By cw1900

February 23, 2007 11:13 AM | Link to this

Please re-read what I said in the “Bye-bye to property taxes?” blog.

I can’t scream it loud enough, no matter what side of the aisle you are on.

cw

By Sam

February 23, 2007 12:01 PM | Link to this

Not only is that a threat against Al its a threat against all those who stood up and voiced their concern at the recent property tax forums, a threat against all of us that ask our elected officials to practice good fiscal management and budgeting. In short its a threat against all of us. Our property tax system is unfair, uneven and will lead to continued turmoil, foreclosures, etc. if our elected officials don’t stop spending like druken sailors. Our local govs. lived just fine and ran city/county business just fine on 2001 tax revenues, so they can govern based on 2006 revenue (proposal is to hold spending at 2006 levels) I think they should be forced to gov. based on 2001 levels.

By SirPercy

February 23, 2007 3:51 PM | Link to this

I don’t think it sounds like a threat - why inflate the intent of the letter?

I’m the last one to defend any of the County Commissioners, but fair is fair. Koons seems to ONLY be asking Mr.Vazquez to clarify what appears to be a glaring discrepancy: On one hand Mr. Vazquez is asking for money to be spent to slow traffic near his home - but at the same time is calling for a freeze on all spending. Mr. Vazquez should clarify his position; at present it has the appearance of being contradictory.

And, is Mr. Koons suggesting in any way that there isn’t a solution to Mr. Vazquez’ call for traffic-calming AND tax relief? Can we not tackle two different problems at once?

Come on media! DON’T just show us the sensationalized arguments between these two parties!~ please report SUBSTANCE not filler!

By The Truth

February 23, 2007 9:10 PM | Link to this

It’s obvious SirPercy is a politician or a county or city official.

By John (Boynton bch)

February 23, 2007 9:33 PM | Link to this

Hmmm.. Massive Development in Loxahatchee in which thousands of homes could be built? People are already leaving in droves and more houses with Existing houses not selling…This will just add to the glut! WOW What a housing bust this is going to be!

By Mike Fink

February 24, 2007 7:40 PM | Link to this

I thought we were out of land?

John, you must be lying, there is no possiblity that that there is another massive deveopment going up anywhere in S. FL because I heard directly from the NAR that we are out of land (and working off a totally new economic model). Unfortunately, it appears that new model, much like the tech boom model, is one that does not work.

By maxmoose03

February 24, 2007 8:20 PM | Link to this

It works for me, Mike. It works for CW, FL REN, CRAZY DEM, EASY and most of the folks out there.

It doesn’t work for you, because you make a fraction of what your buddies who went to law school or med school or B school make, and you can lose your IT “job” on 5 minutes’ notice.

By maxmoose03

February 24, 2007 8:34 PM | Link to this

Mike - Enough of your belly-aching.

If you are a bright guy, go back to school and get into a field which pays enough to buy a house — period. There is no first-rate urban area where houses are cheaper than here. If you can’t buy here, you can’t buy anywhere a rational person would want to.

I am tired of having to act like your poverty is my problem. Shut up and get into a field which rewards people who are as bright as you seem to think you are.

By John (Boynton bch)

February 24, 2007 9:52 PM | Link to this

Mike—The housing boom was nothing more than the governments way of propping up the economy…Now that the economy’s cooling housing prices are dropping….There is plenty of Land here in south florida….Just drive along 441 between Wellington and Delray, and out on Southern and Okechobee. Max, wow what a bitter person you are…life must suck to be in your shoes. There are many many people who want out of So. FL, unfortunately there are’nt many moving here to replace them.

By The Truth

February 24, 2007 10:00 PM | Link to this

To Mike Fink and John (Boynton Bch). Both of you are suffering from the A.B.R. Syndrome. A.B.R. Syndrome is one who suffers great distress and resentment from not owning the American Dream and is ANOTHER BITTER RENTER.

By maxmoose03

February 24, 2007 10:13 PM | Link to this

The Truth speaks the truth — I notice he has a habit of doing that.

