From MarketWatch:
Foreclosure starts lowest since 2006
The number of homes entering the foreclosure process in November was at its lowest level since December 2006, according to data released on Thursday by RealtyTrac.
Foreclosure starts fell by 13% last month, compared with October. Starts were down 28%, compared with a year ago.
Overall foreclosure activity dropped 3% last month, compared with October. Activity, which includes default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions, was also down 19% compared with November 2011.
“The drop in overall foreclosure activity in November was caused largely by a 71-month low in foreclosure starts for the month, more evidence that we are past the worst of the foreclosure problem brought about by the housing bubble bursting six years ago,” said Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac, in a news release.
But, he added, lenders are still adjusting to new foreclosure ground rules resulting from the National Mortgage Settlement as well as state laws and court rulings — which indicate that “we’re likely not completely out of the woods when it comes to foreclosure starts.”
Bank repossessions increased 11% over the month, and were up 5% compared with a year ago. They’re now at a nine-month high.
Despite the decrease in foreclosure filings nationally, activity increased in 23 states and the District of Columbia. In fact, nine states, including Florida, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and South Carolina, had 12-month highs in foreclosure activity in November.
Friskies!
From Bloomberg:
Home Seizures Rise in U.S. as Banks Adjust to Foreclosure Flow
Home seizures in the U.S. rose 5.4 percent last month, the first annual gain in two years, as lenders seek to manage the flow of distressed properties without disrupting the housing recovery, according to RealtyTrac.
Banks repossessed 59,134 homes, up from 56,124 from November 2011, the Irvine, California-based data firm said today in a report. The increase was the first since October 2010, when foreclosures slowed after allegations that lenders were using faulty practices to take property from delinquent homeowners. Seizures climbed 11 percent from the previous month.
“Lenders have figured out how to play the foreclosure game in this new world where they’re getting a lot more scrutiny,” Daren Blomquist, RealtyTrac vice president, said in a telephone interview. “Everybody involved in the foreclosure industry has finally got a good handle on how to manage these properties to create a more managed and stable flow.”
Good Morning New Jersey
I thought one of the roles of the CEO was to avoid coming off as an arrogant and to spin questions like this off into meaningless platitudes.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/google-boss-im-very-proud-of-our-tax-avoidance-scheme-8411974.html
Mr Schmidt’s defiant stance is unlikely to find favour on either side of the Atlantic with both the American and European Governments searching to find ways of forcing “stateless” internet companies such as Google to pay more tax.
The issue will be raised by George Osborne when Britain takes over the chairmanship of the G8 and will also be investigated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Last week the Chancellor said he was committed to “leading the international effort” to prevent international companies transferring profits away from major economies, including Britain, to tax havens.
All in all you’re just another brick in the wall
From NJ Spotlight:
Foreclosures Still Hit Home for Tens of Thousands in NJ
Like many New Jerseyans, Yolanda Andrews began having mortgage problems when the economy fizzled, which in turn was caused by the Wall Street meltdown as risky mortgage-backed securities went bad.
But the Newark resident may yet beat the odds. In August, Andrews said, Wells Fargo notified her that she qualifies for a modification of her mortgage loan.
Just one thing: It’s four months later, and the bank still has not forwarded the paperwork. In fact, Andrews said she has been unable to learn the particulars of the offer.
“They haven’t told me how much I would be paying,” she said.
The ongoing confusion about New Jersey’s foreclosure crisis, potential solutions and bungled policies brought Andrews to the narrow street outside Gov. Chris Christie’s home one night last week.
About 50 people from housing advocacy, labor and religious groups were there, singing modified Christmas carols in protest of what they described as the governor’s “indifference,” “lack of leadership” and shifting of funds meant to fight foreclosure.
Andrews wasn’t complaining about her lender – she still hopes to get the promised break on her mortgage. But, like other participants in the protest rally, she cited a lack of transparency in the foreclosure process and a shortage of elected officials willing to stand up for people in danger of losing their homes.
“We’ve got to hold the politicians accountable,” Andrews said, extending that to the White House as well as the governor’s office. “We need to go down to Washington, too,” she said. “Remember how before the election Obama said he was going to fight for the people?”
