You snooze you lose 2: $219,000 house in the Peninsula
1516 URSULA WY, East Palo Alto 94303 (East Palo Alto)
$219,900 Beds: 3 bed(s) Baths: 2 bath(s) MLS: 80809472
Bed/Bath: 3 / 2
SqFt: 1,150
Lot: 5,060 sq ft
Yr Built / Age: 1956 / 52 years
List Price: $219,900
Assoc Fee:
THERE IS GREAT POTENTIAL IN THIS SINGLE FAMILY HOME!
THIS HOME OFFERS 3 BEDROOMS, TWO BATHS, A LARGE LIVING/ DINING ROOM COMBO WITH A WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE.
Again, by the time you read this, this house probably won’t be available anymore. Just think: this house was sold last year for $504,519 – you just missed out on over $285k in instant equity. Free money.
Not only that, but this house has a wood burning fireplace – which may or may not have been used in the incident which caused this house to be cordoned off. Hah, I’m just kidding: this house is cordoned off because it’s such a steal, that it’s a crime! Hah. I crack myself up.
Anyone have the full scoop on what happened here?
July 9th, 2008 at 6:41 am
Sure looks like a crime scene to me. So Burbed, is there some fascination with EPA? Two properties in as many days, hmmm. Plans to set up a beachhead of investment their? All that instant equity is tempting…
July 9th, 2008 at 6:44 am
I meant there not their…
July 9th, 2008 at 6:46 am
One other thing; I noticed the prices are rising. First we getting a really low 100K prop then a 200k prop. Is 300k next? Me thinks maybe we’ve hit bottom?!?
July 9th, 2008 at 6:52 am
More trouble in lending; from the NY Times…
“On Tuesday, IndyMac, one of the nation’s largest independent mortgage lenders, faced what amounted to a run on the bank. As depositors rushed to withdraw money, IndyMac’s share price, already in a free fall, spiraled even lower.”
You can still by that house you’ve always wanted; you just have to use your own loot to do it. But don’t worry it’s worth it.
July 9th, 2008 at 7:00 am
Don’t worry about the police tape — that’s actually the city flag for EPA…
July 9th, 2008 at 8:06 am
RinkRat – good one! LOL
Interesting article about IndyMac Bank. A month or two ago I was checking bankrate.com for the best interest rates for a money market account. I swear IndyMac was #1. Just checked it now… and guess what? COUNTRYWIDE is #1. Could anyone be foolish enough to deposit money with them right now? Sure, it would be insured by the FDIC up to $100k but why risk the hassle?
July 9th, 2008 at 8:12 am
Ooh, realtor.com has this to say about the property: “HURRY! CORPORATE OWNED HOME!” D’you suppose the corporation is a bank?
Movoto says it’s “pending show.” Redfin still has the listing up. Why is it they ALL ignore the elephant in the room? No explanations for the tape. Google street view has a pic before the tape was put up. There’s the frame of a for sale sign in the yard though.
BTW, Palo Alto online has ELEVEN listings in EPA for under $300k. There’s enough for everyone!
July 9th, 2008 at 8:44 am
The problem is the bonehead who took the photo. Why didn’t they just take the tape down before shooting and the replace it afterward? Maybe you’re not supposed to disturb a crime scene? I think they could have gotten away with it…
July 9th, 2008 at 8:49 am
That brings up an interesting point; will the police/csi be there to escort me into the place when they show it? ‘Ah sir, watch out for those chalk lines and don’t touch that wall we haven’t dusted it yet’.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:50 am
Because the yellow tape actually makes the house look better. Hey all you RE investors here, why aren’t you all buying these suckers up?400k is as low as you’ll go? I mean- I’m sure you could stuff a few people in these shacks and somehow get them to pay you $2,000 in rent. Oh boy! Instant equity!
July 9th, 2008 at 9:12 am
I wish I had the time this morning to write another one of those noir murder mystery short-shorts like I did for the Cupertino “write a story about this house” contest. The crime scene tape just begs for that kind of treatment. Only I don’t think the former residents of this place had a butler I can blame it on. Maybe it can be the wacky next door neighbor who’s always popping in (breaking past the 16 locks so he can “borrow” a cup of crack).
July 9th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Because the yellow tape actually makes the house look better. Hey all you RE investors here, why aren’t you all buying these suckers up?400k is as low as you’ll go? I mean- I’m sure you could stuff a few people in these shacks and somehow get them to pay you $2,000 in rent. Oh boy! Instant equity!”