What is amazing to me about John is that, quite in contrast to Fink, John makes these sweeping pronouncements with absolutely no figures at all — not a shred of evidence to back him up, or even just quanitfy what he is saying. To me, an indication of a mind that is….how can I say this politely…STUPID STUPID STUPID.

By albert k.

February 24, 2007 10:27 PM | Link to this

I don’t spend too much time reading these blogs but I have to say there is a lot of funny stuff going on. I came across a post in the bye-bye property taxes by a poster named AP.

AP called mike fink the great NASTRAFINKUS. I’m assuming he’s referring to mike fink. I thought it was hilarious. Here is this guy mike fink that seems to have all the answers to real estate,but seems to keep misreading his crystal ball and is an apparent renter.

All this wisdom and knowledge that the great NASTRAFINKUS has (thanks AP) but isn’t able to capitalize in real estate.

Do yourself a favor NASTRAFINKUS and don’t quit your day job.

By SirPercy

February 25, 2007 4:16 AM | Link to this

LOL. “the Truth” thinks I’m a city/county official or a politician. Psst: City/county officials are politicians. More importantly, why would you make such a stunning (and wrong) prediction? Because I saw both sides of the argument?

That only makes me fair, and thus NOT a politician.

;)

By Science of beauty products

February 25, 2007 6:20 AM | Link to this

Blog2read - Go to Blog Search Home. Web Images Video News Maps more » Close menu Blogs …Advanced Blog Search · Preferences. Find blogs onyour favorite topics.

Create your own blog and let us promote your post. We arranged blogs and its categories for you to submit post the the relevant blog and its category. http://www.miniweblink.com/30v2

By maxmoose03

February 25, 2007 9:12 AM | Link to this

“Science of beauty products” above is outright advertising stolen from the PB Post. I hope everyone ignores it, and Jeff purges it.

By Realist

February 25, 2007 12:08 PM | Link to this

Max,

Another day another tantrum. Max, IT is a great field. I have a friend in IT who is not very high up in his respective organization who makes 2X what a doctor friend makes. As long as you keep up on the tech you will do well. As the subprime market continues to unravel added with the coming credit crunch you may be asking for donations from people like Mike so you may wish to go back to school in order to brush up on your IT skills. Another line you may wish to practice is “do you want fries with that”? I mean it is so obvious you ( and partners) are flipper(s) (sorry investor(s)) who have flopped. You can lie you can verbally attack and personally attack however the market will continue to tank and all your blather will just continue to make you look ridiculous.

By maxmoose03

February 25, 2007 1:49 PM | Link to this

Realist -

That’s an highly ironic sobriquet for you, considering you are about the least realistic person on the blogs.

I think you are just so out of touch with the employment market in major cities you still think 100K is a big salary.

I am not going to bother to chronicle for you my travels — and success — in the IT world. Suffice it to say that I am an expert on the IT world by ANY measure — salaries I have received, positions I have held or turned down, technical and academmic expertise - while you have no idea what the hell you are talking about. Have you ever even had a programming job, let alone a serious position?

You schmuck, from what credentials are you talking?

Thank the Lord, it will take a series of forces-mejeures to make me as poor as you, Realist, and have to baby-sit some stupid business all week. You probably own a bait shop, and the product is more intelligent than the proprietor.

Folks, you have to see it to belive it. From what credentials does this redneck imbecile get the notion to tell me about the IT world?

BTW: The IT world today, in the United States, is comprised mainly of immigrants who either can not speak English, or speak their own brand of English unrecognizable to us.

The Republican Congress issued hundreds of thousands of “H1B” visas for these people to come here and take American IT jobs at a fraction of America salaries. As a result, salaries in certain areas of IT have not increased in America in almost 20 years. One example of this is in M/F contracting in Tampa, where an IBM programmer earns essentiall the same today as in 1988. The figures are too embarassing to recount.

The few technical skills which still pay high, such as Java, are foreign-based. Java was developed by Sun Microsystems — founded entirely by persons from India.