Surprised that Waters kicked it off with In The Flesh, not so surprised he didn’t sing the second verse/part, didn’t care so much for his set list either way. I caught some of it on the radio, Vetter didn’t sing all of Comfortably Numb did he? Sounded like he came in at the end, would have liked to hear him do the whole song.
I was halfway hoping he’d do High Hopes, feels like the most appropriate ‘Floyd’ song, but nobody would have recognized it. (yeah yeah I know, it’s Gilmour’s tune and Waters would die before he’d cover it.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcvmASzQlg0
Fell asleep before Paul came on, anybody know what songs he did?
The End Is Nigh (Everything You Need to Know Edition):
Gaza perfume sales soar with rocket name
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/gaza-perfume-sales-soar-rocket-name-214159748.html
Another day in hell.
Billy stole the show.
Eddie sang the refrain, Waters sang the verses. But Mick nailed it when he said it was the best collection of old English rock stars — the show lacked youth.
Who has the money to donate? It also helps that the Stones & Who are both on tour and in the area…..Joel, Springsteen and Bon Jovi are always around…..
nwnj says:
December 13, 2012 at 8:31 am
the show lacked youth.
The Nirvana thing was a letdown..
#10..Clot if this economic situation is “Hell”, we, for the most part are in great shape and probably better off than 90% of the world. ! However, if you are going through personal struggles and/or illness in family, etc….I wish you the best and pray for improvement.
Bon Jovi and Sambora can still really sing and always excelled. Too bad their material is so inferior. For whatever reason, I valued the Clapton guitar solos the most out of everything….
There still are a few abandoned foreclosures around ………
http://hopatcong-sparta.patch.com/articles/stolen-copper-piping-causes-oil-spill-police-say
Stolen Copper Piping Causes Oil Spill, Police Say
$25K reward offered for information that leads to arrest in residential burglary
A copper pipe was cut and stolen during a residential burglary on Maxim Drive that caused oil to leak into Bear Pond last week.
A vacant home was broken into across the street from the pond on Dec. 4, and a copper pipe was cut, causing oil to leak into the basement and then into the pond, according to a report supplied by Lt. Thomas Kmetz.
Kmetz said it is still unknown how much oil was in the oil tank. When the oil was found at the top of the pond, the Hopatcong Fire Department put out containment booms and absorbent pads to prevent the oil from flowing further.
Kmetz said Hudson Farm called a special hazmat environmental agency to clean up the oil in the house and in Bear Pond.
Hudson Farm is offering a $25,000 reward to anyone with information that leads to the convinction of the individual responsible for the theft, Kmetz said.
Anyone with information is asking to contact the Hopatcong Police Department at 973-398-5000.
Kmetz said there was another incident where copper piping was stolen from another home on Maxim Drive. The back door of a deck had the door knob bent up, which disengaged the lock, he said. The copper pipe was removed from the heating system that leaked water in the home, Kmetz said.
Kmetz said the copper pipe was also cut from a propane tank that was outside. He said it is unknown as to how much propane leaked out of the tank
Oil and propane line tubing? That stuff is usually like 3/8th, and thin enough to bend by hand. At best, scrapped, that’ll bring five bucks, *if that*.
1993 (15)-
It’s comforting to know that 90% of the world has descended to the ninth circle of hell, while we are privileged to still be in mid-plummet.
It all ends in tears.
Clapton is God.
19. Get some meds meat. They work.
America is still my home and a terrific place to live.
Grim, after my father was laid off, he volunteered to help as a drug counselor in the Sussex county area. He said a significant portion of the people he had to work with were from the Hopatcong area. I think they also have one of the crappiest High Schools in the State.
Whoever stole the pipe probably wasn’t that bright.
Clapton picked the best of his catalog for a set and came off excellent.
