[CricketOnTheHearth]

jimmyle, my 401(K) also sucks re precious metals– no such option whatsoever. I looked back in 2007 or so and blast blast blast– no way to move my $ into something more solid. All I get to choose from are various types of “funds”.

So I did the best I could and moved like half of it into bonds-type funds, the closest I could get to T-bills given the options they gave me, and lost “only” 25% in the fall of 2008. As the $#!+ was hitting the fan I boosted my proportions so that nearly half of it is in the “stable value fund” (like a money market account), another third in conservative bond funds, and the remainder in my basket of stock funds. Since then I’ve gained most of what I lost back.

However, I think this stock market rise is a mirage and I don’t trust it. Also my company suspended the 401(K) match. So I cut in half the % of my income that I put into it each month, and have that money wired into my credit union account instead. I figure when the market crashes I will wait til stocks appear to have bottomed, then up my paycheck deduction again enough to “put back in” what I put in the credit union.

I know this attempted market timing is kind of cheesy, but I just can’t see putting my 16 raisins into this thing only to see it decline by 25 raisins during the year. It feels like flushing my money down a black hole when that happens.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

jimmyle, my 401(K) also sucks re precious metals– no such option whatsoever. I looked back in 2007 or so and blast blast blast– no way to move my $ into something more solid. All I get to choose from are various types of “funds”.

So I did the best I could and moved like half of it into bonds-type funds, the closest I could get to T-bills given the options they gave me, and lost “only” 25% in the fall of 2008. As the $#!+ was hitting the fan I boosted my proportions so that nearly half of it is in the “stable value fund” (like a money market account), another third in conservative bond funds, and the remainder in my basket of stock funds. Since then I’ve gained most of what I lost back.

However, I think this stock market rise is a mirage and I don’t trust it. Also my company suspended the 401(K) match. So I cut in half the % of my income that I put into it each month, and have that money wired into my credit union account instead. I figure when the market crashes I will wait til stocks appear to have bottomed, then up my paycheck deduction again enough to “put back in” what I put in the credit union.

I know this attempted market timing is kind of cheesy, but I just can’t see putting my 16 raisins into this thing only to see it decline by 25 raisins during the year. It feels like flushing my money down a black hole when that happens.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

jimmyle, my 401(K) also sucks re precious metals– no such option whatsoever. I looked back in 2007 or so and blast blast blast– no way to move my $ into something more solid. All I get to choose from are various types of “funds”.

So I did the best I could and moved like half of it into bonds-type funds, the closest I could get to T-bills given the options they gave me, and lost “only” 25% in the fall of 2008. As the $#!+ was hitting the fan I boosted my proportions so that nearly half of it is in the “stable value fund” (like a money market account), another third in conservative bond funds, and the remainder in my basket of stock funds. Since then I’ve gained most of what I lost back.

However, I think this stock market rise is a mirage and I don’t trust it. Also my company suspended the 401(K) match. So I cut in half the % of my income that I put into it each month, and have that money wired into my credit union account instead. I figure when the market crashes I will wait til stocks appear to have bottomed, then up my paycheck deduction again enough to “put back in” what I put in the credit union.

I know this attempted market timing is kind of cheesy, but I just can’t see putting my 16 raisins into this thing only to see it decline by 25 raisins during the year. It feels like flushing my money down a black hole when that happens.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

jimmyle, my 401(K) also sucks re precious metals– no such option whatsoever. I looked back in 2007 or so and blast blast blast– no way to move my $ into something more solid. All I get to choose from are various types of “funds”.

So I did the best I could and moved like half of it into bonds-type funds, the closest I could get to T-bills given the options they gave me, and lost “only” 25% in the fall of 2008. As the $#!+ was hitting the fan I boosted my proportions so that nearly half of it is in the “stable value fund” (like a money market account), another third in conservative bond funds, and the remainder in my basket of stock funds. Since then I’ve gained most of what I lost back.

