Friday, March 21, 2008

Patience May Reward

13 comments:

w said...

The picture says it all.

But this subject hurts a little, since I am feeling impatient by going and looking at houses today.

Rob Dawg said...

w,
Where? Local?

Anonymous said...

I am going to pay cash. It may take a long time, but I have a theory that the housing depression will still be there when I get ready.

Just Askin' said...

The neighbors recently abandoned their house in a marginal neighborhood in San Diego. (Recently gentrified, about to de-gentrify.) Unfortunately they left behind a swimming pool, which, by time the house goes through foreclosure, fails as an REO and is finally auctioned, will be a fetid swamp of nastiness.

What would you recommend putting in the pool to prevent mosquitos? I'm looking for a more ocean-friendly answer more than a quart of 10/40 since it will eventually get cleaned up and sent down the sewer.

Rob Dawg said...

A quart of 10W40 is the eco-solution. Clean oil degrades very quickly and leaves little in the way of the bad stuff. Get the lowest weight single weight you can find. Is alcohol a toxic? Wax? Oil is just the slippery stuff in between. I know, this still isn't best practices. Get some bio-friendly surfacants. Simple Green, orange oil, non-phosphate dishwashing liquid. Not as persistent but still okay.

w said...

Rob, Just got back from looking at houses in Santa Rosa Valley. There is a lot of inventory and the prices are looking more and more attractive. So much more for the money than in Ventura. I am thinking about making some low ball offers and then waiting for the Fall if nothing is accepted. Probably I should just wait, but we are getting a little impatient.

serinitis said...

If you call mosquito abatement, they will probably put some small fish in the pool.

don't just look at the house price. Look at the rent rate. If rent rate won't cover your mortgage, housing still has a ways to fall.

w said...

In Ventura County you can call Vector Control to get mosquito fish.

Rob Dawg said...

Just got back from looking at houses in Santa Rosa Valley. There is a lot of inventory and the prices are looking more and more attractive.

I agree. I also think they have the most to fall and honestly never got to peak in the first place. Still. I suspect it will be 2- 3 years for the bottom. It may be another 2 - 3 before appreciation resumes. That isn't a don't buy signal, just a market observation. People forget there is only one person who buys at the top or the bottom.

Casey Serin said...

I looked at the picture accompanying this post and thought the subject was Kermit the Frog...

Akubi said...

And the reward is another Fishnet Friday with Elina! Woohoo!

Troubled Loner said...

Pour some bags of cement into the pool, that should solve the problem...

Bill in NC said...

The reality of the story:

http://www.lewrockwell.com/walker/walker30.html