Any bright American who goes into IT now finds himself competing with foreign immigrants for low-paid jobs in his own country. IT today is a glorified version of fruit-picking. For the extra few dollars an hour, the headaches and politics of IT are almost not worth the difference.

A kid bright enough to start at 150K in NYC as an attorney or health-care specialist, has no business working for 40K in IT. Years later when the professionals are making over a million a year, the IT sucker is still making 80K. It is ridiculous.

What is more ridiculous is a******s like “Realist” talking out of their rear ends with absolutely NO KNOWLEDGE - repeat: NO KNOWLEDGE of what they are talking about.

By Realist

February 25, 2007 2:48 PM | Link to this

Max,

Even though I find you repugnant and distasteful I liked the bait shop quip. As you took my bait! You see I was hoping you would seize on the H1B issue as it proves my supply and demand argument. What your diatribe confirms is that you understand the theory of supply and demand so therefore when you dismiss the supply and demand argument in the current housing market it proves you are trying to manipulate the facts in order to push your greed. Max, you profess to be benevolent in your real estate transactions and even offer to share in the profits in some instances however you pathetically attempt to manipulate facts in order to get the folks to look in the other direction. One of your most disingenuous attempts was trying to claim the market is only down 1%!! The market is down 10% year end. However, I am not telling you anything you don’t know you are just trying to spin in order to keep your pathetic career afloat. How does it feel every night to fear going broke? Can your ego take it? I doubt it. That’s why you spend so much productive time on these boards it is your way of trying to manipulate the market so you don’t lose everything you have accomplished. Max if you keep up the personal attacks, the diatribes, and the misdirection’s, you still can’t change the market. Instead of the attacks Max why don’t you discuss subprimes and the current meltdown? What about the current credit crunch ( and no folks it ain’t cereal) ? How about the inventory levels? What is the median salary in PBC? Has it gone up 100% in the last 5 years? Come on Max let’s see how smart you really are. Let’s play some hard ball. Can you play Max or do you have revert to your usual childish tantrums?

By pseudomax

February 25, 2007 3:57 PM | Link to this

Wow. How many aliases can one max have on here? crazydem, truth, cw, abc, etc…anytime one so arrogant and insulting as abcmax says something remotely possitive about another blogger (see max above re:crazy dem, cw, flren) its obvious those are just some of his pseudonyms. Anyway, another outrageiously arrogant comment from max. He seems to be insulting anyone who doesnt have a law, medical, or business degree, and a job paying less than $100,000/yr. So apparently, ABCMaxcw would like a society in which no one but the richest are able to exist. Anyway, I’d like to ask easymax a simplke question. Since you feel that only those with high level advanced degrees and six figure incomes deserve to live here in Paradise, I have to ask you, who then would do the actual WORK in running this society you dream of?

Who would you buy groceries from Max, if no one making less than $100,000 belongs here? Who would you call when your car gets broken into, since cops average about half of that $100,000 salary? Who would teach your kids, since teachers dont earn anywhere near that amount? Who would cut your lawn, since arrogant d**kheads like yourself dont know how to do any real work. Who would pick up your trash? Fix your car? Take your money at the gas station and walmart? Because nono of those folks earn anywhere n=close to $100,000/yr it takes to afford the basic home here. I would love to hear your answer to how about 85% of society should pay for their housing. Oh thats right Max. You feel that such lowlife peasants who earn less than $100,000 dont DESERVE housing. Interesting.

By BROKEOWNER

February 25, 2007 4:32 PM | Link to this

Oh boy…more rantings from a bitter renter. He cant stand the fact that I can afford to pay out three times the amount he is paying for the same place in the same building. 1brm condo in the brand new Metropolitan at CityPlace. Stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, beautiful rooftop terrace and pool with outstanding views of city and interacoastal. I am a proud owner. not some low life renter who is throwing his money away.

Just because that renter enjoys the same exact lifestyle, convenince and ammenities that I do for a third of the price, ($1000/mo)doesnt mean he is smart. I may be paying over $2800/mo for mortgage, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees, but AT LEAST I OWN IT. (Well, I will own it in 30 years I hope) I’m building EQUITY DAMMIT! (well, I would be if I werent completely losing my a$$ on this completley unsellable investment property)

Still, Im an OWNER and PROUD OF IT. You renters are the scum of the earth. How dare you enjoy the same standards of living as me while paying a third of what I pay to live here?? You SUCK!! I HATE YOU!