I took my $200K to get a house in a good part of Oakland, where people don’t live three to a room as a matter of course, rather than take my chances on EPA, which is like living in a Bolivian shantytown though it’s much improved over where it was when I was growing up in the Silicon Valley. It’s no longer frightening to visit and shop.
July 9th, 2008 at 10:38 am
I doubt there are many who can pay $2000 in rent will live outside of very good school districts, considering the price at the low end nowadays.
The only ridiculous area remaining is SF, a dump with bad schools in a bad neighborhood is still asking for bubble prices. So the nearby dump cities are still hanging on, though foreclosures have been stockpiling.
July 9th, 2008 at 10:46 am
I doubt there are many who can pay $2000 in rent will live outside of very good school districts, considering the price at the low end nowadays.
——–
We live in not-”very good school district” and still paying more than $2000. Because we need space. Renting similar home in Cupertino costs $200-$300 extra. We don’t have any kid and we don’t see any point of paying extra. If we had kid, we would definitely think about paying $200-300 more.
July 9th, 2008 at 10:56 am
The only ridiculous area remaining is SF, a dump with bad schools in a bad neighborhood is still asking for bubble prices. So the nearby dump cities are still hanging on, though foreclosures have been stockpiling.
I’ve seen three-bedroom condos in new developments in Hunter’s Point in the low $200s. That’s Fairfield level pricing.
July 9th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Pralay, are you saying a Cupertino house rents for $200-300 more than the equivalent house outside its school district (say, Santa Clara)? I would have expected more difference than that, but I haven’t checked the numbers. Here in Sunnyvale, houses south of Fremont Ave sell for $75-100K more than the same house north of it, for the CUSD. If that only translates to $200-300 in rent then that’s a rent ratio range of 25 to 50. And Cupertino houses sell for a lot more than $100K over equivalent Santa Clara houses. So that would be a rent ratio approaching 150. I suspect the rent differential is higher.
July 9th, 2008 at 11:17 am
The difference is only $200-$300 extra? Pralay you must not be talking about the Fremont/SJ type of area but Sunnyvale/Mountain View right?
In south east bay there are a lot of places for under $2000. I don’t know how much space you need, we actually have to throw away a lot of stuff moving from a two-bedroom to the 3-bedroom plus a living room. A small resident can have a lot of storage space.
July 9th, 2008 at 11:25 am
I rent a 4 bedroom house for $1,600. Two of the bedrooms serve as an office, the other a sort of art studio. Personally, I like having the extra space, and the rent is cheap enough.
July 9th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Madhaus,
I don’t know about current situation now, but that was the difference for 3 bedrooms SFH in 2004 when we were looking for rentals. However, one person I know rent a 2bedroom apt in Cupertino. His rent is probably approx $200 more than similar apt at Sunnyvale.
In addition, keep in mind that there are more demands for 2bedrooms apts/townhomes rentals than 3 or more bedroom rental houses. Due to this reason 3 bedroom SFH rental price is only little bit more than 2 bedroom properties. On the other hand, in real estate market, the price of 3bedroom SFH much higher than 2 bedroom SFH. So, you cannot fit same ratio across different kind of properties.
Lastly, majority renters don’t value lot size. All they care about is living space, closet space, kitchen size etc. But while buying home, lot size could be an important factor.
July 9th, 2008 at 11:39 am
In south east bay there are a lot of places for under $2000.
————
Rick,
I know. In fact we considered Fremont, as some of our friends are living there. We could easily get similar rental for $1500 there. But eventually we decided not to go there due to commute, as both of us work at South Bay.
Yes, we do need lots of space – my photography equipments (my parttime hobby), my wife’s painting area etc. Of course we Indians love to cook. We hate small kitchen.
July 9th, 2008 at 11:42 am
I rent a 4 bedroom house for $1,600.
——–
Actually ours is 4 bedroom too. But one is not officially bedroom because it does not have closet.
July 9th, 2008 at 11:46 am
Pralay says: Of course we Indians love to cook. We hate small kitchen.
Nice… I smell something fragrant coming out of Pralay’s Kitchen!
July 9th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Nice… I smell something fragrant coming out of Pralay’s Kitchen!
——-
Actually we both are following South Beach Diet for last 8-9 months. We are rarely cooking with “fragrant”.
July 9th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Actually we both are following South Beach Diet for last 8-9 months. We are rarely cooking with “fragrant”.
Doesn’t South Beach allow spices? Too many carbs?
July 9th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Doesn’t South Beach allow spices? Too many carbs?
