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What really sucks is that I, as a contract employee, have been paying into the unemployment system for 14 years and if I’m let go, I can’t collect unemployment from my own company.

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What really sucks is that I, as a contract employee, have been paying into the unemployment system for 14 years and if I’m let go, I can’t collect unemployment from my own company.

[sdduuuude]

What really sucks is that I, as a contract employee, have been paying into the unemployment system for 14 years and if I’m let go, I can’t collect unemployment from my own company.

[sdduuuude]

What really sucks is that I, as a contract employee, have been paying into the unemployment system for 14 years and if I’m let go, I can’t collect unemployment from my own company.

[sdduuuude]

treehugger – I was once told by a smart guy that real-estate attorneys make real-estate transactions a nightmare. I believe him. Lawyers already drafed up all the forms. You just need a good escrow agent, really, to organize everything.

Realtors are not about finding a house, they are about getting you through the process. Though, for busy people, having a realtor preview places is very useful. If you don’t want to waste time shopping, a realtor is a big time-saver. If you like shopping around, it can be a little annoying that you need one to let you in. You could always call the listing agent and tell them you don’t have an agent. They’ll let you in in a heartbeat and try to sign you up. Just view the house, then decline their services as a buyers agent.

Piggs don’t need realtors, but the rest of the world does because it is a pretty complicated process. Sure, it is complicated, in part, due to the realtors, but most of the legal pitfalls are certainly real, and would be there with or without agents.

For sure, you can find a realtor who will work on an hourly basis to show you homes and sign the forms as your agent. You just do the legwork to minimize their time.

Still, your situation is the exception. Most people need help.

[sdduuuude]

treehugger – I was once told by a smart guy that real-estate attorneys make real-estate transactions a nightmare. I believe him. Lawyers already drafed up all the forms. You just need a good escrow agent, really, to organize everything.

Realtors are not about finding a house, they are about getting you through the process. Though, for busy people, having a realtor preview places is very useful. If you don’t want to waste time shopping, a realtor is a big time-saver. If you like shopping around, it can be a little annoying that you need one to let you in. You could always call the listing agent and tell them you don’t have an agent. They’ll let you in in a heartbeat and try to sign you up. Just view the house, then decline their services as a buyers agent.

Piggs don’t need realtors, but the rest of the world does because it is a pretty complicated process. Sure, it is complicated, in part, due to the realtors, but most of the legal pitfalls are certainly real, and would be there with or without agents.

For sure, you can find a realtor who will work on an hourly basis to show you homes and sign the forms as your agent. You just do the legwork to minimize their time.

Still, your situation is the exception. Most people need help.

[sdduuuude]

treehugger – I was once told by a smart guy that real-estate attorneys make real-estate transactions a nightmare. I believe him. Lawyers already drafed up all the forms. You just need a good escrow agent, really, to organize everything.

Realtors are not about finding a house, they are about getting you through the process. Though, for busy people, having a realtor preview places is very useful. If you don’t want to waste time shopping, a realtor is a big time-saver. If you like shopping around, it can be a little annoying that you need one to let you in. You could always call the listing agent and tell them you don’t have an agent. They’ll let you in in a heartbeat and try to sign you up. Just view the house, then decline their services as a buyers agent.

Piggs don’t need realtors, but the rest of the world does because it is a pretty complicated process. Sure, it is complicated, in part, due to the realtors, but most of the legal pitfalls are certainly real, and would be there with or without agents.

For sure, you can find a realtor who will work on an hourly basis to show you homes and sign the forms as your agent. You just do the legwork to minimize their time.

Still, your situation is the exception. Most people need help.

[sdduuuude]

treehugger – I was once told by a smart guy that real-estate attorneys make real-estate transactions a nightmare. I believe him. Lawyers already drafed up all the forms. You just need a good escrow agent, really, to organize everything.

Realtors are not about finding a house, they are about getting you through the process. Though, for busy people, having a realtor preview places is very useful. If you don’t want to waste time shopping, a realtor is a big time-saver. If you like shopping around, it can be a little annoying that you need one to let you in. You could always call the listing agent and tell them you don’t have an agent. They’ll let you in in a heartbeat and try to sign you up. Just view the house, then decline their services as a buyers agent.

Piggs don’t need realtors, but the rest of the world does because it is a pretty complicated process. Sure, it is complicated, in part, due to the realtors, but most of the legal pitfalls are certainly real, and would be there with or without agents.

For sure, you can find a realtor who will work on an hourly basis to show you homes and sign the forms as your agent. You just do the legwork to minimize their time.

Still, your situation is the exception. Most people need help.

[sdduuuude]

treehugger – I was once told by a smart guy that real-estate attorneys make real-estate transactions a nightmare. I believe him. Lawyers already drafed up all the forms. You just need a good escrow agent, really, to organize everything.

