[cabal]

Here’s the Pigg thread that eventually trolled me into finally joining.

http://piggington.com/ot_your_take_on_creationism_0

Frankly, I was shocked that even 8 out of 92 respondents were firm believers in creationism given the fact based analytical nature of Pigg posters. I thought the results would be more like 1 out of 92. No doubt the numbers will be higher applied to the whole country as areas like the bible belt weigh in. I suspect the number of bible thumpers are more than one thinks, some blatant while the silent majority stay polite and measured.

It is true there are lot’s of highly educated successful professionals that attend church on a regular basis. I see and socialize with them when I attend, and I attend primarily for the pragmatic sermons which helps one to live a positive and productive life. While most churchgoers would agree dinosaurs did not live 9000 years ago, most if not all will say Jesus is the true Son of God inferring a supernatural element. I’ve always wondered how many self proclaimed, western educated Christians truly believe this deep down inside. It’s one thing to claim in the belief of an animating force a la Deism, it’s quite another to presume God decided to single out this insignificant planet among the billions in this galaxy to have his presence known. Before anyone tries to save me from eternal damnation, know that I endured 12 years of Catholic school.

To this day, I personally still don’t know what to believe. I do know that in 1000 years when we make contact with an advanced life form, we need to keep the religious representatives out of the welcome committee. Telling our new friends to accept Jesus as their savior might result in a Ray Gun shoved up our worthless asses.

[cabal]

I can’t believe the Ladder Theory is being discussed on Piggington. Some fun thoughts on the theory based on discussions with friends.

The ladder theory is really a glimpse into a larger complex theory, analogous to Newtons rudimentary understanding of gravity as a starting point towards understanding general relativity. Let’s start with the women ladders. First, the good ladder is really composed of many ladders inextricably joined together, with each ladder representing a specific need. The male brain, because of its primitive state, is unable to discern the entire ladder bundle, and only sees the good ladder. Sorry boys, no free ride. Pioneers like radio personality Tom Leykis makes a living explaining the mechanics of ladder theory via the tenets of Leykis 101, but also attempts to take it one step farther by devising innovative techniques to detach the good ladder from the bundle in order to achieve the ultimate goal of a booty call. He tries to achieve this by maximizing disparity – exhibit wealth, induce low self-esteem, show no interest, as well as be entertaining.

Men also have two ladders as well, not one. Unlike the parallel ladder system of females, mens ladders are vertical. The upper ladder is where potential long term partners are placed, but one must ascend the lower ladder to its apex in order to have a shot at reaching the upper ladder. Whereas the lower ladder hierarchy is determined by (60% looks, 40% willingness, and 10% misc), many men make the fatal mistake of assigning no further criteria to reach the upper ladder. In effect, these men marry for beauty. The result is typically a bad union with many ending in divorce. The marriages that last are usually a result of pure luck in selecting the right mate since most men don’t know what they were doing, me included. On a serious note, the correct criteria for the upper ladder should be reallocated to 40% looks and 60% cool chick factor. I define the cool chick factor as a loose compilation of attributes that includes among other things, the ability to handle extreme adversity with calmness (grit), the willingness to sacrifice without hesitation, no sense of entitlement no matter how much wealth or social status is accumulated, a positive easy going attitude unconcerned with minor dislikes (i.e. no honey do list or nagging), and a continual awareness not to take their mate for granted. Not sure if I articulated this point clearly, but this kind of rare woman can be guaranteed their partners will love and cherish them forever, even after the looks fade. It is difficult to identify these women as people change continuously throughout their life. The person you met 20 yrs ago is as different 10 yrs ago as she is today.

I fully understand the disdain for marriage by men due to its destructive nature upon failure. Like many, I support the marriage certificate as a symbolic document used for public declaration of mutual love and commitment. There should be very limited legal consequences with the exception of child support. Aside from this detail, the issue really boils down to the pros and cons of an uncommitted versus a committed relationship. Sure it’s great to have many partners and the conversations may be engaging, but this can also get boring over time, and unfulfillng especially as one gets older. The one thing that makes life tolerable is intimacy and I don’t believe it’s possible to build real and ever increasing intimacy unless you are in a committed relationship. Do men need or want intimacy? Probably not and everyone is wired differently, but once truly experienced, there is no substitute imo, similar to the unconditional love one feels for their children, or the brotherhood formed by soldiers who face death together in the battlefield. My vote goes on the committed relationship side.