———
Spices are ok, but it is useless without fat (oil). There are ways to prepare lean meat with Indian spices, but it is more of a hassle. Does not worth.
July 9th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Where are you people finding such inexpensive rentals in the South Bay? My apartment complex in Sunnyvale just hiked the rents for 690 sq ft one-bedrooms up to $1600/mo.
July 9th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
All,
Pralay is a liar. Earlier e stated he is unemployed, now he claims both he and his wife are working. Based on his record, whatever he says, the opposite is more likely to be true.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Mine’s cheap because I commute from the east Bay. Rents are still so much cheaper there that at least for me, the commute is still worth it.Of course I imagine most people on the Peninsula can’t deal with commuting, hence the extravagant rents. I’ve personally never paid more than $600 a month out of pocket for my part of the rent in the Bay Area.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Bob,
What you’re doing is not worth it. Not only is it a waste of your time, a waste of money (due to gas prices), bad for your car, and also bad for the environment.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Where are you people finding such inexpensive rentals in the South Bay? My apartment complex in Sunnyvale just hiked the rents for 690 sq ft one-bedrooms up to $1600/mo.
I pay $1075 for a nicely updated one-bedroom in the SFO flight path. But new people moving in are paying $1300, so maybe there really aren’t any good deals left.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Pralay says,
“We live in not-”very good school district” and still paying more than $2000.”
Paying $2000 with your after tax dollars in a bad school district is your idea of a good deal? Do you realize that for $1000 more, you can own your own Condo and get a tax deduction?
July 9th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
RE,
We all make personal choices, and I’m happy with mine. Me and my Wife commute together. That means that not only do we get to spend more time together, but it also means we get to use the commuter lane, hence no bridge tolls which also cuts time. I also drive conservatively. Its a older Prius, but it gets close to 53 MPG. I fill it up once a week. It has a 9 gallon tank. It tends to use 7-8 gallons in a week. In an avg week, we spend less than $40 on gas. We leave early both ways, which takes us around 45 minutes each way.
I tell people that if they want cheaper rent, there are many ways to avoid having a bad commute. We’ve done this for years. It works out great. Besides, don’t you drive Bimmers and Porsches? Those get pretty terrible fuel economy considering, and I’d put money on it that you and your Wife drive separate. So perhaps you’re “killing the environment”.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
I don’t get why 2 br apartments are the same rent as 3 br SFH. To me, the house is a much better rental deal. When I was a renter, I rented houses, usually with one other person, and we’d split the rent. I rented a great 4 BR for $1450/mo in 1990-91, we each got 2 rooms.
Let’s see if any houses in that neighborhood for rent…
This one is close — same neighborhood/schools, but a ranch instead of 2 story. They want $3K now. Let’s see what 4 BR houses sell for over there. (95117)
Found one for $740K, doesn’t have that extra half bath. Nothing else in the area really compares, the bigger houses look like new construction.
I don’t agree that renters don’t care about the lot size; if gardener is included in the rent, then a big lot is better, further away from the neighbors.
Also the reason 2/2 is a popular apartment size is for 1-2 people to rent that. Families (or couples expecting to start a family in the future) are more likely to want a house than single people, so that skews the rental market demographics. I don’t get it. Living in an apartment means too many neighbors, stuff getting ripped off, noise through walls/ceiling and lots of cars all the time. You want to rent, rent a house.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
A yard is super-important to me. We have a fairly large back yard. We have a garden and a few flower gardens. It insulates us from the neighbors. There is a garage back there too which I tinker around in. We take care of the yard too. We’ve always rented larger homes with 1-2 other people. It works out well now because the housemate is never homes,and very quite when he is.
If I had to suddenly start paying 3k for a house, I’d be out of here. The advantage for us now is that we pay really cheap rent and save lots of our income. Paying a lot for rent would negate that advantage.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Bob, what do you think your house would sell for? I am wondering if you rent ratio is lower. Looks like it is about 21 going by the example above in okay but not first-rate part of San Jose.
I cannot find any houses for rent on Craigslist in my neighborhood. Only house for rent in Sunnyvale with Cupertino schools is this one. This house for sale is in same area, also a 4/2.5. The rent ratio is $1,050,000 / ($3750 * 12) = 23.3.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Paying $2000 with your after tax dollars in a bad school district is your idea of a good deal? Do you realize that for $1000 more, you can own your own Condo and get a tax deduction?
———
Why should pay $3000 for condo when I can pay $2000 for a 3+1 bedroom SFH?
