By JayFinn

September 7, 2007 6:17 PM | Link to this

This is not the time to be using a discount realtor……that’s all you need in this market is to beoffering a discount commission on the sale of your house……..realtors will avoid you like the plague…when the market is read hot, then that’s the time to go DISCOUNT……have you noticed recently how we’re getting bombarded locally with those deceptive “THANK YOU BY OWNER ADS”….they like pitching for you to pay them the upfront fee, but to this day i’[ve never seen them actually advertise a property for sale…….and those people they show saying THANK YOU BY OWNER….they are not local people….i saw the same ad run in California for another franchisee of this by-owner company…just once i’d like to see one of the couples in the ad say: I sold the house i paid $400,000 for, for “$300,000 , but i saved the commission. lastly, i AM NOT a realtor, strictly a “former” real estate flipper with numerous realtor friends….

By Finky Little

September 7, 2007 7:42 PM | Link to this

Under the “Entertainment” section, we see Mike Fink in action.The “Art Of Movement”. Bravo.

By Funny

September 7, 2007 9:35 PM | Link to this

I check in now and it looks like Jeff pulled Cw’s pot smoking post from this morning.

Cw, you’ve been pulled and your name’s not even Max.

Too funny.

By Linda Rawls

September 7, 2007 10:33 PM | Link to this

i just wanna say that anyoen who doesnt think that pics of UF girls at sorority night doesnt pass as news is just skiddadles. how do they tell the differenece between Gamma and PHi MU? The size of their hips. DUH! Anyone greek knows that Phi Mu’s are fat gammas. Gammas arent fat. There…

Now all you Post Haters, let me tell you. You think it’s easy working here with a newspaper that covers a major metropolitan area and models itself after a high school news rag? I worked long and hard and this is what i get-saucy pics of UF girls going through rush, some guy who is mister know it all about every idiotoic show on TV-I mean, does this guy sit in front of the TV 24/7? and these ex-sorority chicks they have writing about their adventures slutting aboutt town. That’s news??? Here I am trying to put median to maximum, mean to obtuse, St. Lucie to Okeechobee County to Palm Beach County, foreclosure to quick claim, fake indian pottery to the real stuff, housing crash to impending crash to bust on the horizon to the boom has ended, and all for this? To be placed in a paper with a bunch of idiot editors better served working for a high school annual???

By The Beak

September 7, 2007 11:07 PM | Link to this

The Beak is gay

He’s better than any of you high priced bellhops.

By Over

September 7, 2007 11:14 PM | Link to this

“Cancel my subscribtion to the resurrection…

…Send my credentials to the house of detention…”

Real estate is cyclical…

By Wally

September 8, 2007 8:50 AM | Link to this

What a dorky post. When you launch a business like this one, you always have to invest a lot in infrastructure and marketing up front, so it’s no surprise that you lose money in the first couple of years. The key question is whether you make a ton of money once you’ve built everything and gain significant market traction. That’s why this guy is a reporter and not an entrepreneur.

By what?

September 8, 2007 4:46 PM | Link to this

What is a high priced bellhop and what does it have to do with high homeowners insurance in Michigan?

By EasyasXYZ

September 8, 2007 5:54 PM | Link to this

As we speak, inventories keep rising, and realtors keep lying!

By help

September 8, 2007 9:08 PM | Link to this

3035 St James Dr

Boca Raton

Woodfield Hunt Club

Bought Aug 2005

798,000

ID#: R2806406 MAGNIFICENTLY REMODELED FOR THE DISCRIMINATING BUYER. FABULOUSE HOME FOR ENTERTAINING BOTH INSIDE & OUT. THIS 4/3.5 ,3 CAR GARAGE, POOL HOME ON LUSHLY LANDSCAPED 1/3 ACRE PRIVATE LOT

Days On Market: 124 Current List Price: $740,000 Initial List Price: $949,900 (28.4% Reduction)

05/19/07 - Price Reduced to $925,000 05/31/07 - Price Reduced to $899,000 07/12/07 - Price Reduced to $869,000 08/03/07 - Price Reduced to $859,000 08/11/07 - Price Reduced to $849,000 09/02/07 - Price Reduced to $740,000

By Two Farmers and a Dog

September 9, 2007 2:19 AM | Link to this

Now Max presents the parable of The Two Farmers and a Dog.