[cabal]

I can’t believe the Ladder Theory is being discussed on Piggington. Some fun thoughts on the theory based on discussions with friends.

The ladder theory is really a glimpse into a larger complex theory, analogous to Newtons rudimentary understanding of gravity as a starting point towards understanding general relativity. Let’s start with the women ladders. First, the good ladder is really composed of many ladders inextricably joined together, with each ladder representing a specific need. The male brain, because of its primitive state, is unable to discern the entire ladder bundle, and only sees the good ladder. Sorry boys, no free ride. Pioneers like radio personality Tom Leykis makes a living explaining the mechanics of ladder theory via the tenets of Leykis 101, but also attempts to take it one step farther by devising innovative techniques to detach the good ladder from the bundle in order to achieve the ultimate goal of a booty call. He tries to achieve this by maximizing disparity – exhibit wealth, induce low self-esteem, show no interest, as well as be entertaining.

Men also have two ladders as well, not one. Unlike the parallel ladder system of females, mens ladders are vertical. The upper ladder is where potential long term partners are placed, but one must ascend the lower ladder to its apex in order to have a shot at reaching the upper ladder. Whereas the lower ladder hierarchy is determined by (60% looks, 40% willingness, and 10% misc), many men make the fatal mistake of assigning no further criteria to reach the upper ladder. In effect, these men marry for beauty. The result is typically a bad union with many ending in divorce. The marriages that last are usually a result of pure luck in selecting the right mate since most men don’t know what they were doing, me included. On a serious note, the correct criteria for the upper ladder should be reallocated to 40% looks and 60% cool chick factor. I define the cool chick factor as a loose compilation of attributes that includes among other things, the ability to handle extreme adversity with calmness (grit), the willingness to sacrifice without hesitation, no sense of entitlement no matter how much wealth or social status is accumulated, a positive easy going attitude unconcerned with minor dislikes (i.e. no honey do list or nagging), and a continual awareness not to take their mate for granted. Not sure if I articulated this point clearly, but this kind of rare woman can be guaranteed their partners will love and cherish them forever, even after the looks fade. It is difficult to identify these women as people change continuously throughout their life. The person you met 20 yrs ago is as different 10 yrs ago as she is today.

I fully understand the disdain for marriage by men due to its destructive nature upon failure. Like many, I support the marriage certificate as a symbolic document used for public declaration of mutual love and commitment. There should be very limited legal consequences with the exception of child support. Aside from this detail, the issue really boils down to the pros and cons of an uncommitted versus a committed relationship. Sure it’s great to have many partners and the conversations may be engaging, but this can also get boring over time, and unfulfillng especially as one gets older. The one thing that makes life tolerable is intimacy and I don’t believe it’s possible to build real and ever increasing intimacy unless you are in a committed relationship. Do men need or want intimacy? Probably not and everyone is wired differently, but once truly experienced, there is no substitute imo, similar to the unconditional love one feels for their children, or the brotherhood formed by soldiers who face death together in the battlefield. My vote goes on the committed relationship side.

[cabal]

I can’t believe the Ladder Theory is being discussed on Piggington. Some fun thoughts on the theory based on discussions with friends.

The ladder theory is really a glimpse into a larger complex theory, analogous to Newtons rudimentary understanding of gravity as a starting point towards understanding general relativity. Let’s start with the women ladders. First, the good ladder is really composed of many ladders inextricably joined together, with each ladder representing a specific need. The male brain, because of its primitive state, is unable to discern the entire ladder bundle, and only sees the good ladder. Sorry boys, no free ride. Pioneers like radio personality Tom Leykis makes a living explaining the mechanics of ladder theory via the tenets of Leykis 101, but also attempts to take it one step farther by devising innovative techniques to detach the good ladder from the bundle in order to achieve the ultimate goal of a booty call. He tries to achieve this by maximizing disparity – exhibit wealth, induce low self-esteem, show no interest, as well as be entertaining.