And why should care for a good school district now? Sending kids to “good schools”? Well, we don’t have any child yet.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Pralay is a liar. Earlier e stated he is unemployed, now he claims both he and his wife are working. Based on his record, whatever he says, the opposite is more likely to be true.
——
Please find the post. Answers is there. You have serious comprehension problem.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
A year ago, a condo much like the apartment I pay $1075 for sold for $380,000. Now there is one for sale for $225,000, and there’s a house on the other side of town for sale for $328,000. Whatever perception you had of rent to buy ratios is probably out the window now.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
I don’t get why 2 br apartments are the same rent as 3 br SFH.
————
They are not same, but not much difference. All the large apartments have their overheads – swimming pools, gym, sauna, fulltime maintenance guys, fulltime management people. Individual landlord don’t have all these.
Secondly, in rental market there are more demand for 2 bedroom than 3 bedroom apartments. Because small families (2 adults, 1 or 2 child/children) tend to prefer 2 bedroom. That’s the very reason there are very few 3 bedroom apartments in all the big apartments communities.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I’m not sure what it would bring today. I checked on Zillow, which I realize isn’t accurate. That was in 2006 and it was valued at around 630k. Homes the size of mine are now around 550-575k. I’m guessing probably around that number.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Bob says,
>>A yard is super-important to me. We have a fairly large back yard. We have a garden and a few flower gardens.
All that consumes a huge amount of water. Do you realize that CA is having a water shortage?
July 9th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Pralay,
Stop trying to cover up one lie after another. You might as well post “I’m a liar” a hundred times. It’s the same thing as what you’re doing.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Pralay is a liar. Earlier e stated he is unemployed, now he claims both he and his wife are working. Based on his record, whatever he says, the opposite is more likely to be true.
————-
BTW, RealEstater, considering the fact that you are a
averageLOW tech guy and having hardtime to find older posts, here I am giving the link for a thread where many regular shared their info, including me. The only regular guy is missing is you (although you poked around other people’s comments, hence there is no excuse that you missed that thread somehow). I guess you are too embarassed to talk about yourself (expect Porsche, 2 SUV and home in 94301).July 9th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
“All that consumes a huge amount of water. Do you realize that CA is having a water shortage?”
Why yes I do, thanks for your concern. That’s why I started watering my lawn with my own urine.
I swear RE, I think you enjoy coming here simply to pick apart people’s posts.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Stop trying to cover up one lie after another. You might as well post “I’m a liar” a hundred times. It’s the same thing as what you’re doing.
——-
RE,
As I said before, please find the post. The answer is already there. Keep repeating same accusation like a borken record does not make it true.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Kimberly, the important thing is not to rent in a managed complex. These people are the worst, they are only interested in getting the maximum out of their tenants. I always rent from individual (not those with multiple properties as well), pay in time and keep the house nice. They usually don’t bother you or want be bothered. You often have to deal with outdated housing and this or that problem, as long as you don’t insist on things to be perfect.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Bob,
You’re deeply mistaken. Don’t you realize that water conservation is at the top of our state’s agenda? Do you pay any attention to what’s going on? Your lifestyle might be saving you a few bucks, but it’s without regard to the environment around you.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Seriously, this RE guy cannot be for real. I would like to propose the assertion that he is the embodiment of the collective consciousness of all Real Estates. Something similar to the Borg, but built up of brain dead real estate people. Instead of the blanket assertion, “you will be assimilated” it’s: “now’s a good time to buy.”
Renting sure is stupid, you don’t have your own lawn to water. But wait, watering one’s lawn is a waste of water. Don’t you know that we’re in a water shortage? Maybe renting *is* a good idea since I’m not wasting water.
but but but…school districts, weather, sophistication by proximity…
My gosh. RE, we’re in an energy crisis. Why don’t you turn your computer off and go outside to enjoy the wonderful RBA smog, er weather? It’s quite obvious you’re incapable of doing anything productive with the machine and are therefore simply wasting energy.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Pralay,
That comment was before you lost your job. Here’s what you said in a later post (note the timestamp):
http://www.burbed.com/2008/06/26/rear-unit-not-included-in-sqft-campbell/#comment-138
Liar! Liar!
July 9th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
RE,
I’m not sure what you mean since I described what we do in detail. Anyhow, this is another pointless “debate”.
What do you do to save the environment? I’m rather curious. Did you stop driving the SUVs and Porsche? Little children in Africa could’ve used all that extra dough you spent on your cars. Shame on you RE!