There were once two farmers, Farmer CW and Farmer Fink, and a dog (named “Moose”). Moose belonged to Max and the farmers were friends of Max.

Max gave each farmer, and Moose, a modest acre of land and enough corn seed to plant the entire acre.

Moose, being a dumb animal, had no concept of tomorrow. He ate the corn seed till he threw up, then he ate the rest of it. Finally he shitted all over the land, which became surprisingly fertile. Alas, with nothing planted, it was soon covered with weeds.

Farmer Fink had an exceedingly stupid friend, who was generous with his advice. The stupid friend, like Moose, had no concept of tomorrow. Thus, he would tell Farmer Fink: Corn seed, or anything else, is only worth what you can sell it for TODAY.

Foolish Farmer Fink heeded his idiot friend’s advice, and sold his corn seed for a pittance. The money he received for it was soon gone, and his land lay barren and infertile.

Farmer CW did something different. He planted his acre with corn seed, and put in back-breaking work to water and weed it, and even invested a bit of money in fertilizer. In a few months he had a handsome acre of corn which reached for the Sun. He used some of the harvest to feed his kids something besides McDonald’s fries, and stored some for future provisions. He processed some of the corn to have seed to repeat the process next year. He sold much of the crop and made a tidy profit. Finally, he sold his left over husks to people making booze and ethanol, so nothing would go to waste.

This is the end of the story for Farmer Fink and Moose. For Farmer CW, it is only the beginning.

By Otherbldgs

September 9, 2007 12:58 PM | Link to this

Maxi is absolutely right. There are bldgs other than 99 SE Mizner.

And, there ARE sales going on.

Slade at 1551 N Flagler for example.

LPH 7; PH 7; 906; 1215; 1202; 1201; PH 3; 1218; 511;.

ALL sold in past year.

By hepl2

September 9, 2007 4:01 PM | Link to this

630 S Sapdodilla Ave Courtyards CityPlace PH 33 (4533)

Paid May 2005 $206,900

Days On Market: 345 Current List Price: $179,900

Initial List Price: $279,000 (55.1% Reduction)

10/10/06 - Price Reduced to $267,000

02/22/07 - Price Reduced to $235,000

03/13/07 - Price Reduced to $229,900

04/18/07 - Price Reduced to $209,900

07/14/07 - Price Reduced to $199,900

07/26/07 - Price Reduced to $189,900

08/01/07 - Price Reduced to $179,900

No comment needed.

By Countdown

September 9, 2007 4:18 PM | Link to this

Good thing Farmer CW decided to plant corn on his land. That’s about the only thing selling down here these days.

By Investments

September 9, 2007 7:40 PM | Link to this

Not much going on up north. Too busy to read these blogs with my two jobs and running to the banks with the money.

Now is the time to be buying into European stocks. Also the new penny stocks have potential for the future.

Euros will be double the value of our dollar by end of year.

Did all the realtors leave town there or did they go back to school to learn a new skill these days? Looks like they don’t have time to write on these blogs anymore.

Enjoying the fall colors in the coming weeks.

By "Investments" Funnies

September 10, 2007 12:02 AM | Link to this

I have time to write, schmuck.

You have two jobs? If I ever heard a definition of failure, that’s it. You can come clean my house if you need a third one. It will probably pay more than either of the other jobs.

++++++++++++++++

Countdown - In the long run Max gets bought out by a real estate developer. Farmer CW gets his lease renewed. Large companies, being significantly smarter than “Countdown,” have a concept of tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, and buy when values are DOWN, not UP.

Of the loonies on the blog here, even those that understand they must eventually buy, are going to wait until prices are up before they do.

It’s just amazing.