Men also have two ladders as well, not one. Unlike the parallel ladder system of females, mens ladders are vertical. The upper ladder is where potential long term partners are placed, but one must ascend the lower ladder to its apex in order to have a shot at reaching the upper ladder. Whereas the lower ladder hierarchy is determined by (60% looks, 40% willingness, and 10% misc), many men make the fatal mistake of assigning no further criteria to reach the upper ladder. In effect, these men marry for beauty. The result is typically a bad union with many ending in divorce. The marriages that last are usually a result of pure luck in selecting the right mate since most men don’t know what they were doing, me included. On a serious note, the correct criteria for the upper ladder should be reallocated to 40% looks and 60% cool chick factor. I define the cool chick factor as a loose compilation of attributes that includes among other things, the ability to handle extreme adversity with calmness (grit), the willingness to sacrifice without hesitation, no sense of entitlement no matter how much wealth or social status is accumulated, a positive easy going attitude unconcerned with minor dislikes (i.e. no honey do list or nagging), and a continual awareness not to take their mate for granted. Not sure if I articulated this point clearly, but this kind of rare woman can be guaranteed their partners will love and cherish them forever, even after the looks fade. It is difficult to identify these women as people change continuously throughout their life. The person you met 20 yrs ago is as different 10 yrs ago as she is today.

I fully understand the disdain for marriage by men due to its destructive nature upon failure. Like many, I support the marriage certificate as a symbolic document used for public declaration of mutual love and commitment. There should be very limited legal consequences with the exception of child support. Aside from this detail, the issue really boils down to the pros and cons of an uncommitted versus a committed relationship. Sure it’s great to have many partners and the conversations may be engaging, but this can also get boring over time, and unfulfillng especially as one gets older. The one thing that makes life tolerable is intimacy and I don’t believe it’s possible to build real and ever increasing intimacy unless you are in a committed relationship. Do men need or want intimacy? Probably not and everyone is wired differently, but once truly experienced, there is no substitute imo, similar to the unconditional love one feels for their children, or the brotherhood formed by soldiers who face death together in the battlefield. My vote goes on the committed relationship side.

[cabal]

I can’t believe the Ladder Theory is being discussed on Piggington. Some fun thoughts on the theory based on discussions with friends.

The ladder theory is really a glimpse into a larger complex theory, analogous to Newtons rudimentary understanding of gravity as a starting point towards understanding general relativity. Let’s start with the women ladders. First, the good ladder is really composed of many ladders inextricably joined together, with each ladder representing a specific need. The male brain, because of its primitive state, is unable to discern the entire ladder bundle, and only sees the good ladder. Sorry boys, no free ride. Pioneers like radio personality Tom Leykis makes a living explaining the mechanics of ladder theory via the tenets of Leykis 101, but also attempts to take it one step farther by devising innovative techniques to detach the good ladder from the bundle in order to achieve the ultimate goal of a booty call. He tries to achieve this by maximizing disparity – exhibit wealth, induce low self-esteem, show no interest, as well as be entertaining.

Men also have two ladders as well, not one. Unlike the parallel ladder system of females, mens ladders are vertical. The upper ladder is where potential long term partners are placed, but one must ascend the lower ladder to its apex in order to have a shot at reaching the upper ladder. Whereas the lower ladder hierarchy is determined by (60% looks, 40% willingness, and 10% misc), many men make the fatal mistake of assigning no further criteria to reach the upper ladder. In effect, these men marry for beauty. The result is typically a bad union with many ending in divorce. The marriages that last are usually a result of pure luck in selecting the right mate since most men don’t know what they were doing, me included. On a serious note, the correct criteria for the upper ladder should be reallocated to 40% looks and 60% cool chick factor. I define the cool chick factor as a loose compilation of attributes that includes among other things, the ability to handle extreme adversity with calmness (grit), the willingness to sacrifice without hesitation, no sense of entitlement no matter how much wealth or social status is accumulated, a positive easy going attitude unconcerned with minor dislikes (i.e. no honey do list or nagging), and a continual awareness not to take their mate for granted. Not sure if I articulated this point clearly, but this kind of rare woman can be guaranteed their partners will love and cherish them forever, even after the looks fade. It is difficult to identify these women as people change continuously throughout their life. The person you met 20 yrs ago is as different 10 yrs ago as she is today.

I fully understand the disdain for marriage by men due to its destructive nature upon failure. Like many, I support the marriage certificate as a symbolic document used for public declaration of mutual love and commitment. There should be very limited legal consequences with the exception of child support. Aside from this detail, the issue really boils down to the pros and cons of an uncommitted versus a committed relationship. Sure it’s great to have many partners and the conversations may be engaging, but this can also get boring over time, and unfulfillng especially as one gets older. The one thing that makes life tolerable is intimacy and I don’t believe it’s possible to build real and ever increasing intimacy unless you are in a committed relationship. Do men need or want intimacy? Probably not and everyone is wired differently, but once truly experienced, there is no substitute imo, similar to the unconditional love one feels for their children, or the brotherhood formed by soldiers who face death together in the battlefield. My vote goes on the committed relationship side.