July 9th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Calm down about the water usage. There are plenty of gardens you can plant with drought tolerant plants. I have an extensive container garden on my patio and most of my plants are native and drought tolerant, therefore they don’t use much water at all.
Rick: Thanks for the advice. I’ve been looking at moving somewhere with a less expensive rent that wouldn’t increase my commute much, so that’s a good thing to keep in mind.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
“Bob,
You’re deeply mistaken. Don’t you realize that water conservation is at the top of our state’s agenda? Do you pay any attention to what’s going on? Your lifestyle might be saving you a few bucks, but it’s without regard to the environment around you.”
Yes, Bob, you (alone!) are contributing to the downfall of Kalifornia. Shame. You should be buying an overpriced crap box nearby where you work. Not only are you destroying the environment, the roads and California’s infrastructure, you’re preventing Real estate values from going back up by not buying.
RE, on the other hand, a man who clearly has limited brain capacity yet is able to afford to live in PA because he’s made more than he’s worth by extorting people in one way or another in his contribution to the housing bubble. He’s squeaky clean in his environmental and societal impact.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Bob,
Here are the reasons why driving a Porsche is environmentally friendly:
http://www.porsche.com/usa/aboutporsche/porscheandenvironment/environmentalprotection/
July 9th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Kimberly makes a great point. Most of the plants we have are native to the area. Poppies and other such plants rarely require watering. We did it this way because I don’t like spending time watering stuff anyway.So you can have a garden and not really have to water it. The yard died months ago. I sorta gave up on it.
Oh well, back home the grass grew so fast that we had to mow it twice a week. What a pain!
July 9th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Pralay,
That comment was before you lost your job. Here’s what you said in a later post (note the timestamp):
——-
RE,
You are really a LOW tech guy. Just adding “138″ does not take you to post #138. Here the correct link.
BTW, as I said, the answer is there in same thread – in post #193.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Liar! Liar!
July 9th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Bob,
Here are the reasons why driving a Porsche is environmentally friendly:
I went and read the page. Their only claim is that their cars supposedly last longer because of their superior engineering and galvanized bodies. They also claim that their cars can be recycled.
What a load of horse shit. ALL cars can be recycled. They’re all made out of steel, aluminum, and plastic, hence indeed- a Ford Pinto can be as easily recycled as a Porsche or any other car.
Secondly, every car I’ve ever seen that tried to use galvinized bodies had paint failure. older Land Rovers and Buicks from the 80′s and 90′s gave it a try. The paint peels in 10 years or less. I assume as prissy and anal as Porsche owners are, the second a little nick of paint peels off, they’ll sell it or scrap the thing.
Lastly, I can almost guarantee that the average $10,000 Honda or Toyota compact will last as long, or more likely longer than any Porsche. Plus, they cost a small fraction, which would then mean you could spend more money on things like solar panels and water saving fixtures, if you so happened to be such a enviro-nut.
Anyhow, I’m done with this topic.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
I’ve never realized how difficult it is to keep a good lawn, I water at least twice a day and the lawn is still not so lively.
It is actually easier to grow roses and other beautiful plants than lawn. I seldom water them and they grow just fine.
These are good lessons before owning your own house. A tree or bushes will make your lawn less likely to die in the summer.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Is this kid 60 or 6 year old?
July 9th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Post #59 is reference to post #56 (posted by a “management class” guy).
July 9th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Bob,
Here’s what you said before:
>>A yard is super-important to me. We have a fairly large back yard. We have a garden and a few flower gardens.
Here’s what you said later:
>>The yard died months ago. I sorta gave up on it.
WTF? Are you a liar like Pralay?
July 9th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
>>I’ve never realized how difficult it is to keep a good lawn, I water at least twice a day and the lawn is still not so lively.
Rick,
You shouldn’t water it twice a day. You water it once every other day. The reason for your dead lawn could be due to grubs that grow during this season. Unless you treat it, your lawn will be yellow no matter how much you water it.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
RE,
Does it make you liar too – because one time you said you are NOT a “management class” guy and then you said you are one.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Pralay,
In meal time one can just sneath around to find who in the neighborhood is indian. I wonder whether the curry smell goes away after a few days, or it is almost like a smoker living in there, you need to replace the carpet and paint the walls again after they are gone.