By resladesales

September 10, 2007 8:20 AM | Link to this

Nine 1551 N Flagler sales were posted.

Three sale prices were for more than bought for.

906 paid 223k in 2005 sold for 250K 2007.

1201 paid 905K in 2005, sold for 950K in 2007.

511 paid 625k in 2005 sold for 652k in 2007.

The other SIX sold for less than was paid for them.

So, whoever that was that kept saying “prices are rising as we speak” was technicaly correct ! To be fully honest though, they should amend to “SOME prices are rising as we speak, while twice as many are falling.”

139 Slade Condos total, FIFTY TWO for sale.

A 1 BR in Slade is below the 200k point.

1209 paid 245K Aug 2005. listed at 199,900 now.

By AffordableHousing

September 10, 2007 10:23 AM | Link to this

Won’t teachers,et-al have to stop complaining about salaries not permitting home purchase soon ?

Many residences prices have dropped back to reasonable prices.

EG :

4089 Lake Tahoe WPB 3/2.5

Days On Market: 125 Current List Price: $265,000 Initial List Price: $335,000 (26.4% Reduction)

08/09/07 - Price Reduced to $300,000 08/17/07 - Price Reduced to $285,000 08/31/07 - Price Reduced to $270,000 09/08/07 - Price Reduced to $265,000

(Paid $350,000 2005)

this is only one example, and this seller, along with many others, has obviously accepted that market has changed.

Those who really want to sell are making deals to do so, while others leave listings at huge prices of 2005 era.

Ignore the latter, deal with real sellers, and get an affordable home.

Like many ads now say “make an offer”.

This is not “vulture” buying. Many sellers very anxious to sell, will appreciate real, qualified buyer showing up.

By twojobs

September 10, 2007 11:22 AM | Link to this

Congrats to two-job holder for going after better life.

Many of us who did not inherit wealth or connections have also done so in the past.

When I needed down payment for home MANY years ago, I took a second job.

What I soon realized was the second job not only gave additional funds, it cut my spending drastically. I was able to save so much more much quicker by being too busy or tired to be spending usual amounts.

Good luck and hang in there. It will pay off for your future.

By easyasabc

September 10, 2007 11:49 AM | Link to this

I can see not much happening here….I really don’t have much to add other than I am looking for a new part-time housekeeper….my Maria is not returning because she is getting hitched up with some restaurant owner…………..Did someone say something naughty over the weekend????….I see many of the old blogs were cleaned off……….real estate is always deals with these three elements in mind….LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION…….lets see what the Feds do with intrest rate……..it maybe too late for many first time buyers.

easyasabc

By LLLandCCC

September 10, 2007 11:57 AM | Link to this

Along with

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Remember :

CYCLICAL, CYCLICAL, CYCLICAL.

By Max Sticks to the Facts

September 10, 2007 12:01 PM | Link to this

Max agrees that ASKING prices have come down to earth from astronomical and indfensible levels. Is the typical house selling for much less? Not really.

Our median price is STILL at 372K, a level seen for the first time in history (in PBC) only in April 2005 — and the doomers have already been crying for a year that we are in a real estate recession.

FAR prices for Aug and Sept should still dip, reflecting deals made in the doldrums of summer (following the normal yearly cycle for Florida). Then the median should start heading up again. How much that dip is may determine whether we finish the year slightly ahead or slightly behind last year, YOY.

By cw1900

September 10, 2007 12:07 PM | Link to this

In honor of our out-of-stater nutjob “Investments” coming back to grace our blog, I will leave you with this, as there isn’t much to say this morning….

TO ALL FLORIDIANS:

MY NAME IS INVESTMENTS AND I AM HERE TO WARN YOU.

DO NOT BUY REAL ESTATE IN FLORIDA. I REPEAT, DO NOT BUY ANY REAL ESTATE IN FLORIDA. YOUR STATE IS GOING DOWN THE TUBES. FLORIDA IS ONE FALLIC WASTELAND FULL OF SWINDLERS, CHEATS, GOLD DIGGING WOMEN, SHISTER LAWYERS, AND IMCOMPETENT WORKERS THAT WOULD RATHER COLLECT WELFARE AND SIT ON YOUR FILTHY BEACHES THAN DO AN HONEST DAY’S WORK.

