[UCGal]

It wouldn’t be a stretch to put another residential high rise in that area – Costa Verde is already there, right across the street.

It makes sense in many ways – it’s a transportation hub, there’s shopping and restaurants.

My husband and I talked about, before we built the companion unit, downsizing to a condo in one of the high rises at UTC once the kids are grown… have a walkable lifestyle, only need one car (for vacations and further out errands), etc.

[UCGal]

The most concise goals of OWS that I’ve seen are here:

Basically
– reinstate Glass Steagall
– audit the fed
– reverse citizens united
– overhaul the tax code.

Those are tangible goals.

I also see a lot in common with the OWS movement and the very early tea party movement – before it got co-opted by Dick Army and the GOP… When Santelli declared we should have a tea party to protest the bailouts – and folks started hanging out outside the homes of bankers who got HUGE bonuses, after taking TARP money and being bailed out… That wasn’t a left/right thing – that was anger about how the losses of the banks were socialized, but the riches, in the forms of bonuses, were privatized… But then the tea party became about hatred of Obama and turned inot something else.

The underlying anger and populist feeling never went away – just got converted.

The United States has had a long history of protests actually having an impact on goverment.

* Boston Tea Party – similar to todays OWS move in many ways – protests were against government giving tax advantage to the East India Trading company at the expense of other folks.
* Womens movement
* Labor movement- very big in the 1930s – but lots of different protests.
* 1960’s student protests against the war, for civil rights, ets.
* Tea Party protests…. Can’t say they haven’t impacted the way congress is acting – or the presidential candidates are acting.

I first took notice of the OWS thing a few weeks ago (with the macing of the 4 girls, followed the next week by the police corralling people so they could arrest them on the Brooklyn bridge.) And my initial reaction was that the country was reaching a tipping point – where the corporations and the politicians they’ve bought and paid for might have to take notice.

[UCGal]

[quote=briansd1]
I had dinner with my brother and some friends last night. Someone mentioned that we needed a war to jumb-start the economy.
[/quote]

Because the two wars we’re already in have done such a great job of jump starting the economy? Seriously – what was your brother thinking is currently happening in Afghanistan and Iraq?

It might work if there were (had been) domestic cutbacks at the same time the defense spending skyrocketed… Instead we had the two wars put on the nations credit cards – and now the bills are coming in. No one wants to cut back on the war, or anywhere eles.

[UCGal]

[quote=captcha]It is not a recession until NBER says so.[/quote]
This is much more accurate than the comment about x quarters of declining gdp.
Calculated Risk posts a variety of economic indicators and often mentions that some of them are part of the consideration by the NBER when determining the recession. It’s not strictly GDP.
http://nber.org/cycles/recessions_faq.html

[UCGal]

ctr –
I liked living in Philly – and enjoy visiting friends and family there every year.
Within the city there are good spots and bad. We have friends we stay with that live a block off of Rittenhouse – great place to live and raise kids if you’re ok having the park be your yard. Other parts are downright scary (west Philly, north Philly, etc.)

But – I agree with sdr on the weather. I lived there for almost a decade, but was born and raised here. I do *not* miss the humidity in the summers.

I liked the snow – but that’s probably because as a San Diego girl, it was a novelty. And I liked getting snow days off work. LOL.

I haven’t lived in other east coast metros. But I’ve heard very nice things about Boston. But it’s a lot more pricey than Philly. And the winters are even more extreme.

[UCGal]

I just want to get the facts straight here:
– The family currently owns in your neighborhood? (Vs currently renting).

– They’re looking to walk away from their mortgage in order to rent from you?

– Is their current house for sale (short sale)? Or are they looking at just doing a jingle mail?

– What is to prevent them from doing the same to you? Breaking the lease…

I guess I consider the fact that it appears (based on what you posted) that they’re not even trying to short sale, that this is a bigger red flag than the bankruptcy. At least in my book.

[UCGal]

[quote=flu]Maybe this is sort of off topic, but maybe someone else has been noticing….

I’ve been seeing more and more things being made in the USA again…. Inexpensive things that you would think have low margins and outsourced….I mean, things like plastic boxes, screen meshes, screws, nuts bolts, that traditionally was be made overseas is now here…

Have we reached a point that that our currency and economy is so trashed that it’s starting to look more competitive to manufacture in some of the rustbelts/midwest now versus overseas?

Also, maybe there is some hope afterall???