[cabal]

I can’t believe the Ladder Theory is being discussed on Piggington. Some fun thoughts on the theory based on discussions with friends.

The ladder theory is really a glimpse into a larger complex theory, analogous to Newtons rudimentary understanding of gravity as a starting point towards understanding general relativity. Let’s start with the women ladders. First, the good ladder is really composed of many ladders inextricably joined together, with each ladder representing a specific need. The male brain, because of its primitive state, is unable to discern the entire ladder bundle, and only sees the good ladder. Sorry boys, no free ride. Pioneers like radio personality Tom Leykis makes a living explaining the mechanics of ladder theory via the tenets of Leykis 101, but also attempts to take it one step farther by devising innovative techniques to detach the good ladder from the bundle in order to achieve the ultimate goal of a booty call. He tries to achieve this by maximizing disparity – exhibit wealth, induce low self-esteem, show no interest, as well as be entertaining.

Men also have two ladders as well, not one. Unlike the parallel ladder system of females, mens ladders are vertical. The upper ladder is where potential long term partners are placed, but one must ascend the lower ladder to its apex in order to have a shot at reaching the upper ladder. Whereas the lower ladder hierarchy is determined by (60% looks, 40% willingness, and 10% misc), many men make the fatal mistake of assigning no further criteria to reach the upper ladder. In effect, these men marry for beauty. The result is typically a bad union with many ending in divorce. The marriages that last are usually a result of pure luck in selecting the right mate since most men don’t know what they were doing, me included. On a serious note, the correct criteria for the upper ladder should be reallocated to 40% looks and 60% cool chick factor. I define the cool chick factor as a loose compilation of attributes that includes among other things, the ability to handle extreme adversity with calmness (grit), the willingness to sacrifice without hesitation, no sense of entitlement no matter how much wealth or social status is accumulated, a positive easy going attitude unconcerned with minor dislikes (i.e. no honey do list or nagging), and a continual awareness not to take their mate for granted. Not sure if I articulated this point clearly, but this kind of rare woman can be guaranteed their partners will love and cherish them forever, even after the looks fade. It is difficult to identify these women as people change continuously throughout their life. The person you met 20 yrs ago is as different 10 yrs ago as she is today.

I fully understand the disdain for marriage by men due to its destructive nature upon failure. Like many, I support the marriage certificate as a symbolic document used for public declaration of mutual love and commitment. There should be very limited legal consequences with the exception of child support. Aside from this detail, the issue really boils down to the pros and cons of an uncommitted versus a committed relationship. Sure it’s great to have many partners and the conversations may be engaging, but this can also get boring over time, and unfulfillng especially as one gets older. The one thing that makes life tolerable is intimacy and I don’t believe it’s possible to build real and ever increasing intimacy unless you are in a committed relationship. Do men need or want intimacy? Probably not and everyone is wired differently, but once truly experienced, there is no substitute imo, similar to the unconditional love one feels for their children, or the brotherhood formed by soldiers who face death together in the battlefield. My vote goes on the committed relationship side.

[cabal]

[quote=CA renter][quote=CONCHO]For example, if a foreclosure appraises at 500K but a shrewd buyer negotiates a deal at 400K, a follow on buyer for a similar house will baseline his purchase price at 400K, not the correct 500K. In effect you have a circular death spiral in home prices to the benefit of the buyer.

Funny how no one complained about it when it was working the other way around. In a neighborhood of $400K houses, whenever any house on the block sold for $500K, everyone on the block was immediately $100K richer and would tell you all about it every chance they got. I guess it’s just not as much fun on the way down :-([/quote]

Funny! That’s the first thing that came to my mind as well.

When fraudulent transactions and no-down, neg-am loans were used by speculators with no skin in the game, the rising prices of comps were “based on fundamentals.” When prices drop as this fraud is wrung out of the market, somehow prices are “below market.” Funny how that works…[/quote]

There are many unwilling participants of this wild roller coaster ride who view a primary residence as a place to raise a family, not an investment. It is a reasonable expectation to sell at a price consistent with historical norms when life circumstances dictate. Moreover, it is understandable if not expected, to reject offers 100K-200K below historical norms. No one is asking to sell at inflated prices. Schadenfreude and other undesirable traits may obscure this very basic and obvious point.