By to brokeowner

February 25, 2007 5:24 PM | Link to this

Sarcastic or not, that description you are saying is so real out there today, but you know what? I could care less for the buyers who unwisely did what you say.

You overpaid because you got greedy and you let your emotions get the better of you. You told your business mind to go to heII because your girlfriend or wife drooled over the stainless steel and the rooftop terrace. Your business mind told you it was a frenzy, yet you still happily overpaid because of greed. Do you remember the morons who waited in line for days with their beach chairs and sleeping bags for the chance to buy into a certain pre-construction development? Didn’t that tell you something?

Waiting in line like that tells you one very important factor. You are not waiting in line for an investment. No sir, you wait in line only for a speculation.

Speculations are ALWAYS risky, not sometimes risky, but ALWAYS risky.

Investments have a degree of risk, but nowhere near a speculation.

So, you bought a pure frenzied speculation and now you want to b***h about it because it did not go your way.

Whaaaaa!!!!!! You poor baby. You poor fool. You poor sucker.

You made your bed, now lie in it.

You, of course, really means all of whom I just described. You got what you asked for, so why do you think prudent investors feel sorry for you?

Go buy a penny stock or some other form of speculation. Go to Vegas and sit at a slot machine. What you did was NO DIFFERENT.

That’s why I laugh at your misery. You were too stupid, naive, and what’s funnier is, you actually thought you were being Donald Trump smart when you did what you did.

Does your boss know how bad you make business decisions?

By maxmoose03

February 25, 2007 6:35 PM | Link to this

Realist -

You still didn’t answer my question: where do you come off telling me about the IT field? Can we agree you were being a schmuck?

Now you are trying to claim H1B visas as YOUR issue after I complain about it? You sound very much like a Republican, Realist. There is your Republican Congress trying to get cheap labor in the US for the benefit of corporations, at the expense of people who now can’t afford houses.

Since you have not had any training in economics (and I have) the problem with your “supply and demand” wailing is that there IS no supply at the prices that houses should sell for in your view of the world. Owners are refusing to part with their property at paltry prices — ironically, one reason prices are not dropping.

I did a very detailed analysis of the YOY vs. entire year figures somewhere in this blog. That 10% figure you are bandying about represents a grand total of 600 houses in the months of 12/06, vs.12/06 only. For the entire year 2005 vs. 2006 - tens of thousands of transactions - houses around here are down 1%, as I said.

As far as the “decline goes,” if you blinked, you missed it. In September 2005 the median SFH price in PBC was 365,500. By December it was 368,200. In a few days we will have the January figures. The word on the street is it surged, but I’ll wait and see. Whether it did or not, the “crash” exists only in the mind of the Conspiracy Theorists.

Prices are up, foreclosures fell 42% in PBC in the most recent figures, interest rates remain near historic lows.

Those are the facts, so stop making such a jerk of yourself when you don’t HAVE the facts.

By pseudomax

February 25, 2007 6:56 PM | Link to this

pseudodmax - I love how you twist things around.

A few months ago I was a lone voice on this blog lamenting that house prices risk moving beyond the grasp of working people.

You all laughed and assured me that a crash was coming, and prices would fall by 50% to 70% One NON COMPOS MENTIS on this board went as far as to state a rule that houses can never move out of reach of the ordinary person — it’s still back there somewhere.

Well here you are now, not laughing anymore. You realize no crash occurred, and no crash is GOING to occur. You ralize prices are going higher, not lower, and you are scared. Well, you ought to be.

Unfortunately for all of us, there is nothing I can do to control the economy. If it is going to take 2 people each making 100K to afford a house, there is just nothing I can do to change it. I can only warn you.

Perhaps if people stopped being a******s and realized that rising houses prices are for real and permanent, they would be better prepared to do something about their own families’ future.

