Economy and Markets
The Monopoly Man is Back
The other day I got into an argument with Ian. He’s my business partner in our home buying company. Ian and I are about as harmonious as a shaved bear in a bee hive. It’s not uncommon for us to disagree. We have opposing personalities. While this keeps our business in check, it can lead [...]
Turning Dinners into Dollars
A few weeks ago I met with one of my Real Estate students, Tom Gontz, for lunch to discuss the results he’s getting from his marketing efforts. After looking over his numbers, the conversation segued into a discussion of the current market and some non-conventional opportunities that he’s seen for making money in the current economy. [...]
News Digest – April 7
Investment properties were big sellers in 2011 Read More at CNN.com $25 Billion robo signing settlement reached. Read More at HousingWire.com 7 Unbelievable homes Read More at CafeMom.com
News Digest – March 24
Only 27% of consumers now what HAMP and HARP are Read More at RealtyBizNews.com Home buying is cheaper than renting but why aren’t more people buying? Read More at CNN.com Small homes near urban areas on the rise Read More at HousingWire.com
Real Estate Investing: Why Your Business Is $h!t and Fu#k@d Up and Bull$h!t
I bet the “Occupy Wall Street” protestors are having fun. The weather’s beautiful in NYC this time of year. There’s a Starbucks on every block. And did I mention the shopping? I’ve been seeing a lot of news coverage about this and wanted to figure out for myself what this movement is all about, so [...]
News Digest – October 20
Zillow: Neighborhoods with the most real estate searches Check out the hottest neighborhoods in the country Even celebrities are flipping properties Find out which celebrity is making moves High point of REO sales still a ways off Read Story at HousingWire.com
Flipping Real Estate — Why Les Christie Needs To Shut His Face…
By Jeff Shiller, Esq. A quote from Les Christie, a CNN Money reporter, the other day: “Buy a home on the cheap and flip it for big profits? That dream is all but dead.” All but dead? Allllllrighty, then. Sorry guys, we’re shuttering the windows, locking the doors and heading out to save [...]
Will Fear Rule Your Real Estate Future?
Here’s something fun to try: Put on a blindfold. One that completely blocks out every bit of light – like the darkest of nights. Next, put on earmuffs, earplugs, cotton, or whatever else you can find to block out every bit of sound. All you should be able to hear is the buzzing in your [...]
Save The Economy. Get a Divorce.
Want any easy way to figure out if the recession’s over? Look at divorce rates. The U.S. Census Bureau this past week released data from its 2010 American Community Survey, which revealed that divorces in this Country grew by almost 1MM in 2010 to 26,996,203 people (I think I’ll hit the singles bar tonight).
What does Home Depot’s Growth Mean?
Home repair giant Home Depot recently announced that its 2nd quarter net income rose 14% from the previous quarter prompting an upward adjustment in expected earnings for the year. Compared to the anemic GDP growth of only 1.3% in the same quarter the promising Home Depot numbers could mean one or both following scenarios are [...]
A Summer Break Question: Who Should We Kill First – Frank, Fannie or Whitey?
I hope you’re having a fun-filled and relaxing summer. Have you, like me, been taking time to chill on the beach with your dog named Skipper and read exciting non-fiction books about the U.S. fiat money system and failed economic policies? I knew it! I hadn’t planned on blogging until summer was over, but when [...]
Beyond a shadow of a doubt
If you conduct a search for real estate news you’re more than likely to find a number of articles referring to shadow inventory. Many of these articles have titles such as, “Shadow Inventory Causing Delay in Recovery” and “Shadow Inventory Hints that Real Estate Bottom is Near”. Many of my readers have been asking me [...]
Incredible deals right in your backyard
Inman News just released its list of the best markets for real estate investors. The nationwide search included such factors as unemployment rate, steady population growth, ratio of foreclosures, and of course price. The best part is that 2 of the 10 markets are in the outskirts of Hard Money Bankers home lending area, meaning [...]
Florida Condo Market Revisited
Remember the blog post we posted about a month ago discussing the current condo market in Florida? You don’t? Well, brush up on the subject by reading the post and watching the interview Jeff Shiller did with Ross Milroy of Miami Angel Investments by clicking below. With Recovery Underway, Is It Time To Buy in [...]
The Nation’s Best Real Estate Market Is…
As of the 4th quarter 2010, the nation’s best real estate market is…The Washington DC Metro Area!! (according to the S & P and Case Shiller Home Indices). From the 4th quarter 2009 to the 4th quarter 2010, the DC Area rose by 4.1% while the national average was a decrease of 4.1%. See the [...]
Weekly News Digest – January 1
Maryland rich get richer REIT tax exemptions a thing of the past Will higher rates = more sales? Flipping houses a great start for real estate investing beginners
Magic 8-Ball – The Perfect Housing Predictor
I keep a magic 8-ball available on my desk to assist with all important decisions in my life. I gave up on the mirror on the wall after some poor judgment calls by the mirror led to divorce. Lately, I’ve been getting some “look-sees” at good rehab deals. So yesterday, before I plopped down 157G’s, [...]
Poll: What would you do?
The robo-signers have gone haywire, signing every foreclosure they see. Some of the foreclosures were processed without the proper due diligence. Let’s say that you are President Obama. You need to make the choice on whether to put a nationwide moratorium on foreclosure proceedings. On one hand you don’t want anyone to unjustly lose their [...]