Many will agree that all is fair in love and war and real estate investing. I do not envy folks who made a killing riding the bubble, nor do I have sympathy for those who purchased at the peak and lost everything. These are risk reward consequences of free choice. I pass no judgment on those that knowingly and eagerly sold an overpriced asset at the peak to a naive buyer. Some may call this an immoral act. However, I do find it insincere that the same people now have the audacity to complain that the same overpriced asset is not depreciating fast enough for their liking because they’re tired of renting coupled with the desire to make a second killing. I don’t personally know any of these nefarious people, does anyone?

Regarding our realtor, we picked that person simply because enough information and choice presented itself to make a decision. No need to complicate the process and fall into an analysis paralysis trap.

[cabal]

[quote=CA renter][quote=CONCHO]For example, if a foreclosure appraises at 500K but a shrewd buyer negotiates a deal at 400K, a follow on buyer for a similar house will baseline his purchase price at 400K, not the correct 500K. In effect you have a circular death spiral in home prices to the benefit of the buyer.

Funny how no one complained about it when it was working the other way around. In a neighborhood of $400K houses, whenever any house on the block sold for $500K, everyone on the block was immediately $100K richer and would tell you all about it every chance they got. I guess it’s just not as much fun on the way down :-([/quote]

Funny! That’s the first thing that came to my mind as well.

When fraudulent transactions and no-down, neg-am loans were used by speculators with no skin in the game, the rising prices of comps were “based on fundamentals.” When prices drop as this fraud is wrung out of the market, somehow prices are “below market.” Funny how that works…[/quote]

There are many unwilling participants of this wild roller coaster ride who view a primary residence as a place to raise a family, not an investment. It is a reasonable expectation to sell at a price consistent with historical norms when life circumstances dictate. Moreover, it is understandable if not expected, to reject offers 100K-200K below historical norms. No one is asking to sell at inflated prices. Schadenfreude and other undesirable traits may obscure this very basic and obvious point.

Many will agree that all is fair in love and war and real estate investing. I do not envy folks who made a killing riding the bubble, nor do I have sympathy for those who purchased at the peak and lost everything. These are risk reward consequences of free choice. I pass no judgment on those that knowingly and eagerly sold an overpriced asset at the peak to a naive buyer. Some may call this an immoral act. However, I do find it insincere that the same people now have the audacity to complain that the same overpriced asset is not depreciating fast enough for their liking because they’re tired of renting coupled with the desire to make a second killing. I don’t personally know any of these nefarious people, does anyone?

Regarding our realtor, we picked that person simply because enough information and choice presented itself to make a decision. No need to complicate the process and fall into an analysis paralysis trap.

[cabal]

[quote=CA renter][quote=CONCHO]For example, if a foreclosure appraises at 500K but a shrewd buyer negotiates a deal at 400K, a follow on buyer for a similar house will baseline his purchase price at 400K, not the correct 500K. In effect you have a circular death spiral in home prices to the benefit of the buyer.

Funny how no one complained about it when it was working the other way around. In a neighborhood of $400K houses, whenever any house on the block sold for $500K, everyone on the block was immediately $100K richer and would tell you all about it every chance they got. I guess it’s just not as much fun on the way down :-([/quote]

Funny! That’s the first thing that came to my mind as well.

When fraudulent transactions and no-down, neg-am loans were used by speculators with no skin in the game, the rising prices of comps were “based on fundamentals.” When prices drop as this fraud is wrung out of the market, somehow prices are “below market.” Funny how that works…[/quote]

There are many unwilling participants of this wild roller coaster ride who view a primary residence as a place to raise a family, not an investment. It is a reasonable expectation to sell at a price consistent with historical norms when life circumstances dictate. Moreover, it is understandable if not expected, to reject offers 100K-200K below historical norms. No one is asking to sell at inflated prices. Schadenfreude and other undesirable traits may obscure this very basic and obvious point.

Many will agree that all is fair in love and war and real estate investing. I do not envy folks who made a killing riding the bubble, nor do I have sympathy for those who purchased at the peak and lost everything. These are risk reward consequences of free choice. I pass no judgment on those that knowingly and eagerly sold an overpriced asset at the peak to a naive buyer. Some may call this an immoral act. However, I do find it insincere that the same people now have the audacity to complain that the same overpriced asset is not depreciating fast enough for their liking because they’re tired of renting coupled with the desire to make a second killing. I don’t personally know any of these nefarious people, does anyone?