PRICES WILL CRASH LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. REAL ESTATE PRICES WILL FALL TO PRE 2000 PRICES AND ANYONE WHO BOUGHT FLORIDA REAL ESTATE AFTER 1999 WILL FEEL GREAT PAIN.

YOU FLORIDIANS DESERVE WHAT YOU GET. RETIREES WILL ABANDON FLORIDA FOREVER ONCE THEY FIND OUT HOW HIGH YOUR COST OF LIVING HAS BECOME AND WHEN THEY REALIZE THEY CANNOT PLAY GOLF IN THE FALLOUT.

THE NEXT 9/11 DISASTER WILL HAPPEN TOMORROW AND IT WIL BE IN FLORIDA. OSAMA BIN LADEN WILL DO MASS DESTRUCTION TO THE STATE OF FLORIDA TOMORROW. IT IS IN THE ISLAMIC CREED THAT FLORIDA IS TO BE EXTINGUISHED AND THAT IS WHY THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, THE NEW WORLD ORDER HIERARCHY, AND THE SKULL AND BONES MEMBERS HAVE ALL SOLD OR DIVESTED ALL OF THEIR FLORIDA REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS.

EVERY CITIZEN IN THE STATE NEEDS TO GET IN THEIR CARS AND LEAVE THE STATE. YOUR CURRENCY WILL BE NO GOOD WITHIN TWO DAYS AS ONCE YOU CROSS THE STATE LINE INTO GEORGIA, ELECTRO-MAGNETIC XRAYS WILL DETECT YOUR CURRENCY AND MAKE IT CHANGE COLOR TO APPEAR RED, THUS MAKING IT WORTHLESS.

I WILL NOW TELL YOU WHERE I GOT THIS PRIVILEGED INFORMATION. MY DOG TALKS TO ME. MY DOG’S NAME IS OSAMA BIN LADEN, AND HE IS ALSO TELLING ME TO BUY ALL THE PENNY STOCKS I CAN GET MY HANDS ON. OSAMA WILL MAKE ME A WEALTHY MAN WHILE YOU FLORIDIANS WILL FEEL THE WRATH OF EVIL BECAUSE OF YOUR FILTHY, HEDONISTIC LIFESTYLES.

OSAMA JUST TOLD THE BLACK HELICOPTERS ARE OUTSIDE. I AM SIGNING OFF AND AM GOING TO MY FULLY STOCKED BOMB PROOF BUNKER IN 5 MINUTES TO RIDE OUT THE IMPENDING FALLOUT. THE G-MEN WILL NOT TELL YOU THIS AS THEY HAVE ALL SHORTED STOCKS THAT ARE BASED IN FLORIDA.

THIS POST WILL SELF DESTRUCT IN 6 MINUTES…..

GOOD RIDDANCE TO ALL OF YOU HEATHENS IN THE SOON TO BE EX-FLORIDA.

SIGNING OFF,

INVESTMENTS

… by the way, Jeff, why did you pull my post from Friday?

cw

By maxiagrees

September 10, 2007 12:22 PM | Link to this

Maxi agrees asking prices are dropping. Well thats a start maxi.

Now put away the statistics and face individual , real sales here.

For example, the slade condos referred to in other post.

The SELLING PRICES, not only the asking prices, are lower.

1551 N Flagler

LPH7 SOLD for 350K

paid 369K 2005.

PH7 SOLD - 392K

paid 425K 2005

1215 SOLD- 474K

paid 553K 2005

1202 SOLD 375K

paid 385K 2005

PH3 SOLD 518K

paid 525K 2005

1218 SOLD for 770K

paid 780K 2005.

These are NOT asking prices, theses are real life sales. The selling prices did not “rise as we speak”

THEY DROPPED.