Chinese tends to use a lot of oil and stir fry, that is not very liked as well. I had a friend used to make their own smoked ham.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Come to think of it, I did visited Indian neighbor’s house, I think the smell cannot easily be gotten rid of.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
the smells do not go away for months.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
It’s a owner’s nightmare to have a tenant who “loves to cook” and makes the house unlivable after moving out.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Yes, RE,
I sneaked that little dead yard part in to intentionally deceive you.But unfortunately for me, you have uncovered my dirty secret of having a love of large yards full of dead grass. Foiled again! ahhhhhh!
July 9th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Why yes I do, thanks for your concern. That’s why I started watering my lawn with my own urine.
———–
Bob,
Don’t forget this is the same guy who saying that “it’s generally better to buy an older home on a bigger lot”.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
In meal time one can just sneath around to find who in the neighborhood is indian. I wonder whether the curry smell goes away after a few days, or it is almost like a smoker living in there, you need to replace the carpet and paint the walls again after they are gone.
———-
I agree, the smell (as someone said “fragrant”
) could be very strong. But normally they go away once it is cleaned professionally. Same for carpet – just steam clean regularly. Of course I have seen enough people who live in carpeted home without steam-cleaning it for decades (only occasional dry vacuuming). I guess the real hazard from those carpets are not curry smell, but all kind of germs and allergens.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
My experience with yellowing front yards is that increasing the watering schedule or adding fertilizers will only make things worse. I hate to sound like an advertisement, but when I bought Ironite (OSH for ex.) and sprayed once a month for three months straight, lo and behold the green came back. And no it wasn’t a seasonal thing. So anyway, something to try for the desperate out there.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
It’s a owner’s nightmare to have a tenant who “loves to cook” and makes the house unlivable after moving out.
—–
I guess that’s why my tenant is not increasing our rent because he does not want us to move out.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Correction in earlier post: my tenant = my landlord
July 9th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
RealEstater – keep it up and this will be your most productive vacation ever!
July 9th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
RealEstater – keep it up and this will be your most productive vacation ever!
———
His kids are less demanding than any other kids I have ever seen/heard/read. I think that’s due to 94301 zipcode.
Of course I understand his Trophy Wife is doing his laundry so that he can spend enough time in burbed.com.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
RE,
Are you still not satisfied. Looks like every person here hates you. Is that what you intend ? If so, you are a masochist psycopath.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
ahh…
cmon’ guys, I’m sure RE is just kiddin’, aren’t you RE?
July 9th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
austindweller,
I won’t be surprised if he in his office right now and working hard to get some free air-tickets using frequent flyer mileage. Keep in mind that there a new fee for 2nd checked-in luggage. For that, he needs more mileage. More mileage means more work.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Good ideas,
I also find the carpet material can make a big difference.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Nah,
Actually I like people like Eat Your Heart Out once in a while, they make me laugh.
BTW, is the dual still happening?
July 9th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
There are differences in carpet material?
July 9th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
burbed, now you’re just trying to change the subject…
Natural carpet fibers, like wool, would probably be harder to clean and remove the cooking smells from.
A neighbor I once had delighted in showing me around her house. She was of Chinese descent and had a very traditional family. They installed a second cooktop in their laundry room and a powerful exhaust fan to keep the smells out. Her husband demonstrated by putting a heavy pot lid up to the fan, which was then held in place by the suction!
July 9th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
normadic,
That was in an exhaust fan commercial.
burbed,
Not sure whether you are being sarcastic.
When you have a new born who litters all over the place you will learn about carpeting.
We learnt a lot over the years with maintenance and renovation, and know some good contractors, over landlord’s expense. That is pretty good side benefits of renting.
July 9th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
I think Realestater went off his meds.
July 9th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Personally I’m perplexed at the sudden hardwood flooring trend. It’s so loud and cold.
July 9th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Well, if there’s carpet where I want my piano, I’m ripping it out. Carpet is the enemy of music.
July 9th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
If you buy a house with hardwood floors you could buy a Persian rug or Oriental carpet to cover part of the floor to take away the coldness. Unlike spending thousands of dollars on regular permanent carpet, you can take your investment with you when you move on to your next house.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
sonarrat, depends on what kind of music. Carpet is the friend of the neighbors who have to listen to amplified instruments.
waiting_for_the_fall, I had the same thought. Either that or his loan recast today.
rick, I think the gun nut got busted for carrying without a permit. Also the burbed version of Victor/Victoria probably made his (her?) head explode.
austindweller, great to hear from you again. I worry you like Austin so much you won’t want to keep dropping in on your old budz.
DreamT, our lawn always turns yellow or brown at some point, the gardener treats it with something or other, and then it improves. Maybe it’s your iron stuff.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
That’s correct. Carpet needs to be replaced every 10 years or so. Good hardwood floors can last 100 years, with occasional re-sanding and refinishing. And the price is nearly the same as carpet.
