In E-Mail Age, Postal Service Struggles to Avoid a Default - NYTimes.com
The United States Postal Service has long lived on the financial edge, but it has never been as close to the precipice as it is today: the agency is so low on cash that it will not be able to make a $5.5 billion payment due this month and may have to shut down entirely this winter unless Congress takes emergency action to stabilize its finances.
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I meant to post this over the weekend. Thanks to Fred Pilot for reminding me. Right wingers and libertarians have salivated for decades over the prospect of privatizing the US Postal Service. They make the usual claims of government inefficiency. But the postal service is tasked with delivering first class mail to all locations in the nation with equal speed at the same price. It costs 44 cents to send a letter from one block in downtown Chicago to the next block, or from one remote rural location in Maine to another remote rural location in the state of Washington. Does anybody think that things will stay that way if the Republicans stage another game of chicken and threaten to let the postal service go into default and out of business, unless Obama and the Democrats agree to privatize it? Here in Chicago parking rates doubled when Daley privatized the parking meters; same with tolls on the Skyway. Some tasks are not very profitable, and businesses don't want to do those things.
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
Monday, September 05, 2011
HOAs as destroyers of community
HOAs are often referred to by the community association industry as its name suggests, communities. Veteran HOA critic George Staropoli however has a different perspective, asserting in a white paper that HOAs starve communities of the social capital they need to develop true community:
These associations do not create positive social capital consisting of social networks and connections with reciprocal relationships, social interactions, trustworthiness and mutual obligations between the powerful boards and the rank and file homeowners. Rather, HOAs are a major cause of the destruction of social capital within the subdivision community. And as HOAs have become institutionalized — being accepted without question as “that’s the way it is” — they have made a substantial contribution to the decline in social capital in America.
Recovery In the Housing Market Does Not Mean Higher Prices: Is the Post Still Listening to David Lereah? | Beat the Press
Recovery In the Housing Market Does Not Mean Higher Prices: Is the Post Still Listening to David Lereah? | Beat the Press
It seems that the Post still doesn't understand that there was a housing bubble. This means that prices fell from bubble-inflated levels and that they are not comming back. This is just like the NASDAQ which peaked at over 5000 in March of 2000. More than 10 year later it stands at less than half this level.
It's the same story with house prices. They peaked at levels that were more than 70 percent above their long-term trend. They still have not fully returned to their trend levels, having about 10 percent more to decline. There is absolutely zero reason to think that nationwide house prices will rise from current levels.
There continues to be an enormous excess supply of housing which can be most directly demonstrated by the fact that the housing vacancy rate remains near the record high set in 2010. There is nothing in the fundamentals of the supply and demand of the housing market that would indicate that we should expect house prices to rise from their long-term trend.
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From Dean Baker, who is constantly correcting the nonsensical econo-speak emanating from the media.
It seems that the Post still doesn't understand that there was a housing bubble. This means that prices fell from bubble-inflated levels and that they are not comming back. This is just like the NASDAQ which peaked at over 5000 in March of 2000. More than 10 year later it stands at less than half this level.
It's the same story with house prices. They peaked at levels that were more than 70 percent above their long-term trend. They still have not fully returned to their trend levels, having about 10 percent more to decline. There is absolutely zero reason to think that nationwide house prices will rise from current levels.
There continues to be an enormous excess supply of housing which can be most directly demonstrated by the fact that the housing vacancy rate remains near the record high set in 2010. There is nothing in the fundamentals of the supply and demand of the housing market that would indicate that we should expect house prices to rise from their long-term trend.
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From Dean Baker, who is constantly correcting the nonsensical econo-speak emanating from the media.
Is Phoenix an Example of Good Housing Policy? | Beat the Press
Is Phoenix an Example of Good Housing Policy? | Beat the Press
It is not clear that the pattern in Phoenix's housing market is one that many cities would want to emulate.
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Really. Take a look at the graph. And of course it is wall to wall CIDs.
It is not clear that the pattern in Phoenix's housing market is one that many cities would want to emulate.