I just showed a house to 4 young professioinals who want to rent it. $2500 a month plus utilities thrown out on rent receipts. That is where things are going — 4 households under one roof, because buying a house is impossible for every one of them.

I feel sorry for them. I don’t feel sorry for the Mike Finks of the wold, and all the other arrogant fools who think they are so clever, but will wind up renting a house. Mike Fink’s IT salary will not double when the rent doubles. Eventually they will rent a townhouse. Then a condo. Then??? I don’t know.

So stop blaming me for being the boy who I cried “Wolf.” I’m the one who cried “FIRE” — and that does not make me the arsonist.

By To:to brokeowner

February 25, 2007 7:10 PM | Link to this

First, enroll in anger management. Get out all your frustrations and resentment about not being a homeowner. Perhaps, you have a touch of the A.B.R. Syndrome they talk about.

Redicule all the recent home buyers recently if you wish, but they are the ones that are going to redicule you when you come to terms that this will be the cheapest real estate prices will ever be.

Why you ask? Property tax reform. It’s not very difficult to figure out. Another blog clown we have to deal with.

Guess who will be crying Whaaaaa?

By Realist

February 25, 2007 7:32 PM | Link to this

Max,

Sorry I won’t play your game. I cannot be goaded into discussing my background; however I can assure you that I can discuss any topic in the matter of real estate economics. Max you are a realtor broker do you think you can really play ball? What happened did your IQ fall? You still don’t get that I knew you would throw out the H1B as it is the biggest issue with pay and IT (that nasty supply and demand issue). You know prices change with time so why in the heck would it matter something costs over the course of a year? What matters is what costs today. When you went out and filled your car today did you pay May’s price for gas or today’s price? You still haven’t’ commented on any real estate econ issue. You can’t because every day the market is bringing more bad news. How about Novastar? Do you even know about that issue? What about the credit crunch? How about PBC median incomes, have they increased by 100% in the last five years? What is the implication? Critical thinking is important even for realtors and brokers, come on put your arguments out there. You can’t can you? Keep trying to spin and lie and attack see if that changes REALTY. I have to go now and feed the worms at the store (it does suck being a bait store owner but not as bad as a loser realtor who can’t sell his flopped flips!)

By The Truth

February 25, 2007 7:53 PM | Link to this

The Realist isn’t very realistic about what is about to happen to the median price now and into the future in Palm Beach.

The Realist = Unrealistic

Make sure you don’t catch any pin worms from all the B.S. you talk.

By To To:to brokeowner

February 25, 2007 9:00 PM | Link to this

Whoa buddy, who said anything about being a renter? I have 12 pieces of real estate.

4 in Palm Beach county, 3 in Martin County, 1 in Dade, 2 in New Jersey, and 2 in Delaware.

I have owned all for years.

What I say about the frenzied purchasers stands.

The truth hurts. These were little boys and girls playing a man’s game, and they lost and are losing. When they all fall to the bank and hatchet man, the smart money is going to come in and pick up the pieces. The wait in line people will run away screaming vowing to never buy real estate again.

Some won’t. Bankruptcy is not as clean as some want you to believe.

Rule #1 in my business to tell you where I’m coming from. Prospective hires, every one of them, first thing I do is run a credit check. If they can’t run their personal finances well, they won’t work for me. If there is a bankruptcy, that resume goes in the round file, the garbage can.

Bankruptcy is a sign of weakness, no spine, the easy way out. I’ve lost some friends in business who went bankrrupt to start another company. That is ok. They are a weak character.

Bankruptcy and the wait in line crowd are all made from the same business mold, failures!

By the geico cave man

February 25, 2007 9:16 PM | Link to this

the rich folks that own their million dollar homes….they pay the most in property taxes…and are the ones that can afford to pay their property taxes…they’re going to get one heck of a tax cut if we abolish the property tax & go with the 8.5% sales tax. the rich folks always benifit the most.

By maxmoose03

February 25, 2007 9:37 PM | Link to this

TO: to “to brokeowner”

(NB: this is the problem with nested functions; it gets confusing and you risk missing a stacked return address.)