When I buy a home again, it will be hardwood floors in the living room and dining room, tile in the kitchen and bathrooms, and carpet in the bedrooms.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
I better watch out. Realestater will look up some of my old posts and call me a ‘liar, liar pants on fire!’
lol
I knew someone like that from another blog. I wonder if it’s the same person. She’s a lawyer from L.A. and loved to argue her case by bringing up your old posts to ‘prove her point’. It didn’t help and just made her look obsessed and crazy.
Seriously…who has time to comb through all the old posts?
I finally found someone with a more boring life than me.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
My carpet was replaced in 2 hours (again it depends on the material), wonder how long it takes for hardwood flooring. But I would prefer hardwood for my own house.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
I think it takes longer. For one thing, the wood has to stay in your house for several days. Something to do with the humidity level. It would probably take a two person team several days to install, depending on the size of the house. It would take less time if the wood is already vernished and just needs to be nailed in place.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
madhaus,
That’s too bad. If I were burbed I would pay for you two to a dual. Just think about the publicity:
Bubble bloggers settle differences with shooting.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
>> austindweller, great to hear from you again. I worry you like Austin so much you won’t want to keep dropping in on your old budz.
I keep reading stuff on this funny blog pretty much when I get some time. I pretty much like everybody here, well except may be RE and a few sporadic guys. But I admit, I am not coming here as often as I used to in Fremont. Perhaps, that goes to prove bob’s point of view. I agree day to day struggle makes people angry and they need to vent it out and perhaps thats the reason for so may blogs on CA real estate. Soon I’ll buy a house in Austin and settle down here.
July 9th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
rick, are you saying you are unwilling to pay good money for a battle of the banned? Even if I used dual amplifiers to win the duel? Even if both of them go up to 11? That makes 22! Which is probably where the rent ratio will be next month.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:22 am
No props for the gravatars?
July 10th, 2008 at 12:22 am
Oh that’s ironic… my gravatar doesn’t load.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:23 am
props! I was almost resigned it wouldn’t happen. Nicely done
July 10th, 2008 at 1:05 am
Thanks. (Testing to see if I can get my avatar to load…)
July 10th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Austindweller,
When I get outta’ here, I’m probably going to leave all the California issues in California. That you even come here period is surprising to me. I’d imagine that once you have your home and are all settled in Austin, there’s really no reason to be concerned about overpriced RE in California. Anyhow, hows it going out there? Have any luck with looking around? Any neighborhoods you’d suggest?
July 10th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Thanks for the gravatars, burbed. I was stunned to see mine load this morning. Sorry yours isn’t cooperating, I had some trouble getting my account set up when I first did it and had to email them a bunch. Something about their database needing to be reset properly.
I hope austindweller keeps coming back, not to gloat but a comparison is always useful. I still don’t buy in about everyone being angry, though.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Well, I can see this website has pretty much degraded into little more than the Real Estate Blog equivalent of the Jerry Springer show.
And I see that little, pretentious douchebag RealEstater is still spouting nonsense, acting like a 4 year old child and spreading dis-information. How surprising.
As for me, after some soul searching, I decided to vacate the Bay Area and ended up transfering to Austin, TX. And I have to say, my only regret is NOT DOING THIS SOONER!
This city is incredible. A stellar nightlife. Good culture. Nice weather and trails. And southern belles are VERY cute!
And it is VERY affordable. So on that note, I do have to thank RealEstater since he gave me an epiphany. Realizing just how asinine and moronic individuals like him are gave me pause and made me re-evaluate my life choices. And being someone who made decent money via the dot com bubble, I can now live infinitely more comfortably here than I ever could in the Bay Area.
So I bid everyone adieu. Enjoy your “shack” RealEstater and try not to breathe in those toxic fumes from the copious wildfires in California. As for me, I am going to sit by my pool and gaze at my new 3200 square foot home. Enjoy a margarita while I am at it.
See yah. And California: GOOD RIDDANCE!
July 10th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Which is worse, RealEstater nagging non-homeowners and non-RBA-ers that they are missing out, or Malcolm nagging BA residents that they are missing out? I may need a margarita to settle on that.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Well Malcom,
Can’t say I blame you. But… Austin isn’t technically “The South” TX is its own little area in my opinion. The South stops past Arkansas in my boat.
Anyhow, I am not influenced by anything in regards to my own BA exodus other than using common sense as well as personal preference.