Regarding our realtor, we picked that person simply because enough information and choice presented itself to make a decision. No need to complicate the process and fall into an analysis paralysis trap.

[cabal]

[quote=CA renter][quote=CONCHO]For example, if a foreclosure appraises at 500K but a shrewd buyer negotiates a deal at 400K, a follow on buyer for a similar house will baseline his purchase price at 400K, not the correct 500K. In effect you have a circular death spiral in home prices to the benefit of the buyer.

Funny how no one complained about it when it was working the other way around. In a neighborhood of $400K houses, whenever any house on the block sold for $500K, everyone on the block was immediately $100K richer and would tell you all about it every chance they got. I guess it’s just not as much fun on the way down :-([/quote]

Funny! That’s the first thing that came to my mind as well.

When fraudulent transactions and no-down, neg-am loans were used by speculators with no skin in the game, the rising prices of comps were “based on fundamentals.” When prices drop as this fraud is wrung out of the market, somehow prices are “below market.” Funny how that works…[/quote]

There are many unwilling participants of this wild roller coaster ride who view a primary residence as a place to raise a family, not an investment. It is a reasonable expectation to sell at a price consistent with historical norms when life circumstances dictate. Moreover, it is understandable if not expected, to reject offers 100K-200K below historical norms. No one is asking to sell at inflated prices. Schadenfreude and other undesirable traits may obscure this very basic and obvious point.

Many will agree that all is fair in love and war and real estate investing. I do not envy folks who made a killing riding the bubble, nor do I have sympathy for those who purchased at the peak and lost everything. These are risk reward consequences of free choice. I pass no judgment on those that knowingly and eagerly sold an overpriced asset at the peak to a naive buyer. Some may call this an immoral act. However, I do find it insincere that the same people now have the audacity to complain that the same overpriced asset is not depreciating fast enough for their liking because they’re tired of renting coupled with the desire to make a second killing. I don’t personally know any of these nefarious people, does anyone?

Regarding our realtor, we picked that person simply because enough information and choice presented itself to make a decision. No need to complicate the process and fall into an analysis paralysis trap.

[cabal]

[quote=CA renter][quote=CONCHO]For example, if a foreclosure appraises at 500K but a shrewd buyer negotiates a deal at 400K, a follow on buyer for a similar house will baseline his purchase price at 400K, not the correct 500K. In effect you have a circular death spiral in home prices to the benefit of the buyer.

Funny how no one complained about it when it was working the other way around. In a neighborhood of $400K houses, whenever any house on the block sold for $500K, everyone on the block was immediately $100K richer and would tell you all about it every chance they got. I guess it’s just not as much fun on the way down :-([/quote]

Funny! That’s the first thing that came to my mind as well.

When fraudulent transactions and no-down, neg-am loans were used by speculators with no skin in the game, the rising prices of comps were “based on fundamentals.” When prices drop as this fraud is wrung out of the market, somehow prices are “below market.” Funny how that works…[/quote]

There are many unwilling participants of this wild roller coaster ride who view a primary residence as a place to raise a family, not an investment. It is a reasonable expectation to sell at a price consistent with historical norms when life circumstances dictate. Moreover, it is understandable if not expected, to reject offers 100K-200K below historical norms. No one is asking to sell at inflated prices. Schadenfreude and other undesirable traits may obscure this very basic and obvious point.

Many will agree that all is fair in love and war and real estate investing. I do not envy folks who made a killing riding the bubble, nor do I have sympathy for those who purchased at the peak and lost everything. These are risk reward consequences of free choice. I pass no judgment on those that knowingly and eagerly sold an overpriced asset at the peak to a naive buyer. Some may call this an immoral act. However, I do find it insincere that the same people now have the audacity to complain that the same overpriced asset is not depreciating fast enough for their liking because they’re tired of renting coupled with the desire to make a second killing. I don’t personally know any of these nefarious people, does anyone?

Regarding our realtor, we picked that person simply because enough information and choice presented itself to make a decision. No need to complicate the process and fall into an analysis paralysis trap.