Was flipping through it remebered it was on caught the middle of Waters set. Agree should have let Vedder sing comfortably numb, us and them was OK. Botox Jovi his voice is gone, but he and Sambora still nailed dead or alive. (only ever liked that and runaway the rest of their music is crap). Stones other than Micks observant comment should retire. Keith Richards looks like the Mike Myers mask from the Halloween Movies, Mick who hasn’t been able to sing for years was horrid. The Who touching sing along with the ghost of Keith Moon but uggh it was the same set llist form the concert for 911 Daltry can barely move though i guess the gay keeps Ole Pete in shape even though he can’t hear what he is playing. Fell asleep through Alicia keys thankfully missed the boss (can’t stand him other then E street shuffle, Born to Run and Greeting s from asbury park he hasn’t put anything worthy out for nearly 40 years.) Regretably caught Kanye, hey you self absorbed prick does Chairman O hate white people staten island is still a wreck?
Also glad I missed the Nirvana Paul Mcartney mash up. It was what I really wanted to see was hoping Vedder would come out and sing In Bloom or Lithium, sadly get Macca. Who despite my undying love of the Beatles I find completely intolerable now.
Saw some of the highlights after I fell asleep Billy Joel sounded OK, never had a range you would stretch surprised he did Miami 2017 considering the lyrics. Alicia Keys doing empire state of mind with no Jay-Z weak on you Jay-Z. Could not show up you live in Brooklyn oh thats right your team does not play in MSG so you can’t go there now.
Whoever said they needed some youth is spot on. Unfortunaltely the boomers are the ones with some cash so they trotted out the boomer Palindromes looking to cash in. Plus i can name some decent alternative bands, but no pop rock act that is up there save for maybe Maroon 5 that could have been invited that their target audience would know. Rock is truly dead.
Plus what is the over under that one of the stones is dead at the end of this tour.
24. Spot on. Pink floyd without Gilmour? A joke.
It’s not Pink Floyd without Syd.
Feh. I’d rather go see Dr. Dog.
SX Gilmour and Waters can’t even be in the same state together, they hate each other that much. The wall shows roger did were excellent, and this is coming from someone who really does not like Floyd’s catalog. There are some great things on Meddle, Dark
Side, and Animals. Save for goodbye blue sky I can’t for the life of me think of another tune I like on the Wall. My wife is a huge Floyd fan said the only thing missing was gilmours haunting vocals but she even said it was a benefit concert who wants to see to old men get into a fist fight on stage.
28. Yeah. Egos suck. Bands are like marriages.
I loved Eric Clapton out in front of a trio.
Roger Waters + David Gilmour: Comfortably Numb, Live, O2 Arena 2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUYzQaCCt2o
Nothing to do with egos they are just that different musically. Gilmour resented waters for being such a tyrant and not allowing him musical input.
yome i’m aware the interviews if you can find them afterward are very interesting.
Nirvana Reunion with Paul McCartney 12-12-12 Sandy Relief Concert
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TR3vtXP_WM
31 – The only way they’d appear together is if they were 40 feet apart?
You know what would have been really interesting, if he’d do “Tide is Turning” from Radio K.A.O.S. (I’d argue some of Waters’ best work).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66nqhVtq6xo
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323981504578175284228844590.html
NJ is already here. Spanish .
Who was that rapper last night? What? What was that name again? He made Madonna’s lip syncing look like amateur hour. I noticed the audience stepped out to the sh1tter for a break. So did I.
Bigger question is where is money going? Not a single person or charity contacted me to help me out. Granted I can afford to pay for my own repairs but how do I know that. I know several poor and/or old people who are still displaced and whose homes were destroyed. One family my daughter is friends with I know before storm her and her husband was living hand to fist, they were shopping at goodwill for clothes and putting car repairs on credit card on credit. They were also taking care of their 85 year old widowed mom who lived up the block in a cape. They lost both homes. The family had flood insurance as they had no mortgage. But still only got 20K up front and house is a wreck and they spent 20K on heat, elect and boarding up and house is still a shell. Widow in a split entire lower level and first floor underwater, only her upstairs bedroom survived. Years ago they had water in their little cape they owner for 55 years and FEMA paid out while husband was alive. They never did get flood insurance as they could not afford it and when house was distroyed by Sandy FEMA said she cant get the 31,900 a second time even though it was a husband who is dead who was in charge of finances. That women is homeless and not a nickle. That whole charity concert if BS> robin hood foundation is giving 100% of money to its charities not to sandy victims and money raised is doing stuff like paying charity salaries, providing free lunches to all in schools even outside flood zones, extended food stamp relief to all and economic assistance to folks who may have lost jobs due to sandy outside flood zone. That widow in a distroyed home did not get one cent from fema. I dont know a single person in my entire town who got anything from any charity. Unlike the 9/11 fund I have no clue where this money is going.