All I can say is that I have a friend in NC. He lives in a small town and works in lumber sales. He and his Wife bought a home 4 years ago. Now they’ve sold that one and have bought a bigger one. He’s also 3 years younger than me. My best friend in High School lives in Knoxville,TN. He and his Wife bought a house for cash 7 years ago. Now they live in a nice house on 3 acres. They’re the same age as me and she doesn’t work. My Brother bought a house while he was in college working as a waiter. He sold it afterwards and made 20k.
Basically, just about every person I know back home makes a fraction of what I make, are in house No.1, or in most cases, no.2, drive decent cars, spend time at the lake or in the mountains, and live like decent people should. Out here, it seems like everyone is at least 40 before they buy crappy house no.1, and do so by the skin of their teeth. Then they wait around for crashes and stuff to allow them to move up.
I don’t want to live like that. So I’ll probably be out there, or somewhere else sooner or later.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
DreamT you forgot all the other things you are missing out on:
– The joy of living among historic properties in quiet and pleasant Alameda and commuting 75 miles each way to work
– The excitement of describing your gun collection while threatening liberals with them
– The thrill of buying investment property in edge zips and hoping you picked the right one
– The thrill of someone whose house got called out showing up on the blog to defend their outragious tax break
– The suspense as two otherwise affable posters go after each other over whether home prices reflect job opportunities or racism
– The tedium of angry renter droning
– The predictability of another song parody
Well, you get the idea.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
err… 43 miles each way…
July 10th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Tune: 99 Miles from LA (Art Garfunkel)
Engine’s too quiet to hear, we’re crawling
Engine’s too idle to run, we’re stopping
43 miles from our jobs, commuting, polluting, we’re priced out
Passing the crackerbox tract, we’re laughing
Seeing the price on each lot, we’re crying
43 miles from our jobs, we work here, we live there, we’re priced out
The freeway is covered with slicks, I’m slipping
An accident ahead stops us all, I’m flipping
43 miles from our jobs, I hate this, we’re late sis, we’re priced out
Counting the money we save, invest it
Watching the stock market crash, forget it
43 miles from our jobs, that does it, we’re leaving, we’re priced out
July 10th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
I think some edits are required for that tune. I’m no tunesmith, but here are the corrections:
43 miles from our jobs, that does it, we’re leaving, we’re priced out
Commute doesn’t bother me. Our car get 53 MPG. Our rent is dirt-cheap. We aren’t priced out.We could afford but choose not to waste money.
43 miles from our jobs, commuting, polluting, we’re priced out
The car is a Prius, which is a near-zero pollution vehicle.
Counting the money we save, invest it
Watching the stock market crash, forget it
Yup, we are counting the money, which even now is quite a lot, thanks to our jobs, cheap-o rent,frugal living standards, and high MPG car. 50% cash, 20% overseas stocks, the rest in conservative mutual funds. Combined, my investments are up 6% YOY. Not bad.Right now is the time to buy stocks. They’re nice N cheap! I get all giddy when people panic like rodents on Wall Street.
Seeing the price on each lot, we’re crying
Maybe laughing actually. I’ll feel sorry for people who bought over the last 5 years. I feel sorry for people who can’t move as easily as us. Happy that what we’ll buy elsewhere will be nicer and people aren’t stuck-up. I’ll still be laughing when I have a large yard in which I can’t see the neighbors and think of all those fine folks back in the BA crammed together in their PA pink houses.
Oh well. I guess I’m just too “stoopid” to understand the precious attributes of the BA.
July 10th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
bob, you gotta learn to take yourself a little less seriously. It’s just a song, it doesn’t need footnotes.
July 10th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Malcolm: Uh, you shouldn’t call someone a pretentious douchebag if you’re going to follow it up with the pretentious-douchebag move of announcing that you’re “leaving forever” on the Internet.
July 10th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Welcome Malcolm (well that rhymes).
I don’t know why people think they save money in BA because they get more salary there. Last 2 years that I lived in BA, my saving per annum went down. My single income in non BA saved a little less than our double income in BA. Frankly, I felt it was not worth for my spouce to toil for that small increase in net saving and the previous equation was better. I have to accept that I got a very small actual pay raise when I moved to BA. In fact, if one subtracts the state tax it was a pay cut(my previous state has no state tax). I also agree I was one of he top earners for my skills when I was not in BA. So my case maynot be the norm, but I feel, saving per annum as a couple has to grow signficantly to take on the hardships BA makes one face. Even then it may not be worth for a long time.