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Really. Take a look at the graph. And of course it is wall to wall CIDs.
Sunday, September 04, 2011
Bank of America 'called grieving widow 48 times a day to remind her of husband's debt' | Mail Online
Bank of America 'called grieving widow 48 times a day to remind her of husband's debt' | Mail Online
Bank of America bombarded a grieving widow with calls up to 48 times a day to remind her that her recently deceased husband had missed a mortgage payment, it is claimed.
Deborah Crabtree, from Honolulu, Hawaii, is suing the bank after she said she was called by debt collectors as often as every 15 minutes including during the wake for her husband.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2033465/Bank-America-called-grieving-widow-48-times-day-remind-husbands-debt.html#ixzz1X0rHIhPi
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Stay classy, Bank of America.
Bank of America bombarded a grieving widow with calls up to 48 times a day to remind her that her recently deceased husband had missed a mortgage payment, it is claimed.
Deborah Crabtree, from Honolulu, Hawaii, is suing the bank after she said she was called by debt collectors as often as every 15 minutes including during the wake for her husband.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2033465/Bank-America-called-grieving-widow-48-times-day-remind-husbands-debt.html#ixzz1X0rHIhPi
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Stay classy, Bank of America.
US Real Estate: The Housing Market is Shrinking - CNBC
US Real Estate: The Housing Market is Shrinking - CNBC
The granular, organic, whatever you want to call it…non-distressed market is withering away. Sellers are afraid to put their homes on the market for fear of losing too much equity, which means there are fewer potential move-up buyers. First time buyers are choosing to rent in droves, as unemployment and the wider economy recover far more slowly than expected.
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One third of home sales in the second quarter of this year were foreclosures and short sales. But the bigger problem, says real estate writer Diana Olick, is that the number of non-distressed sales fell.
People keep talking about "when the housing market comes back," but it seems more likely that we have entered a new era in housing in this country. The old days are not coming back at all. The home ownership rate may go down permanently with young people renting instead of aspiring to ownership. The days of your home being your main investment may be over. Housing prices may never climb dependably again. And if gasoline costs ten bucks a gallon (which I think we will see within 5 to 10 years) suburban and exurban housing as we know it won't work for most people. We have far too many houses and condo units already. There are millions of foreclosures yet to be done. And the entire institution of common interest housing rests on the over-estimated abilities of the average middle-class homeowner to fund and operate a homeowner or condominium association in perpetuity.
The granular, organic, whatever you want to call it…non-distressed market is withering away. Sellers are afraid to put their homes on the market for fear of losing too much equity, which means there are fewer potential move-up buyers. First time buyers are choosing to rent in droves, as unemployment and the wider economy recover far more slowly than expected.
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One third of home sales in the second quarter of this year were foreclosures and short sales. But the bigger problem, says real estate writer Diana Olick, is that the number of non-distressed sales fell.
People keep talking about "when the housing market comes back," but it seems more likely that we have entered a new era in housing in this country. The old days are not coming back at all. The home ownership rate may go down permanently with young people renting instead of aspiring to ownership. The days of your home being your main investment may be over. Housing prices may never climb dependably again. And if gasoline costs ten bucks a gallon (which I think we will see within 5 to 10 years) suburban and exurban housing as we know it won't work for most people. We have far too many houses and condo units already. There are millions of foreclosures yet to be done. And the entire institution of common interest housing rests on the over-estimated abilities of the average middle-class homeowner to fund and operate a homeowner or condominium association in perpetuity.
Saturday, September 03, 2011
Central Florida's smaller cities look for nickel-and-dime budget cuts
Having weathered four years of declining property values, local governments have whittled spending to essential services, and some have spent reserve funds, according to city managers and finance directors.
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It's all the fault of Privatopia for failing to preserve property values.
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It's all the fault of Privatopia for failing to preserve property values.