chicagofinance says:
December 13, 2012 at 8:35 am
Who has the money to donate? It also helps that the Stones & Who are both on tour and in the area…..Joel, Springsteen and Bon Jovi are always around…..
nwnj says:
December 13, 2012 at 8:31 am
the show lacked youth.
Are this your same neighborhood making $200K with homes fully paid? Why suddenly broke? Mean testing is a b*tch
“One family my daughter is friends with I know before storm her and her husband was living hand to fist, they were shopping at goodwill for clothes and putting car repairs on credit card on credit. They were also taking care of their 85 year old widowed mom who lived up the block in a cape.”
Pain (32):
I did not know it was Eddie Vedder signing with Waters. Damn, even Vedder looks old.
Sucks getting old huh, I think Vedder is 44 now. thanks for the endorsement by the way
Most of the time the guy singing with Waters was some scrub, but he had a Vedder look about him. Vedder had a beard…..
All Hype – Mr. Oil, Mr. Gas, Mr. Coal says:
December 13, 2012 at 10:23 am
Pain (32):
I did not know it was Eddie Vedder signing with Waters. Damn, even Vedder looks old.
Vedder’s best days behind him:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xz3y6_pearl-jam-even-flow_music#.UMn3HxyDClc
Speaking of Hopatcong…
Hopatcong teachers wrong to use student college letters as leverage in contract talks
Imagine you’re a high school student who’s worked hard for years, with hopes of getting into the college of your dreams. The deadline to apply is coming up. All you need is the letter of recommendation from your teacher to slip into your application. Who doesn’t want to make a good impression with an early submission?
If you’re a student at Hopatcong High School, you’re out of luck. Hopatcong teachers have been staging a job action since mid-November because of a contract dispute with the board of education. Teachers haven’t walked out of the classroom. They simply stopped volunteering on their own time — which is the time they usually devote to writing college recommendation letters. Tough luck, kid. Your future in higher education is nothing more than barter material.
It has to be one of the cruelest ways to leverage teacher power in contract negotiations. There are fairer ways to bargain that don’t involve sabotaging a child’s future.
Not that long ago, teachers howled with indignation when Gov. Chris Christie accused some of them of using students like “drug mules” to find out if parents would vote on the school budget. A union spokesman at the time said a third-grade teacher in Monroe was simply teaching a civics lesson on voter participation, nothing more.
Students in Hopatcong are getting a civics lesson, too, but it’s not one anybody should care to see in the core curriculum.
Susan Hill, president of the Hopatcong teachers union, said the teachers had no choice.
“It was forced upon us,” she explained. “Our salaries were frozen. These are people who budgeted their lives based on salary increases. You have to have something to stand on. And volunteering is what we chose not to do. So volunteering needed to stop.”
Teacher salaries were frozen at 2011 levels. The New Jersey Department of Education website shows the median salary for 180 Hopatcong teachers in the 2010-2011 school year is $77,500.
Hill said teachers are near a resolution. “It’s about being made whole,” she said, regarding the salary hike the teachers were expecting, per their contract.
She said nothing about making students whole. As far as Hill is concerned, the effect on students was exaggerated: “There were few, if any affected students.”
The superintendent, principals and guidance counselors all pitched in to write letters, she said, as if that were an acceptable substitute for a teacher who knows the student best.
Clearly, there are mules in this story. They are not the students.
http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2012/12/hopatcong_teachers_wrong_to_us.html
crap someone close quotes for me /blockquote>
hah never mind!
Hopatcong high Rank: 308 of 389.
