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A Shout Out From Newsday

Gary — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:33:15 +0000

I got a mention from Newsday on their Real LI blog. Danielle deBouver spoke with me last week about the blog and my ongoing search for a house. The post is dated 7/31, but I didn’t see it until today.

Welcome Newsday visitors! Feel free to leave a little hello in the comments.

Monday Morning Coffee And Links

Gary — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:23:12 +0000

Well, no open houses for us this past weekend. I had to work on Sunday and the weather kept Debra and Aurora inside the apartment for most of the day.

No great insights from me on this springy Monday. Here are a few links I’ve collected over the weekend for your enjoyment and edification.

A Hidden Benefit of the Downturn [NY Times]

If you’ve got the scratch for a construction project, either building a new home or renovating your old one, you’ll find a lot of builders who are anxious to compete for your business.

Home Decorating With The Obamas [New York Magazine]

Our new first family has decided to forego the customary $100,000 an uncoming President gets to renovate the White House. Instead, the Obamas will be paying for redecorating the White House’s private quarters out of their own pocket

Suffolk County – Asking Price vs Sales Price [Long Island Real Estate Guru]

The gap between the median asking price and median selling price remains significant. The Guru provides us with a nice graph, although I think that he misinterprets the data somewhat.

Aaron Spelling’s Widow lists home for 150 million [Wall Street Journal]

Apparently, the recession isn’t hitting everyone exactly the same.

Since Ms. Spelling announced her planned move to Century City, she’s fielded roughly a dozen calls from qualified buyers, including some hotel investors, estimates Stephen Goldberg, her attorney. She didn’t consider lowering the price. “The ones who could afford it three years ago, can still afford it today,” he says. $150 million “is not a lot.”

As Jackie Gleason used to say, “a mere bag of shells”.

Populist Anger Made Simple [Obsidian Wings]

Some of the “masters of the universe” that helped steer our economy off a cliff are upset that they’re being scapegoated and abused. I think that a lot of them should count themselves lucky that there aren’t people camped outside their door with torches and pitchforks.

Link Round Up

Gary — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 02:26:05 +0000

Just a few random things from my bookmark file.

40 Houses for $400,000: A nice little photo gallery on Newsday’s site. Forty homes all around Long Island priced at $400,00
More on the hoax robbery in Babylon: Video from WCBS, featuring some interviews with a few Babylonians about all the commotion. Cesar Ramirez should have found some other way to pay his mortgage.

What you need to know about the subprime reform law

A write-up on the Newsday Real Estate blog.

On Labor Day, many provisions in the state’s new subprime lending reform law kicked in, but some protections apply to homeowners in general.

In lenders’ letters notifying nonsubprime borrowers that foreclosure proceedings will be started, lenders must advise homeowners to consult an attorney or legal aid. The notice must also say that nonprofits and government agencies are available to discuss options and negotiate with lenders. It must say that information is available from the New York State Banking Department. In addition, the letter must warn against foreclosure prevention scams.