By maxiagrees is a tool

September 10, 2007 1:11 PM | Link to this

what a tool you are maxiagrees: construction of The Slade wasn’t finished until 2006, so anything listed as a sale in 2005 was either preconstruction or a flip between the original contract signer and a flipper…and the prices you listed are off by a couple percent…ooohhh really scary drop there….tool…

By easyasabc

September 10, 2007 1:16 PM | Link to this

With all the negative news on the mortgage end, our median prices are very affordable for the people who can buy……..the talk from the “have nots” in a few years from now will be…”I had a chance one time to buy something in South Florida, but I had my money into penny stocks”……..with all those mortgage lenders out of work, how many realtors and brokers are also competing for those retail jobs out there ????????…….Good old boys (Lawton and Jeb) took this state way on down for creating professional jobs……lets hope Charlie can bring some high paying jobs for those who want that 5/3/3 pool home on the intracoastal…………CW, I did hear that Osama Bin Laden did remark about our mortgage situation in this country……..I think that Pakistan will have larger problems on the horizon…..they just kicked out the ex-minister of that country…..civil war within a month in Pakistan…..that means many of our 7/11 clerks and doughnut makers will be heading back to Pakistan and take up arms against each other……maybe not……….Buying season (October thru May) starts in 20 days for those who are considered to be the “haves” in life…….I saw a bumper sticker the other day that read “Florida Realtor - Endangered Species”………Does anyone know the costs of the state to send three state troopers over to Oklahoma to guard the Miami head coach along the sidelines??????…..Are there no policemen in Okalahoma to do the job themselves??????….I notice this at the end of the football game the other day………Don’t you think every sector in state govt. need to review all costs??????……if everyone is crying about budget cuts and spending costs, I believe we can keep our state police officers at home and have them drive up and down the interstates to give out tickets and keep our roads safe.

easyasabc

By "Investments" deserves a look

September 10, 2007 1:25 PM | Link to this

Our friend “Investments” certainly deserves a look by the FBI.

This guy is in the Osama Bin Laden fan club and can not be up to any good himself.

Post - you should be giving this guy’s IP address to the FBI, for real.

A genuine bad guy pops up once in a while on a public forum, and you’ve got one there.

By Make mine Hemlock

September 10, 2007 1:51 PM | Link to this

Watch out for Fink and other doomers attempting suicide as their hero Dr. Shiller SPECIFICALLY predicts 20% gains for Florida real estate in the coming year.

http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/topzipcodes/index.html

By To: Make mine Hemlock

September 10, 2007 1:57 PM | Link to this

Genius, the article is two years old!! LOL!!

By maxiagreesAGAIN

September 10, 2007 1:58 PM | Link to this

Wow, Maxi finally agrees “prices are not rising as we speak”.

So,the losses of flippers on Slade condos means nothing ?

52 uunits for sale, most at lower prices, even after money spent to carry for two years.

Most couldn’t even get a renter.

Are all 52 of these sellers unable to understand cheerleaders message of benefits of buying and owning over past two years. ?

Must all be “tools”

By Max from the Road

September 10, 2007 2:15 PM | Link to this

Hate to police one of ours, but “AGAIN” is correct — that article is from 2005. Leave the cheating to the doomers.

Are prices rising or falling?

I agreed that ASKING prices were becoming more realistic. But asking prices mean nothing unless you are a fool who can be influenced by them.

Ultimately, selling prices are rising. Unless you are trying to flip houses - which most of you should not be trying to do (“Don’t Try This at Home”), the month to month or even year to year fluctuation in selling prices simply has no meaning.

Home prices are somewhere around 70 times what they were at the end of WWII, expressed in our nominal shrinking dollars.

Home prices will double in Florida, whether it takes 5 years, 10 years, 20 years. It doesn’t matter. And if you are buying in such a way that it DOES matter, then you are making a mistake.

Only someone with the wisdom of my dog thinks the end of the game is 3PM next Thursday.

Don’t follow house prices like they are the stock market. Most of you can not be REAL flippers. A real flipper buys a house for cash and won’t miss the money if the house collapses.