Great job guys.
http://www.schooldigger.com/go/NJ/schoolrank.aspx?level=3
http://www.schooldigger.com/go/NJ/schools/0744005362/school.aspx
Around me yes. My daughter is good friends with a girl who literally lives on the other side of the tracks. A section jammed between tracks and water by canals that have basically factories on them. Lots of little capes and ranches jammed in their and since you are wedged between tracks and commercial property, think large oil tanks, fence companies, junk yards, scrap metal yards the houses to this day are dirt cheap. The damage to my house was fairly bad but they got another five feet. Also bad you see dead cars everywhere over there till this day. Lots of those folks had 10-15 year old fords, chevys and toyotas with no coverage for theft, loss etc. So there cars also got wrecked and unlike me had no insurance company to call to tow cars away and also get some money back. Even sadder I was in a place over weekend called Island Park Long Island. OMG, entire town got a ten foot surge in a matter of a few minutes and tons of bungalows, small ranches capes that were once summer places now converted to year round. Kinda an older crowd, think italian widow who is like 80 in a small one story ranch with a used ford taurus in driveway now imagine in a matter of minutes entire house underwater. It was crazy in Island Park, much worse than Long Beach or even far rockaway, mainly cuase they did no evacuation and lots of older folks live there. Point is those folks not a penny went too. If the 85 year old widow with no kids no flood insurance no savings whose house was distroyed and is living in a fema flophouse is not getting cash who exactly is getting this cash?
yome says:
December 13, 2012 at 10:22 am
Are this your same neighborhood making $200K with homes fully paid? Why suddenly broke? Mean testing is a b*tch
“One family my daughter is friends with I know before storm her and her husband was living hand to fist, they were shopping at goodwill for clothes and putting car repairs on credit card on credit. They were also taking care of their 85 year old widowed mom who lived up the block in a cape.”
I got my letter from DHS today telling me my reimbursement for the generator was $0.00.
They didn’t even reject my reasoning for the reimbursement. They just said they don’t have any paperwork from me. As the due date was approaching I kept calling them and refaxing the paperwork. Oh well. No pony for me.
I saw Roger Waters a few years ago on the “Darkside” tour. Simply amazing, that’s all I can say. Waters in concert isn’t a show, it’s an experience. Last night was no exception. He was on the same stage with Gilmour a few years ago at the live 8 gig or whatever is was. And BTW, Bon Jovi doesn’t even belong on the same stage as anyone last night.
Hopatcong seems like a backward place. One road in-and-out of town, and the houses are very close together with odd zoning, think a lot of inbreeding has gone on back there.
What is DHS? Did you put in to FEMA? Did a FEMA inspector visit your house? You only have till 12-31 till do your FEMA claim.
FEMA paid me out what they could really quick. However, since I had a ton of damage it was a no brainer. What kind of damage is there to your home?
Brian says:
December 13, 2012 at 11:57 am
I got my letter from DHS today telling me my reimbursement for the generator was $0.00.
They didn’t even reject my reasoning for the reimbursement. They just said they don’t have any paperwork from me. As the due date was approaching I kept calling them and refaxing the paperwork. Oh well. No pony for me.
FEMA is part of DHS (Department of Homeland Security)
I submitted paperwork for a generator reimbursement. No damage to my house.
I met all the criteria. I was in a disaster zone, I bought it in the correct timeline, and the medical device was the heat. I told them I have a baby and she hasn’t had all her immunization shots yet and I didn’t want to bring her to a shelter.
http://www.fema.gov/library/file;jsessionid=FCC42377E649E6A513CA3215BC52ACE9.Worker2Library?type=publishedFile&file=ia_generator_reimbursement.pdf&fileid=33187ec0-0c82-11e0-b134-001cc4568fb6
JJ you weren’t around for this but I commented while you were gone that i didn’t think it was a coincidence that the generators they were selling at Home Depots like hotcakes around the state were the Briggs and Straton storm responder that is 5.5KW and costs $799.
FEMA reimbursements are up to 5.5KW and $800
I think my issue is that the boomers have become like a massive boat anchor.
Oddly the generator reimbursement only applies to people who were not really impacted by storm.
Everyone on my block for instance had well in excess of $31,900 in damage to homes. Since $31,900 is max you can get total. My nights in the hotel and if I bought a generator was not covered.