You wrote: “this will be the cheapest real estate prices will ever be.”

Ahh. When I taught computer science in college and when I taught English, the emphasis was pretty much the same: KISS

Keep it simple, stupid.

While you are obviously not stupid, you accomplished the mission. A simple truth told concisely. Music to my ears. A+.

Maybe there will be a month, a week, an hour in 2007 where prices dip momemtarily lower; it matters not. In the grand sweep of history, the movement will prove to have been upward.

Another simple truth is, houses are cheaper here than anywhere people are headed to live. (OK, some dumps in Texas are even cheaper.) NY, LA, DC, Boston, Chicago, town after town after town, incomparably higher prices. And where are they headed? Up.

Now, for a marked opposite in style and substance, there is “Realist,” whose recent desultory post amounts to nothing more than incoherent babbling. That post was indecipherable to me, as well as to most readers. I think the wheels have come finally come off the tracks for Mr. Realist. The one thing I did manage to glean from your palavering is that my discussing the H1B visa problem was somehow an insidious double-cross on my part. I think it’s time for Mr. Realist to see Mr. Psychiatrist.

The Truth. Ahh. Back to simple truths told simply, laconically.

I would leave this blog a happy quadruped if it weren’t for the pile of b******t I have to step over, left by the goober trying to answer ‘to “to brokerowner”’.

Another “I’m richer than you” travesty authored by a 5 year-old mind and devoid of all credibility. This once smells so bad the Moose even swerves to avoid it.

By maxmoose03

February 25, 2007 9:47 PM | Link to this

“the rich folks always benifit the most.”

Mr. Geico - Maybe that’s why they call it “Capitalism.”

It’s the job of all Republicans to benefit the rich while sticking it to the goobers. So how do the biggest victims of Republicans like George W. Bush respond?

They vote for their tormentors. As Ms. Ping would say:

stupid stupid stupid

By Sea Bright

February 25, 2007 10:06 PM | Link to this

Wrong Max. I’m not 5 and it’s no bs. Two beach houses in Sea Bright bought in the early 80s started it all.

Isn’t life grand when you buy good real estate and hold through the noise of the occasional bump in the road.

That’s where these new kids don’t get.

These are the cheapest prices we will see. It can and will only go up from here. It’s happened to every property I’ve ever owned.

Max, tell these young turks that every property you’ve ever owned, you’ve never sold at a loss.

The cold hard facts always win. Max, if you don’t believe me, no sweat. Beachfront houses go up in value a good amounty and always do and always will.

I’m heading to Dewey Beach in 4 weeks. I’ll send you a postcard.

Ken

By maxmoose03

February 25, 2007 10:46 PM | Link to this

Sea Bright - It was the “richer than thou” angle I was objecting to.

Oh, a name, Ken.

OK Ken, everything you are saying in this post sounds quite insightful, in fact beachfront property is a brilliant choice — I am worried about global warming, however, changing the map in some areas. It is happening right now in some towns in Florida, so it is not theoretical. I want to know a town has contingencies for dealing with beach erosion, or that my stay will be within the time frame where significant effects could be seen. Still, what a wonderful thing to be a part of.

That is a fact, Ken, I have never sold at a loss, nor given up any property except for profit. One of my mistakes was being seduced by the novelty of computer science before the days of Miami Vice, while you had your head on business, so congratulations to you. That is why I am so anxious to get these kids on the right track. Operating systems come and go, the earth abides (OK, I am getting too corny).

You have been in there for over a quarter century, so you are in an unbeatable position. When is the time to start? It is always NOW. Life is short. We have to get off our asses. People who think they are going to time the market are just wasting time.

I wish you continued good luck, Ken. And yes, it’s still the right thing to do to try to talk people into being owners rather than squatters.

My love to Barbie (just kidding)

By Rich R

February 26, 2007 2:28 PM | Link to this

Max is full of it.

You all need to read back to last Friday on the Tsumami blog.

He’s nothing more then a starving Realtor sniffing for his next lead/victim.

Beware of Max.

You’ve been warned.