If that’s not you, be prudent. Buy houses that carry themselves, and don’t even think of getting out in less than 5 to 10 years.

By maxiagrees is still a tool

September 10, 2007 2:55 PM | Link to this

gee…let’s see, signed a contract for preconstruction and sold the contract pre-closing to someone else…I’m stumped, what carrying costs??? still a tool…

The fact that there may now be carrying costs for a unit that’s been empty for the last year…completely different - you show original sale in 2005 BEFORE the building was finished…what’s the sale date for the second transaction??? 2006 when the units actually closed? Why not show all the transactions? Some condo units changed hands 10 times from preconstruction to final closing.

By Investments and his two jobs is the tool

September 10, 2007 4:28 PM | Link to this

I thought this know it all was gone, but alas, he shows up again. I knew that guy was from up north. He’s just another doomer kook and Cw called him out on it.

RFLMAO

This doomer has been saying blanket statements bashing Florida with every doomer post he writes.

He is a crackpot, and his two jobs are pizza delivery and bagging groceries at the Winn Dixie equivalent in the rust belt somewhere.

What a tool.

By lossOrNoloss

September 10, 2007 4:38 PM | Link to this

Trying to follow the Slade condo posts.

did those sellers make or lose money ? I am trying to follow last posters comment they did NOT lose money.

LPH7 shows first sale July 2005 for $369,000 .

A mtg shows for $295,920.

2006 RE taxes show $7,011.00

Next sale in PAPA Aug 2007 $350,000.

Figuring in usual commissions, fees, HOA, etc, other monies were also laid out.

All money tied up in this could have been earning returns eleswhere. (Even CDs 5%)

I must be missing something, as this does not look like money was not lost.

Can you clarify ?

Thanks.

By lossOrNoloss

September 10, 2007 4:38 PM | Link to this

Trying to follow the Slade condo posts.

did those sellers make or lose money ? I am trying to follow last posters comment they did NOT lose money.

LPH7 shows first sale July 2005 for $369,000 .

A mtg shows for $295,920.

2006 RE taxes show $7,011.00

Next sale in PAPA Aug 2007 $350,000.

Figuring in usual commissions, fees, HOA, etc, other monies were also laid out.

All money tied up in this could have been earning returns eleswhere. (Even CDs 5%)

I must be missing something, as this does not look like money was not lost.

Can you clarify ?

Thanks.

By Wally

September 10, 2007 11:45 PM | Link to this

Buy low, sell high.

By tools don't tell the whole story

September 11, 2007 9:36 AM | Link to this

Slade…

1201 bought 6/05 for $905k, sold 2/07 for $950k

1202 6/05 $385k, 3/07 $375k, 8/07 $435k

906 8/05 $224k, 8/07 $250k

1005 8/05 $317k, 12/06 $445k

many others sold between 05 and 06 for large profit.

many listed now that would make a large profit.

As usual, a doomer who’s not disclosing the whole picture…must have been hit on the head with a piece of that falling sky…

By nownow

September 11, 2007 12:12 PM | Link to this

The post I read about slade DID include sales with gains, as well as losses. see :

By resladesales

September 10, 2007 8:20 AM | Link to this

Nine 1551 N Flagler sales were posted.

Three sale prices were for more than bought for.

906 paid 223k in 2005 sold for 250K 2007.

1201 paid 905K in 2005, sold for 950K in 2007.

511 paid 625k in 2005 sold for 652k in 2007.

The other SIX sold for less than was paid for them.

So, whoever that was that kept saying “prices are rising as we speak” was technicaly correct ! To be fully honest though, they should amend to “SOME prices are rising as we speak, while twice as many are falling.”

139 Slade Condos total, FIFTY TWO for sale.

A 1 BR in Slade is below the 200k point.

1209 paid 245K Aug 2005. listed at 199,900 now.

The point made is valid some prices went up MORE went DOWN.

As far as current listings (52 ?), you are kidding, right, that the majority will make any kind of real money when all time and expenses figured in ?