4/2 split on a 75 X 125 property is just absurd. And I’m not going to dive in and say, “f*ck it, everyone else does it, I may as well, too!” The taxes broke from the mooring and spread like a disease. So, guess what; the model has changed and in order for that trend line to remain intact, the price needs to drop… precipitously!

  73. Anon E. Moose says:

    nje [74];

    Conclusion: weather, good or bad, is bad for housing. Winter 2011 was too harsh and too much snow: no buyers came out. Winter 2012 was too warm.

    They must be looking for Goldilocks buyers.

  74. Anon E. Moose says:

    Gary [75];

    I agree its a bad deal. Do you have a better one? My sideline cash has been crushed for the past 7 years relative to one thing only: housing. Its a good thing that I was planning to buy a house with it, because it won’t buy much of anything else. And when the QE(x) hits things besides gold, oil and food…

    I went to an ATM this weekend and is was spitting out $50s not $20s. That’s where we stand.

  75. 1987 Condo Buyer says:

    #64, lol, my brothers are FDNY and all friends are same or cops, etc….now in NYC that can be a dangerous job, but the general feeling is they all could have been working on Wall Street making big money, then again, my brother did graduate from Columbia! All looking at 6 figure pensions.

  76. Brass Balls says:

    I had a tall boy on Friday. Funny. I have not been to Stone Street lately. But main reason is not me. The younger folks dont go out. I heard recently there used to be 32 rock clubs with live bands on LI 25 years ago. We are down to one. Kids for whatever reason stay home, play video games, go to starbucks. It is crazy. I went out with staff last month threw card down and said get whatever you want. To start things off I got a nice Corona, ordered an appetizer and a good main course. Next order was a 27 year old who got a diet coke and a salad, other 29 year old got a veggie dish and an ice tea and the 40 something guy got a real meal, the one other person visiting from Europe got a beer. Honestly, the kids I know don’t do much of anything. The under 30 crowd come Monday at work no tales of wild Jersey shore or Hamptons weekends, no horrible hangovers on Fridays. Pretty tame stuff. Sadly it is effecting my lifestyle. With no one to go drinking with at lunch or stone street I have been hitting gym lately. Yep that was me on the machine at lunch time today. I am not 50 yet, have a few million in bank and still in shape. Unlike mr. 300 acre I really dont want a huge mansion. I just waned a nice four bedroom colonial in a good train town with good schools and a two car garage.

    A sad example of the terrible youth we have today was last Friday, went out at lunch to a pub caught some of march madness. No kids in there. All middle age guys. Meanwhile 20 years ago place would be packed. I recall my old department in early 90s had liquid Fridays every nice day in Summer. Around 40 of us from the intern up to the 50 year old married guys headed to Jermany for a two hour lunch. Three 32 ounce coors was my biggest lunch. Thank god for coffee cart. Luckily we left work at 4:30 before hangover set in and hit mcfaddens where I saved money by having half a buzz upon entry.

    You may say they dont want to hang out with me. But honestly I have done books and records type things where we search through emails for stuff. Honestly it is scary how kids worry about boring arcane stuff buss schedule, train schedule, salad, lunch, netflix movies, posing to facebook and very little living life. BF/GF vacation on cruise for a 27 year old couple dating. JC, WTF, can’t imagine any of my friends at 27 taking a vaction like that. The GF you are stuck with 50 weeks a year. Now you want to take them on vacation too? Heck save that for marriage. The look on my face in cancun when a girl went underwater to give him a BJ just as security goes to him, Senor the pool is closed and then girl pops up was so priceless, or the time another buddy passed out fingering a girl and woke up with wrinkly fingers. Even the times i did not hook up was priceless. Hopefully, the next generation of kids will be fun. Spending all your disposible income on apple products, wireless plans, starbucks and frozen yogurt does not leave much left over for Bordy Barn and real fun.

    Juice Box says:
    March 19, 2012 at 2:33 pm
    Xolepa – Must be tough getting to be an ole dog on Wall St, we don’t hear anything more about bar fights on Stone Street or skirt chasing or tall boys on the LIRR. The name change from good ole reliable JJ to Brass Balls may be due to the latest downsizing on Wall St and lack of bonuses all around. It probably has him quite spooked so he is busy doing a twice a week Just for Men treatments, the occasional naked yoga class and the low carb diet to trim the tire off the midsection. Pretty soon JJ will be telling us a move to Mumbia will be good for his career

  77. Brass Balls says:

    I had same thing but got over it quick. There is only one way to move and that is forward! Funny part is sometime people still think I am dead. I ran into someone last weekend who did that aren’t you dead stuff. No I am not dead. I was working in WTC, was supposed to be there that week. But had training that week. Some guy around my age with same exact name as me and looks like me died in 9/11. Kinda like that show with Buffy the Vampire slayer. But no I am like Gloria Ganor, I will survive.