Friday, September 02, 2011
The $4 Trillion Dollar Question | The Big Picture
The $4 Trillion Dollar Question | The Big Picture
This analysis is by Dhaval Joshi, a financial analyst, reprinted on Barry Ritholtz's blog (highly recommended). It appeared in June 2010 but I just ran across it. Here's the lead:
"Can the US economy really return to “business as usual” when it has 4 million houses surplus to requirement, when 1 out of 4 mortgages are in negative equity, and when by our calculation, it is burdened with $4 trillion of excess mortgage debt, equivalent to 30% of GDP?"
This analysis is by Dhaval Joshi, a financial analyst, reprinted on Barry Ritholtz's blog (highly recommended). It appeared in June 2010 but I just ran across it. Here's the lead:
"Can the US economy really return to “business as usual” when it has 4 million houses surplus to requirement, when 1 out of 4 mortgages are in negative equity, and when by our calculation, it is burdened with $4 trillion of excess mortgage debt, equivalent to 30% of GDP?"
Robo-signed mortgage docs date back to late 1990s - Yahoo! News
Robo-signed mortgage docs date back to late 1990s - Yahoo! News
Counties across the United States are discovering that illegal or questionable mortgage paperwork is far more widespread than thought, tainting the deeds of tens of thousands of homes dating to the late 1990s.
The suspect documents could create legal trouble for homeowners for years.
Counties across the United States are discovering that illegal or questionable mortgage paperwork is far more widespread than thought, tainting the deeds of tens of thousands of homes dating to the late 1990s.
The suspect documents could create legal trouble for homeowners for years.
The Real Deal on HOAs - RE/MAX Baja Realty
The Real Deal on HOAs - RE/MAX Baja Realty
"The City Council is working on setting up a new department to coordinate the HOA of the different developments, to solve internal problems between residents, the HOA and the developer. Before the developer establishes the HOA the new department appointed by the City Council will check the regulations and then give its authorization to go ahead and establish it. Raúl Aragón, council member of Rosarito and businessman has made a lot of effort for this to happen; he is also assisting the Rosarito Realtors Association and obtaining a licensed requirement to practice real estate in the city of Rosarito." Gustavo Torres, President of AMPI, commented on the subject. The new department will have the obligations to create reorganization and modernizing programs, annual income and expense reports, administrative manuals, it will keep a statistical control, impose sanctions in case of violation of the law, inspections and notices when applicable, it will supervise the appointment of board members, security and management; it will also establish the budget for common expenses, types of payment and a reserve fund.
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Thanks to Robert Rancansky for this interesting link. The writer doesn't understand why associations are proliferating and explains that all wrong, but this last paragraph is worth noting. This is in Baja California, Mexico, where apparently they have some concept of the need to keep track of association affairs. I guess Milton Friedman didn't get around to preaching his gospel there.
"The City Council is working on setting up a new department to coordinate the HOA of the different developments, to solve internal problems between residents, the HOA and the developer. Before the developer establishes the HOA the new department appointed by the City Council will check the regulations and then give its authorization to go ahead and establish it. Raúl Aragón, council member of Rosarito and businessman has made a lot of effort for this to happen; he is also assisting the Rosarito Realtors Association and obtaining a licensed requirement to practice real estate in the city of Rosarito." Gustavo Torres, President of AMPI, commented on the subject. The new department will have the obligations to create reorganization and modernizing programs, annual income and expense reports, administrative manuals, it will keep a statistical control, impose sanctions in case of violation of the law, inspections and notices when applicable, it will supervise the appointment of board members, security and management; it will also establish the budget for common expenses, types of payment and a reserve fund.
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Thanks to Robert Rancansky for this interesting link. The writer doesn't understand why associations are proliferating and explains that all wrong, but this last paragraph is worth noting. This is in Baja California, Mexico, where apparently they have some concept of the need to keep track of association affairs. I guess Milton Friedman didn't get around to preaching his gospel there.
Calculated Risk: Lawler: Census 2010: Homeownership Rates by Selected Age Groups
Calculated Risk: Lawler: Census 2010: Homeownership Rates by Selected Age Groups
Homeownership rates for those under the age of 55 have fallen dramatically since 1980, according to the Census.
Homeownership rates for those under the age of 55 have fallen dramatically since 1980, according to the Census.
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