However, I think this stock market rise is a mirage and I don’t trust it. Also my company suspended the 401(K) match. So I cut in half the % of my income that I put into it each month, and have that money wired into my credit union account instead. I figure when the market crashes I will wait til stocks appear to have bottomed, then up my paycheck deduction again enough to “put back in” what I put in the credit union.

I know this attempted market timing is kind of cheesy, but I just can’t see putting my 16 raisins into this thing only to see it decline by 25 raisins during the year. It feels like flushing my money down a black hole when that happens.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

dd123–

It doesn’t make sense that prices have bottomed; either decent houses are priced out of reach of most normal incomes, or houses that are priced within normal incomes are scarce on the ground ’cause the “cash investors” got them all.

I think the main reasons prices aren’t going lower is just that the system is locked up. Few people are selling at any reasonable price because most people are underwater in their houses. Few can afford to buy at the price most people need to stay above water, so sales (of higher-priced dwellings) are moribund.

The only thing that would spring these underwater houses loose into the market is (1) mortgage cramdowns for the borrowers, so they could sell at a lower price, or (2) if they are delinquent they are foreclosed upon and the house is then sold for whatever the market will pay for it. Banks/Congress/State Assembly/county dogcatcher have taken every superhuman effort possible to prevent either (1) or (2) so we are in lockup. This is NOT the same as a normal “bottom”.

There are huge downward pressures on housing prices in the fundamentals arena (incomes, unemployment, NODs, unlisted deliquencies, etc) so I don’t think this is a stable situation either. The Fed and Treasury can blow only so much money at the situation then something’s gotta give.

I know it is wicked frustrating; I myself have chronic neck cramps from the frustration. But my gut says, “not now”.

Arraya, thanks for the heads-up, I sent it to my friend who is a small business owner and has already seen his line of credit cut. Gives validation to my gut, too.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

dd123–

It doesn’t make sense that prices have bottomed; either decent houses are priced out of reach of most normal incomes, or houses that are priced within normal incomes are scarce on the ground ’cause the “cash investors” got them all.

I think the main reasons prices aren’t going lower is just that the system is locked up. Few people are selling at any reasonable price because most people are underwater in their houses. Few can afford to buy at the price most people need to stay above water, so sales (of higher-priced dwellings) are moribund.

The only thing that would spring these underwater houses loose into the market is (1) mortgage cramdowns for the borrowers, so they could sell at a lower price, or (2) if they are delinquent they are foreclosed upon and the house is then sold for whatever the market will pay for it. Banks/Congress/State Assembly/county dogcatcher have taken every superhuman effort possible to prevent either (1) or (2) so we are in lockup. This is NOT the same as a normal “bottom”.

There are huge downward pressures on housing prices in the fundamentals arena (incomes, unemployment, NODs, unlisted deliquencies, etc) so I don’t think this is a stable situation either. The Fed and Treasury can blow only so much money at the situation then something’s gotta give.

I know it is wicked frustrating; I myself have chronic neck cramps from the frustration. But my gut says, “not now”.

Arraya, thanks for the heads-up, I sent it to my friend who is a small business owner and has already seen his line of credit cut. Gives validation to my gut, too.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

dd123–

It doesn’t make sense that prices have bottomed; either decent houses are priced out of reach of most normal incomes, or houses that are priced within normal incomes are scarce on the ground ’cause the “cash investors” got them all.

I think the main reasons prices aren’t going lower is just that the system is locked up. Few people are selling at any reasonable price because most people are underwater in their houses. Few can afford to buy at the price most people need to stay above water, so sales (of higher-priced dwellings) are moribund.

The only thing that would spring these underwater houses loose into the market is (1) mortgage cramdowns for the borrowers, so they could sell at a lower price, or (2) if they are delinquent they are foreclosed upon and the house is then sold for whatever the market will pay for it. Banks/Congress/State Assembly/county dogcatcher have taken every superhuman effort possible to prevent either (1) or (2) so we are in lockup. This is NOT the same as a normal “bottom”.