    Good part of being not home and at training was we could get drunk everynight that week.

    xolepa says:
    March 19, 2012 at 2:44 pm
    Actually, I was once a young dog on Wall Street. Hated it. The culture was so different from my Jersey hick boy style. That’s when I became self-employed for over twenty years. Did do a consulting gig at Chase Plaza during period of 9/11. Yeah, I was a survivor. Passed thru South tower 12 minutes before first hit. Had survivor syndrome for several months and permanent change in my esophagus after breathing the air until mid November, when the stench of burnt body tissue finally cleared.

  78. Anon E. Moose says:

    JJ [79];

    When you complain about the next generation, just remember that we’re forced to function in the world the previous generation built, and you’re the ones who trained us.

    That’s why “Occupy” is a 60’s retreat movement harnessing the left-side-of-the-bell-curve 99IQers and directing their anger at “the rich”, so they don’t realize who’s really eating the younger generation’s lunch.

    Occupy the AARP

  79. jj (79)-

    It’s not crazy; it’s sad. The kids are all broke.

    “The younger folks dont go out. I heard recently there used to be 32 rock clubs with live bands on LI 25 years ago. We are down to one. Kids for whatever reason stay home, play video games, go to starbucks. It is crazy.”

  80. Juice Box says:

    JJ – never mind Rock n Roll apparently kids today don’t even like Rap anymore. I was at the Parade they were all out in Central Park hanging out on whatever outcropping of rock that was free. Did not see a single open container and those that did hit the bars did not seem too drunk either. I did quite a bit of walking around and they were for the most part very well behaved, did not see any fights or wilding going on.

    I think these days with Facebook and social networking and camera phones everywhere has made this generation more afraid of the partying period.

  81. Anon E. Moose says:

    Redux [81];

    retreat == retread

    Kinda works either way, though.

  82. Brass Balls says:

    I am not talking broke ones. I am talking kids, “for lack of a better word” as anyone under 30 and single. They are making 100K. Plus I am talking when boss is paying, holiday party, dinners, drinks etc. I am also talking even kids who live at home with full time jobs. Honestly, when I was that age. I just allocated differently. Just like every other person. No smart phone, no internet, no going to restaurants, no takeout, no cable, no starbucks, no trendy food, car leases, gym memberships. Pretty much disposable income was spent at bar, beach, skiing, spring break etc. Going out in other words partying. World Financial Centers, Sea Port, Hamptons, Rock Clubs etc. were packed. I think people have greatly cut back on drinking and hooking up. It is a society shift. Not a monetary issue. In fact we often would have tall boys in parking lot, “lick and roll: the stamps so only one paid and nursed drinks in the bar, or hit cheap bars inbetween expensive bars. People just dont do that anymore. Heck the Roxy on Perry Party night used to have 3,000 drunk people all the time after work. Heck I recall waking up on some girls floor in midtown once at five am. Exacly how I got from hells kitchen to there I will never know. But anyhow every friday and monday morning there were stories being told at work till lunch time almost. Today, I get my GF came over we got take out and watched a move on Netflix. OMG.

    There Went Meat says:
    March 19, 2012 at 3:15 pm
    jj (79)-

    It’s not crazy; it’s sad. The kids are all broke.

    “The younger folks dont go out. I heard recently there used to be 32 rock clubs with live bands on LI 25 years ago. We are down to one. Kids for whatever reason stay home, play video games, go to starbucks. It is crazy.”

  83. Brass Balls says:

    I agree 100%. Saturday day of parade I went by 7/11 by train station to get a coffee. Train was about to leave for parade, the dunkin donuts and 7/11 by train and kids were getting coffee and snack for ride in. NO BEER. WTF. 7/11 sells beer, there also is a liquir store by train that was empty. Kids were also in dunkin donuts. I was like I am missing something, 70 degrees and sunny, catching train to NYC where you could drink no problem. And they are getting a coffee with low fat milk.

    Juice Box says:
    March 19, 2012 at 3:21 pm
    JJ – never mind Rock n Roll apparently kids today don’t even like Rap anymore. I was at the Parade they were all out in Central Park hanging out on whatever outcropping of rock that was free. Did not see a single open container and those that did hit the bars did not seem too drunk either. I did quite a bit of walking around and they were for the most part very well behaved, did not see any fights or wilding going on.

    I think these days with Facebook and social networking and camera phones everywhere has made this generation more afraid of the partying period.