However, folks in houses in right zip code unaffected by sandy other than power out, could stay at a hotel and buy a generator and get reimbursed.
Brian says:
December 13, 2012 at 12:19 pm
JJ you weren’t around for this but I commented while you were gone that i didn’t think it was a coincidence that the generators they were selling at Home Depots like hotcakes around the state were the Briggs and Straton storm responder that is 5.5KW and costs $799.
FEMA reimbursements are up to 5.5KW and $800
Chris Martin brought the youth last night.
I think he also had to bring new underwear as he soiled his, singing with Michael Stipe.
Brian [50];
FEMA says my claim is below the threshold for reimbursement (threshold is $50 — I have plausible claim for $5000, and a no-brainer claim for $500). BTW, no notice of the determination, I had to check the status of my application online. They have my e-mail but couldn’t be bothered to send an message to note the determination made or even a status change in the file. They wouldn’t want me to miss the Dec 31 deadline now, would they.
JJ [58];
Oddly the generator reimbursement only applies to people who were not really impacted by storm.
And that’s just the way they like it. Calling FEMA dysfunctional is putting it mildly. They like distributing small checks to a few people — they can tell the masses who aren’t affected all that they are doing with a large-sounding numbers of people helped.
FEMA was a scandal in 2005 when GWB was president. But it’s not important (to the media) now because the ‘right’ guy, ‘their kind of guy’ is in office.
Maybe I’ll appeal….sigh…..more paperwork.
I’m having a great time buying up generators from my local Lowes and Home Depot. People who don’t know how to use a choke are returning these $800 generators with a “blown engine”. They are being sold as-is on clearance for $150. They have less than 20 hrs on them and all they need is an oil change and a new spark plug and they fire right up.
Coldplay is so vastly overrated…..
Fabius Maximus says:
December 13, 2012 at 12:46 pm
Chris Martin brought the youth last night.
I think he also had to bring new underwear as he soiled his, singing with Michael Stipe.
I’m having a great time buying up generators from my local Lowes and Home Depot. People who don’t know how to use a choke are returning these $800 generators with a “blown engine”.
Surprising, when I purchased mine from HD, they handed me a waiver saying that they would, under no circumstances, accept a return of a generator that had been fueled or run, even momentarily.
Did you guys know that its NJ state law that if a cable outage lasts more than six hours the cable company cannot charge you?
http://spartaindependent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121212/NEWS01/121219970/Cable-company-denies-credit-for-Sandy-days
64 –
I saw signs in home depot that said the same thing. They would warranty repair it after you opened it. No refunds.
Costco, however seemed to have a sizeable pile of used generators by the return counter when I was last there.
#64 grim.
I bought one in Sears before the storm and two new ones in Lowes a week after and there was nothing to sign. Maybe its just HD.
I was told yard stuff is not under FEMA. FEMA is not like regular insurance.
For instance they dont care what it costs you. For instance on fema for my den they calculate rip out at $7 dollar an hour labor, going rate for unskilled labor, cost of sheet rock up to six inches above flood line and home owner is expected to tape and spackly himself as that is cosmetic. They will also cover heat and making electric work. A tree down in yard, meaningless. stained carpet meaningless. Cost to remove debris, meaningless.
Homeowners on other hand for a a damaged room upstairs due to water damage from a tree they pay a ton.
FEMA should pay peanuts, quite frankly given my strict budget I am amazed at how cheap I could get things done vs people with full insurance.
Rip out me, zero
Mold Remediation me, $500 bucks rental and chemicals
Removed and pump out old oil tank and dispose $300 bucks.
The above would have cost like 18K from quotes I got.
Anon E. Moose says:
December 13, 2012 at 1:11 pm
Brian [50];
FEMA says my claim is below the threshold for reimbursement (threshold is $50 — I have plausible claim for $5000, and a no-brainer claim for $500). BTW, no notice of the determination, I had to check the status of my application online. They have my e-mail but couldn’t be bothered to send an message to note the determination made or even a status change in the file. They wouldn’t want me to miss the Dec 31 deadline now, would they.