[cabal]

We were in a similar, but somewhat reverse situation earlier this year. Our plans were to accelerate our sell date and downsize for eventual retirement. Although we purchased well before the bubble and would have recovered our investment plus some, the decline relative to the 2006 peak was still hard to reconcile.

Here’s a brief summary of our experience.

We had planned on interviewing several realtors including a few on this site whom I would recommend consideration should you decide to sell. I’ve read their posts on and off for the past 2 years and find them very knowledgeable on local neighborhoods, measured, and usually balanced unless trolled into no win arguments. Unfortunately, my wife mentioned our intentions to a friend and before you know it, we were inundated with calls. We eventually selected with a local, top producer who was an acquaintance. Only real issue was asking price as we settled on a price higher than what this person recommended.

We received the most activity within the first two weeks. After that, the traffic dropped precipitously to probably 1 showing per week. Of interest was that 70% of the potential buyers surveyed thought the house was priced at market value and 20% thought it is was above market value. Unfortunately, the offers we received were all extreme lowballs, which we promptly rejected usually without any counteroffer. With respect to buyer profile, 40% were Asians who knew the local market inside out and probably go around making lowballs hoping one would bite. 30% were out of state professionals relocating to SD.

I think the biggest frustration for non-distressed sellers are the comps being biased low due to short and foreclosure closings. It’s unfortunate for sellers that comps are based on sales price rather than the appraised value. For example, if a foreclosure appraises at 500K but a shrewd buyer negotiates a deal at 400K, a follow on buyer for a similar house will baseline his purchase price at 400K, not the correct 500K. In effect you have a circular death spiral in home prices to the benefit of the buyer. For this reason and others, some homes have overcorrected as basic purchase metrics such as rent to PITI parity have been mutilated beyond recognition. Imo, the smart money began leaving the herd in late 2008 when fear was high, competition light and quality abundant.

Another interesting development was that many of our neighbors immediately assumed we were in financial difficulty and readily offered up all kinds of advice ranging from loan mods to rent with option to buy. In retrospect, the buyers probably made the same assumptions. Eventually we pulled the house off the market and will stay put until this storm passes. If you decide to sell your 720K house, be prepared for offers as low as 600K. Good luck.

[cabal]

We were in a similar, but somewhat reverse situation earlier this year. Our plans were to accelerate our sell date and downsize for eventual retirement. Although we purchased well before the bubble and would have recovered our investment plus some, the decline relative to the 2006 peak was still hard to reconcile.

Here’s a brief summary of our experience.

We had planned on interviewing several realtors including a few on this site whom I would recommend consideration should you decide to sell. I’ve read their posts on and off for the past 2 years and find them very knowledgeable on local neighborhoods, measured, and usually balanced unless trolled into no win arguments. Unfortunately, my wife mentioned our intentions to a friend and before you know it, we were inundated with calls. We eventually selected with a local, top producer who was an acquaintance. Only real issue was asking price as we settled on a price higher than what this person recommended.

We received the most activity within the first two weeks. After that, the traffic dropped precipitously to probably 1 showing per week. Of interest was that 70% of the potential buyers surveyed thought the house was priced at market value and 20% thought it is was above market value. Unfortunately, the offers we received were all extreme lowballs, which we promptly rejected usually without any counteroffer. With respect to buyer profile, 40% were Asians who knew the local market inside out and probably go around making lowballs hoping one would bite. 30% were out of state professionals relocating to SD.

I think the biggest frustration for non-distressed sellers are the comps being biased low due to short and foreclosure closings. It’s unfortunate for sellers that comps are based on sales price rather than the appraised value. For example, if a foreclosure appraises at 500K but a shrewd buyer negotiates a deal at 400K, a follow on buyer for a similar house will baseline his purchase price at 400K, not the correct 500K. In effect you have a circular death spiral in home prices to the benefit of the buyer. For this reason and others, some homes have overcorrected as basic purchase metrics such as rent to PITI parity have been mutilated beyond recognition. Imo, the smart money began leaving the herd in late 2008 when fear was high, competition light and quality abundant.

Another interesting development was that many of our neighbors immediately assumed we were in financial difficulty and readily offered up all kinds of advice ranging from loan mods to rent with option to buy. In retrospect, the buyers probably made the same assumptions. Eventually we pulled the house off the market and will stay put until this storm passes. If you decide to sell your 720K house, be prepared for offers as low as 600K. Good luck.