Americans have no choice but to get more frugal

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/americans-no-choice-more-frugal-135559129.html?sec=topStories&pos=9&asset=&ccode=
[/quote]
My husband tried in vain to buy lightbulbs manufactured in the US.
There aren’t any.

He also was looking for an outdoor light fixture – same thing – none available at the big box stores (Home depot, lowes, lamps plus.)

[UCGal]

[quote=sunny88]To all realtors out there-do you think it’s acceptable to contact people who are divorcing based on accessible public documents and market yourself?
Your opinion is much appreciated.[/quote]
Not a realtor… but chiming in anyway.

It may be legal, but it’s slimy.

[UCGal]

[quote=jpinpb]Was that a flip or was the sold price of 818k the price at which it went back to the bank?[/quote]

I did a very quick (could be inaccurate) database dive. It does not look like it was a foreclosure.

But this was done just look at deed recordings and not seeing any NOT/NOD’s under the various parties’ names.

[UCGal]

[quote=sdrealtor]My title rep had to stop providing lists of NOD’s and NOT’s about 2 years ago as its now a RESPA violation to do so. What that rep proposed sounds like ti goes well beyond that.[/quote]
Aren’t they public record? Recorded by the county?
And can’t you get the data from sites like foreclosure radar?

Not disagreeing about it being a RESPA violation… just wondering why when the info is still public record….

[UCGal]

[quote=flu]Interesting. Well I’m not going to be using the IPad moving forward so I took out my CC info from it.

I’m getting just going to be using the Xoom.[/quote]

flu –
Be warned – the same thing just happened to a friend of mine… on a xoom, but to the tune of $834.79.

I immediately remembered your iPad story.

[UCGal]

[quote=ctr70]Not every suburb is a “stucco box” either. the suburbs of Boston like Brookline MA are gorgeous tree lined, quaint, with character, every home different. And I’m sure NYC (Westchester Co.), Chicago (Evanston) and DC too. Much of Seattle too.[/quote]
Yep – I lived less than 2 miles from the city border of Philadelphia – and this was my shopping area (1.5 blocks from my house)
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=keswick+theater,+glenside,+pa&hl=en&ll=40.105813,-75.147042&spn=0.010323,0.01869&sll=32.853922,-117.21468&sspn=0.094166,0.149517&vpsrc=0&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=40.105991,-75.147136&panoid=CeLs-VRVKN8nEUzZvmfzjw&cbp=12,340.42,,0,11.73
And this was my street
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Fairhill+Avenue,+Glenside,+PA&hl=en&ll=40.102531,-75.148512&spn=0.005359,0.009345&sll=40.105994,-75.147128&sspn=0.010405,0.01869&vpsrc=6&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=40.102562,-75.148634&panoid=0hUKltXWufKxA4XoKNXv7w&cbp=12,243.37,,0,8.89

Not stucco box at all.

That said – the neighborhood around where I worked – just 5 miles away – total tract home bla-ness.

[UCGal]

[quote=urbanrealtor]
As far as not using Realtors:

On the seller side:
Avoiding paying commissions is a good idea if you can swing it.
HOWEVER, if you sold in a week as a FSBO, you probably did not get full market value.
That’s just the reality of today’s market.
But I put my money where my mouth is.
If you want, we will get a past appraisal done by Todd Lackner (whose integrity is pretty much beyond reproach) and if I am right, you pay for it and if I am wrong I will pay for it.
I am betting you sold at a discount.
PM me.
[/quote]

I’m just curious whether this appraisal would reflect the NET that Aecetia pocketed (no realtor fee paid) – or the gross, which he’d have to reduce by the realtor fee.

I suspect the FSBO was a win-win. That Aecetia pocketed more money, and the buyer got a below market price – because no realtor fees were taken out.

But I could be wrong. I’m wrong often and regularly.

[UCGal]

[quote=sdduuuude]I have a 4.5 HP motor they could use if they would like to shred the other little plastic lego bots into tiny pieces.[/quote]
I have this strange feeling that might disqualify them. LMAO.

[UCGal]

[quote=sdduuuude]Trucks are good for this cuz you can use the weight of the batteries to better balance out the weight of the vehicle towards the rear to give you better traction/handling in the unloaded state.

Is that event in San Diego ?[/quote]
There are a bunch of qualifying events around San Diego – we’re not sure which one we’re going to – either Preuss on 11/11 or Eastlake on 11/12.

If the kids make it past the qualifying round then it’s on to Legoland for the regionals. They did last year – but who knows if they can do it again.

It’s not nearly as cool as battle bots – but for 10 year olds, it’s a good start.

[Author]

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