64 – Grim
Same where I was as well. In fact, some of the local mom and pop shops were setting up, fueling, oiling, and then “testing” the generators just so the customers could not return them saying they “never” used it.
Cont..
And then there was the guys showing up in trucks selling generators at a 100% markup, cash only, with out of state license plates (one guy even put cardboard over his trucks license plate… probably a guy who actually lived in Jersey)
???????? ???*???*?? ??? ????
??????? http://www.xn--tck6cufy68tknxb.com/
Lowes told me it had to be returned within 30 days if it was opened, and the same store told someone else there were no returns. Didn’t matter to me anyway — I flipped it on CL for a loss a few days after power was restored — damn thing took up too much space to keep around. Plus they depreciate quickly because you have to maintain them.
In another couple of weeks I’ll have my 20KW whole house generator operational. Town inspections is the main reason I didn’t have it before the hurricane hit, and why even now, progress is creeping. All that’s left is initial start up and final inspection.
Ragnar,
What brand did you use? I was looking at Kohler 20RESAL. 5 year warranty
I’ve had my generator for two years now. Once a month, I start it, turn off the fuel line and two minutes later it turns off on its own. I usually do this when I mow the lawn or when I take out the snow throwe. Really not much to maintain there. It’s nice to have it when you need it. It also helps that I seem to have gotten a good one. I helped a handful of friends during Sandy with their new generator purchases. They all paid for Honda’s and got the cheapest Chinese krap I’ve ever seen. They all felt cheap, had no fuel or voltage indicators, burned way more fuel than they should have and didn’t even come with the pint of oil.
I think you guys putting in the full house generators are crazy, but I suppose if I had money to burn, I would do it too. I’ve used my generator 3 times in two years. Cost me $300 and about 15 gallons of gas. I think a lot of people who are putting in the full house natural gas generators are going to regret it ten years down the road when it kicks on less often than it needs to be repaired. Not trying to be a Debbie Downer, but I just can’t see the justification. Better off spending 20K to get off the electric grid.
That’s what my wife says. And I in a way agree with her. I would prefer buying a portable gen unit capable of producing full 50amp(240v) output so that I can do all the wiring myself. I would use a main panel interlock, wire it to an outdoor quick disconnect/socket. Also, I would plumb the nat gas line for a quick disconnect outdoors. This way I would just wheel over the unit to the back yard, hook up natural gas and electric connects and go. I would also need a natural gas conversion kit, ha ha. That invalidates the warranty, though. Compromises. Compromises. Bypasses the inspector, for the most part, though.
BTW, my uber $$ next door neighbor had a kohler unit put in 15 years ago and it is still running strong, just maintenance. For the size of the unit it put out 9kw. The output has doubled though for comparable size since then.
Who knows, weather patterns change and go through cycles. Things might be wild for the next decade or so and those investments pay off quickly in security in piece of mind in times of disaster.
It’s also why I keep warning folks who were flooded out in this storm to take the cash and GTFO. I would not stick around to be pummelled twice.
Robin Hood only funds 501(c)(3) organizations; it does not provide grants directly to individuals.
What a scam, I was thinking of the old widow near me who lost everything and I was going to put in a need request for her to Robin Hood.
Guess what they dont give money to individuals only certain charities and no charity on list offers help to an individual who needs her home fixed. But she can get mental grief counselling, I guess that is better than heat
(80) Thanks for the research. But those 501c3s sure can use that money to rebuild/buil upon their own real estate holdings. My old frat building was owned by a 501c3 that an alumni tax lawyer setup. Sure could use those funds to install new kitchen and carpeting. Pictures and desks, no problem. You just have to be careful in that the money goes to something that sticks to, or is part of the wall. Or sits on a desk. No questions asked.
X [77];
You still have to run it regularly to keep it lubricated and avoid internal corrosion. Stick one in your garage for three years until you need it, and its a crap shoot at best if it will fire up.
Better off spending 20K to get off the electric grid.
$20k to get off the grid? Presumably you are talking about solar here. $20k will get you a couple of light bulbs and a fridge … during the day … and it’s far short of what is required to run a house if you are talking about true 24/7 usage. Realize you’d need a toxic waste dump amount of batteries, and they’d consume your entire garage. And it doesn’t address what you do when it gets cloudy during a power outage.