[cabal]

We were in a similar, but somewhat reverse situation earlier this year. Our plans were to accelerate our sell date and downsize for eventual retirement. Although we purchased well before the bubble and would have recovered our investment plus some, the decline relative to the 2006 peak was still hard to reconcile.

Here’s a brief summary of our experience.

We had planned on interviewing several realtors including a few on this site whom I would recommend consideration should you decide to sell. I’ve read their posts on and off for the past 2 years and find them very knowledgeable on local neighborhoods, measured, and usually balanced unless trolled into no win arguments. Unfortunately, my wife mentioned our intentions to a friend and before you know it, we were inundated with calls. We eventually selected with a local, top producer who was an acquaintance. Only real issue was asking price as we settled on a price higher than what this person recommended.

We received the most activity within the first two weeks. After that, the traffic dropped precipitously to probably 1 showing per week. Of interest was that 70% of the potential buyers surveyed thought the house was priced at market value and 20% thought it is was above market value. Unfortunately, the offers we received were all extreme lowballs, which we promptly rejected usually without any counteroffer. With respect to buyer profile, 40% were Asians who knew the local market inside out and probably go around making lowballs hoping one would bite. 30% were out of state professionals relocating to SD.

I think the biggest frustration for non-distressed sellers are the comps being biased low due to short and foreclosure closings. It’s unfortunate for sellers that comps are based on sales price rather than the appraised value. For example, if a foreclosure appraises at 500K but a shrewd buyer negotiates a deal at 400K, a follow on buyer for a similar house will baseline his purchase price at 400K, not the correct 500K. In effect you have a circular death spiral in home prices to the benefit of the buyer. For this reason and others, some homes have overcorrected as basic purchase metrics such as rent to PITI parity have been mutilated beyond recognition. Imo, the smart money began leaving the herd in late 2008 when fear was high, competition light and quality abundant.

Another interesting development was that many of our neighbors immediately assumed we were in financial difficulty and readily offered up all kinds of advice ranging from loan mods to rent with option to buy. In retrospect, the buyers probably made the same assumptions. Eventually we pulled the house off the market and will stay put until this storm passes. If you decide to sell your 720K house, be prepared for offers as low as 600K. Good luck.

[cabal]

We were in a similar, but somewhat reverse situation earlier this year. Our plans were to accelerate our sell date and downsize for eventual retirement. Although we purchased well before the bubble and would have recovered our investment plus some, the decline relative to the 2006 peak was still hard to reconcile.

Here’s a brief summary of our experience.

We had planned on interviewing several realtors including a few on this site whom I would recommend consideration should you decide to sell. I’ve read their posts on and off for the past 2 years and find them very knowledgeable on local neighborhoods, measured, and usually balanced unless trolled into no win arguments. Unfortunately, my wife mentioned our intentions to a friend and before you know it, we were inundated with calls. We eventually selected with a local, top producer who was an acquaintance. Only real issue was asking price as we settled on a price higher than what this person recommended.

We received the most activity within the first two weeks. After that, the traffic dropped precipitously to probably 1 showing per week. Of interest was that 70% of the potential buyers surveyed thought the house was priced at market value and 20% thought it is was above market value. Unfortunately, the offers we received were all extreme lowballs, which we promptly rejected usually without any counteroffer. With respect to buyer profile, 40% were Asians who knew the local market inside out and probably go around making lowballs hoping one would bite. 30% were out of state professionals relocating to SD.

I think the biggest frustration for non-distressed sellers are the comps being biased low due to short and foreclosure closings. It’s unfortunate for sellers that comps are based on sales price rather than the appraised value. For example, if a foreclosure appraises at 500K but a shrewd buyer negotiates a deal at 400K, a follow on buyer for a similar house will baseline his purchase price at 400K, not the correct 500K. In effect you have a circular death spiral in home prices to the benefit of the buyer. For this reason and others, some homes have overcorrected as basic purchase metrics such as rent to PITI parity have been mutilated beyond recognition. Imo, the smart money began leaving the herd in late 2008 when fear was high, competition light and quality abundant.

Another interesting development was that many of our neighbors immediately assumed we were in financial difficulty and readily offered up all kinds of advice ranging from loan mods to rent with option to buy. In retrospect, the buyers probably made the same assumptions. Eventually we pulled the house off the market and will stay put until this storm passes. If you decide to sell your 720K house, be prepared for offers as low as 600K. Good luck.

[Author]

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