  84. Juice Box says:

    re #86 – Come to think of it last summer while I was tooling around on my bicycle in Spring Lake, Belmar and Sea Girt I made it a point to drive by DJs, Parker House, and some of the other old haunts that are still in action on weekend nights. Nary a long line to be seen on the weekends over the entire summer. Gen-Y is at about as big as the Baby Boomer generation, one would think that ever bar, club and nightspot should be packed to the gills on the weekends, it does not seem that way anymore.

    Another anecdotal observation is my neighbors two young women in their mid 20s don’t seem to have much of a social life. I have never seen a walk of shame or heard a man’s voice coming out of their place. I know they aren’t into women because I am friendly with the other female neighbors who are “let’s be friends” and they would have told me.

    Gen Y is strange for sure.

  85. Not Brass Balls says:

    Brass Balls –

    The new generation is puss out because the penalties for that behavior have risen. Let take a version of your story as seen by the new generation.

    Train into city with liquor/ Open container at parade -> Odds you’ll get ticketed or arrested by NYPD – Spend a 48- 72 hrs in confinement – Fines & lawyers fee, etc.

    NYC nightlife -> Unless you can afford $2,000 table service – you are screwed, Guiliani changed zoning so the old megaclubs that allowed a mixing of NYC bohemian, riff raff, etc disappear – only left are small places that are ultra-expensive. – This I can attest to -around ’95 the whole set of my friend changed from going into Manahattan to Hoboken, Stamford (with the greenwich aupairs) & Hoboken – because NYC was no longer fun.

    Every thing you say you used to do – the kids in their 20’s can’t do it now – because -either they can’t afford it or will meet a billy club and handcuffs.

    Police state are not known for being fun you know.

  86. PGtips says:

    BrasBalls”It is called inflation. 10 years of 4% raises, is 40% more. With rising fuel costs, rising pension contributions, rising insurance, rising medical added for double taxes you would get the same as ”

    BLAH BLAH BLAH I know very well why taxes increased. You made it sound that you get what you pay for but as I said the same services went for half as much ten years ago. Let those who accepted the increase in contibutions, medical etc pay for the increase, ie current owners. Don’t be a sacker and buy now. Another leg down soon.

  87. PGtips says:

    Double Down “One thing to consider, while sitting on the sidelines not buying that nicer house you can afford, is that people don’t live forever. Their health diminishes sooner still. Kids grow up, move out. So if you have the cash, make the move.”

    This is the first time I heard the above. That’s what happens when the ol “Buy now or priced out forever” sounds ridiculous and despair settles in.

  88. Anon E. Moose says:

    Mets News: Wilpons settle with Madoff Trustee for ~1/2 of what they withdrew.

    http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ny-mets-owners-162-million-133700251.html

    The funny bit is that they structure the settlement over 5 years, and may be able to offset their settlement with money they will receive for being Madoff ‘victims’. What a country…

  89. moose (93)-

    It’s no dumber than mortgaging Bonilla’s contract.

  90. …and not nearly as absurd as signing Mel Rojas. Talk about somebody who should give back the money.

  91. Let’s not forget Bret “Bleach” Saberhagen, either.

  92. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    Read a story about a law firm in Florida that fired 14 people on Friday because they all wore the same color shirt.

    Wouldn’t you know it?

    http://www.erwlaw.com/

  93. NWNJHighlander says:

    I’m in my early 30’s now.
    NYC is dead. It died the day Guiliani was first elected mayor.
    I had open containers at St Pattys and Yankees World Series parades in 1990’s, back when I was in my teens. Would never do that now.
    Used to get smashed in the east village when I was a teen, by the time Palladium was shuttered and Websters got shut down 3 times in a month on mass arrests, the European inspired club/jungle scene died. Well that and the Dutch drug queenpins got nailed.
    Something like 35 security cameras pointed at Wash. Sq Park now. SO many f’ing cameras everywhere.
    Manhattan been Disneyfied.
    Huge swathes of what were cheaper apts are now unbelievably expensive. One friend is paying $5600/mth in rent for a 4 bd in an area where my father paid $260 in 1970’s for a 2bdrm+loft.

    The fashionistas see the NYC nightlife of JJ’s heyday as a derivative , and to recreate it is just another derivative, it’s been done.

    regarding JerseyShore/Hamptons. Everyone I work/party with had done a wanderspell around the globe, I spent months on beaches in North Queensland AU, Thailand, Bali, etc. All my buddies did similar. Going to JerseyShore or Hamptons is as interesting to us as to party-era JJ heading to Coney Island during the height of the Mayor Beame era collapse in NYC. There isn’t jacks__t going on there except a bastardized retarded version of the Euro dance music scene. You want new culture you go to Miami this week, or Netherlands any weekend.

  94. NJCoast says:

    I’ve seen some crazy stuff at the Starland Ballroom during Barstool Blackout, Skrillex and the like. 20 something kids are as wild as ever.

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