Realtors are not about finding a house, they are about getting you through the process. Though, for busy people, having a realtor preview places is very useful. If you don’t want to waste time shopping, a realtor is a big time-saver. If you like shopping around, it can be a little annoying that you need one to let you in. You could always call the listing agent and tell them you don’t have an agent. They’ll let you in in a heartbeat and try to sign you up. Just view the house, then decline their services as a buyers agent.

Piggs don’t need realtors, but the rest of the world does because it is a pretty complicated process. Sure, it is complicated, in part, due to the realtors, but most of the legal pitfalls are certainly real, and would be there with or without agents.

For sure, you can find a realtor who will work on an hourly basis to show you homes and sign the forms as your agent. You just do the legwork to minimize their time.

Still, your situation is the exception. Most people need help.

[sdduuuude]

[quote=sdrealtor]There is a fairly widely held hypothesis that because we can find so much more information online about real estate that the market is more efficient and hence prices should be relatively lower now.[/quote]

sdr, I think I’m going to correct you by saying that I don’t think that is how I would describe the “fairly widely held hypothesis”

You say the hypothesis is that the market is more efficient and hence prices should be lower now.

I think, a few years ago, the hypothesis was this:
1) Prices are well above fundamentals.
2) Without the internet, it would take a long time for prices to drop. With the internet, prices should adjust more quickly to a level supported by fundamentals.

The hypothesis was about the speed of correction, not the price level to which it would correct.

You have to admit, such a large plunge in 3 years from 2005 to 2008 is a pretty rapid adjustment.

[sdduuuude]

[quote=sdrealtor]There is a fairly widely held hypothesis that because we can find so much more information online about real estate that the market is more efficient and hence prices should be relatively lower now.[/quote]

sdr, I think I’m going to correct you by saying that I don’t think that is how I would describe the “fairly widely held hypothesis”

You say the hypothesis is that the market is more efficient and hence prices should be lower now.

I think, a few years ago, the hypothesis was this:
1) Prices are well above fundamentals.
2) Without the internet, it would take a long time for prices to drop. With the internet, prices should adjust more quickly to a level supported by fundamentals.

The hypothesis was about the speed of correction, not the price level to which it would correct.

You have to admit, such a large plunge in 3 years from 2005 to 2008 is a pretty rapid adjustment.

[sdduuuude]

[quote=sdrealtor]There is a fairly widely held hypothesis that because we can find so much more information online about real estate that the market is more efficient and hence prices should be relatively lower now.[/quote]

sdr, I think I’m going to correct you by saying that I don’t think that is how I would describe the “fairly widely held hypothesis”

You say the hypothesis is that the market is more efficient and hence prices should be lower now.

I think, a few years ago, the hypothesis was this:
1) Prices are well above fundamentals.
2) Without the internet, it would take a long time for prices to drop. With the internet, prices should adjust more quickly to a level supported by fundamentals.

The hypothesis was about the speed of correction, not the price level to which it would correct.

You have to admit, such a large plunge in 3 years from 2005 to 2008 is a pretty rapid adjustment.

[sdduuuude]

[quote=sdrealtor]There is a fairly widely held hypothesis that because we can find so much more information online about real estate that the market is more efficient and hence prices should be relatively lower now.[/quote]

sdr, I think I’m going to correct you by saying that I don’t think that is how I would describe the “fairly widely held hypothesis”

You say the hypothesis is that the market is more efficient and hence prices should be lower now.

I think, a few years ago, the hypothesis was this:
1) Prices are well above fundamentals.
2) Without the internet, it would take a long time for prices to drop. With the internet, prices should adjust more quickly to a level supported by fundamentals.

The hypothesis was about the speed of correction, not the price level to which it would correct.

You have to admit, such a large plunge in 3 years from 2005 to 2008 is a pretty rapid adjustment.

[sdduuuude]

[quote=sdrealtor]There is a fairly widely held hypothesis that because we can find so much more information online about real estate that the market is more efficient and hence prices should be relatively lower now.[/quote]

sdr, I think I’m going to correct you by saying that I don’t think that is how I would describe the “fairly widely held hypothesis”

You say the hypothesis is that the market is more efficient and hence prices should be lower now.

I think, a few years ago, the hypothesis was this:
1) Prices are well above fundamentals.
2) Without the internet, it would take a long time for prices to drop. With the internet, prices should adjust more quickly to a level supported by fundamentals.

The hypothesis was about the speed of correction, not the price level to which it would correct.

You have to admit, such a large plunge in 3 years from 2005 to 2008 is a pretty rapid adjustment.

[sdduuuude]

[quote=FormerSanDiegan]I think there is a fundamental flaw in here, and that is the assumption that more efficient means lower prices. A more efficient market would simply respond more immediately to supply and demand. Prices may increase or decrease when this happens.
[/quote]

Agree 100%.

Is there any evidence to suggest that prices are higher or lower for any goods due to the existence of ebay ? The market is more active, but there is no real price pressure in either direction.

Wonder if econ prof knows of any theories about whether or not the sales process has a positive or negative effect on prices. My intuition says no effect at all.

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