There are huge downward pressures on housing prices in the fundamentals arena (incomes, unemployment, NODs, unlisted deliquencies, etc) so I don’t think this is a stable situation either. The Fed and Treasury can blow only so much money at the situation then something’s gotta give.

I know it is wicked frustrating; I myself have chronic neck cramps from the frustration. But my gut says, “not now”.

Arraya, thanks for the heads-up, I sent it to my friend who is a small business owner and has already seen his line of credit cut. Gives validation to my gut, too.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

dd123–

It doesn’t make sense that prices have bottomed; either decent houses are priced out of reach of most normal incomes, or houses that are priced within normal incomes are scarce on the ground ’cause the “cash investors” got them all.

I think the main reasons prices aren’t going lower is just that the system is locked up. Few people are selling at any reasonable price because most people are underwater in their houses. Few can afford to buy at the price most people need to stay above water, so sales (of higher-priced dwellings) are moribund.

The only thing that would spring these underwater houses loose into the market is (1) mortgage cramdowns for the borrowers, so they could sell at a lower price, or (2) if they are delinquent they are foreclosed upon and the house is then sold for whatever the market will pay for it. Banks/Congress/State Assembly/county dogcatcher have taken every superhuman effort possible to prevent either (1) or (2) so we are in lockup. This is NOT the same as a normal “bottom”.

There are huge downward pressures on housing prices in the fundamentals arena (incomes, unemployment, NODs, unlisted deliquencies, etc) so I don’t think this is a stable situation either. The Fed and Treasury can blow only so much money at the situation then something’s gotta give.

I know it is wicked frustrating; I myself have chronic neck cramps from the frustration. But my gut says, “not now”.

Arraya, thanks for the heads-up, I sent it to my friend who is a small business owner and has already seen his line of credit cut. Gives validation to my gut, too.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

dd123–

It doesn’t make sense that prices have bottomed; either decent houses are priced out of reach of most normal incomes, or houses that are priced within normal incomes are scarce on the ground ’cause the “cash investors” got them all.

I think the main reasons prices aren’t going lower is just that the system is locked up. Few people are selling at any reasonable price because most people are underwater in their houses. Few can afford to buy at the price most people need to stay above water, so sales (of higher-priced dwellings) are moribund.

The only thing that would spring these underwater houses loose into the market is (1) mortgage cramdowns for the borrowers, so they could sell at a lower price, or (2) if they are delinquent they are foreclosed upon and the house is then sold for whatever the market will pay for it. Banks/Congress/State Assembly/county dogcatcher have taken every superhuman effort possible to prevent either (1) or (2) so we are in lockup. This is NOT the same as a normal “bottom”.

There are huge downward pressures on housing prices in the fundamentals arena (incomes, unemployment, NODs, unlisted deliquencies, etc) so I don’t think this is a stable situation either. The Fed and Treasury can blow only so much money at the situation then something’s gotta give.

I know it is wicked frustrating; I myself have chronic neck cramps from the frustration. But my gut says, “not now”.

Arraya, thanks for the heads-up, I sent it to my friend who is a small business owner and has already seen his line of credit cut. Gives validation to my gut, too.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

I’m not sure if it’s a bug with having a “summary” split out or what, but I see this post is showing up twice in the “Active Forum Topics”… such was not my intention.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

I’m not sure if it’s a bug with having a “summary” split out or what, but I see this post is showing up twice in the “Active Forum Topics”… such was not my intention.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

I’m not sure if it’s a bug with having a “summary” split out or what, but I see this post is showing up twice in the “Active Forum Topics”… such was not my intention.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

I’m not sure if it’s a bug with having a “summary” split out or what, but I see this post is showing up twice in the “Active Forum Topics”… such was not my intention.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

I’m not sure if it’s a bug with having a “summary” split out or what, but I see this post is showing up twice in the “Active Forum Topics”… such was not my intention.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

Oh, Yeahhhhhhhh!!!!!!

I just read ‘FHA’ October 19, 2009 – 2:48pm comment in full.

Holy cow, the Kool-Aid Man is here, wearin’ a smile.

[Author]

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