I’d say your numbers are off by an order of magnitude for what it would really cost to go off-grid in a realistic scenario (you know, like being able to watch tv, dry your hair, turn on the Keurig, etc). $200k is probably just scratching the surface.
Xolepa,
Generac, 20k natgas with “smartswitch” or something like that. The switch is like another double electric panel in my basement.
Libtard, I guess I could go off the grid with this generator if I didn’t mind massive natural gas and generator maintenance bills.
How could I go off the grid entirely for $20K (prob $40k for my house) that doesn’t involve solar panels and batteries? And keep in mind that my version of going off the grid involves keeping 2 furnaces/compressors going, an electric oven, as well as a home theater projector, dual subwoofers, and other electricity-consuming beasts.
GTG at my place during the next hurricane blowing over NJ.
The New York Post does it again…..
FDNY firefighter convicted in partial verdict over fighting with transs-xual ex
By LAURA ITALIANO
He may never handle a hose again — at least not as a city firefighter.
I priced out nat gas usage using the Kohler unit going 24/7 and it would be around $38 a day. That’s very reasonable. On the other hand, if I go portable unit with tri-fuel conversion, no one lists the numbers. OK, it may be up to double bacause of lost efficiencies, carb design, etc. I can always switch back to gasoline if I want to wait in line!
For portables, I am looking at PRAMAC 14000 vs. Powermate PM0601250. Both units are just 22″ wide and should store easily. The Powermate gets great reviews. The Pramac total THD is very low but can’t find numbers on the other. Anyone have experiences with any of these?
Ragnar, the smart switch just releases juice to units on a staggart basis. The amount of wiring (read: $$) required to get that going is almost equivalent to the base price of the unit, as you have to separate out and wire cable to each of the affected units. I was looking at that option and prefer to have a simple whole house 200amp transfer switch. At that rated output, you don’t need a smart switch unless you theoretically have: well pump going, both ac units on, pool heater, pool pump, hot tub jets..etc. kick on simultaneously .
REMINDER: The 2012 taxable amount of your bonus will be subject to the bonus tax rates of:
Federal 25.00%
SS 6.20%
Medicare 1.45%
Medicare 2.35% earnings for single earning more than $200K and for married filing joint earning over $250K
NYS 9.62% effective 1/1/2013
NYC 4.50% NYC residents only
Merry xmas
89: JJ,
Aren’t you low on the fed#?
http://m.homedepot.com/p/Powerland-8500-Watt-16-HP-Tri-Fuel-Gas-LPG-and-NG-Generator-with-Electric-Start/203608222/
They sell tri fuel generators at Home Depot with electric starts. These could be wired to the house using an automatic transfer switch. I also like the idea of a diesel generator. Diesel fuel can be stockpiled much longer than gasoline. Also, you can buy off road diesel aka home heating fuel cheaper than the stuff they sell for cars and trucks
Meat just needs a little sunshine in his life.
92. Or fiber in his diet.
It’s like the ol’ unhappy co-worker syndrome. You listen for a while, perhaps let them know that things could be worse, but after a while you simply tune them out.
Same for wives and girlfriends. If they become insufferable, lot’s of guys exercise the dump option and trade the old one in for something a little less onerous.
43 – clot – regarding vedder, you couldn’t be more wrong. Sure, I’m a big fan, but take it from someone who has seen Pearl Jam 40 times and Vedder solo 4 times in the last few years….he is amazing. If you’ve(anyone) never seen PJ or him live, then you really just don’t know. and I think him singing Gilmour’s part in CN last night was def one of the highlights of the show. The crowd def responded to him.
bears (97)-
When you cut an album of ukulele songs, you are on the downslope.
That being said, I liked the ukulele CD. And, I like Eddie Vedder, but rock is a young man’s game. I’d still rather go to a Dr. Dog show than watch a bunch of geezers try to hit high notes.
sx (95)-
Yeah, things can be worse. And, they will be.
The sun came up again today.
99. For some yes. Perhaps for many. But don’t let the bastards grind you down.
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