January 29, 2009

Countdown To Las Vegas

I’ll have this post up daily to provide ongoing info on the Vegas meet-up. From the organizers: “It’s official! The first International HBB Meeting will be held in Las Vegas Friday, February 20th through Sunday, February 22nd! The meeting will officially start at 3pm Friday (check-in) and end at 11am Sunday (check-out), although we will probably plan a group lunch for around 11:30 Sunday if you want to catch a slightly later flight. ”

“This will be a chance for HBBers to meet, share info and just have some fun. As an added bonus Ben is expecting a German documentary film-maker to do some interviews. For more details, please check the comments.”




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71 Comments »

Comment by Ben Jones
2009-01-23 09:53:08

“We have two hotels at which we will be staying. Both are strip hotels and both are family friendly. Hotel A, also the hotel which has the meeting suite, we estimate to be about $110 per night. Hotel B is easily accessible to the meeting hotel and we estimate prices to be under $60 per night. Hotel B is probably a little more kid friendly. For safety and fairness reasons we are only telling registrants the hotel names. There is no exception to this. But the hotel shouldn’t matter – if you want to attend but don’t like the hotel there are plenty of other great options.”

“The registration fees will be $70 for an individual and $100 for a couple. We will be using the funds to pay for the meeting suite, to cover all of Ben’s expenses (stop arguing Ben!) and perhaps invite a guest or two if enough people sign up. If you would like to attend please click on Ben’s “Donate” button and send in your $70 (or $100 for a couple.) Separately send an e-mail to Ben to let him know you are registering for the meeting. He will forward the e-mail to me and I will send you the hotel info so you can register (if you want to stay in either hotel) as well as a form to get some info from you. Hurry – registration will be cut off will be Friday February 6th!”

“We’ll be organizing carpools online later (possibly through the Forum) so if you’re close enough to drive and are in an HBB member area think about that option. Also, we’ll be running a forum topic on entertainment possibilities so if you want to see a show or performer you can post and see if anyone else wants to go with you. (Great starting point – Google “Las Vegas Shows.” Shop a lot though, the same show can have huge price differences on different sites or outrageous “convenience fees.”)”

“If you have any questions or comments feel free to ask below or to e-mail me at sd.re.b@hotmail.com. (Unless you’re going to ask me the hotel names. :D ) I will check this thread and answer questions until 7am PST the following morning. If your post doesn’t show until after 7am the next day please repost it the current day as this thread will be ongoing until the meeting.”

Comment by San Diego RE Bear
2009-01-26 15:15:57

Hi Guys:

I’m going to start a Forum thread on carpooling to Vegas. If you plan on driving or want to ride come check it out.

Comment by San Diego RE Bear
 
 
 
Comment by polly
2009-01-23 10:59:10

Have fun, guys. And be sure to blog all about it. Those of us who can’t make it will want to keep caught up. Especially about the interviews with the documentary guy. You might make/vastly improve his career.

 
Comment by San Diego RE Bear
2009-01-23 11:27:45

Hi Guys:

Southwest is having a four-day sale with prices from $49. May not be the best times for the best fares, but better than not being in Vegas that weekend. :)

http://www.southwest.com/landing/nationwide_4day.html

Comment by scdave
2009-01-24 08:21:44

Lavi d…..I came home yesterday from L/V….When leaving, I decided to drive all the way out Las Vegas Blvd. going south rather than using the I-15….If we want to see some failed condo projects on the HBB tour this route is a must see…It makes sense that they would build these projects on the main artery out of the strip…I don’t know what it is like going north on LV Blvd. from the strip……If you have time check it out…

Comment by Ben Jones
2009-01-24 10:31:33

Lavi,

Is the Lake Las Vegas development anywhere near the Strip? Also, does any local have contacts with the Review Journal, LV SUn, LV Business Press or In Business LV?

Comment by lavi d
2009-01-25 11:54:33

There is a Lake Las Vegas, east of Vegas near Lake Mead - very far from the Strip

There is also the Lakes Las Vegas, which is a neighborhood (actually right next to where I live) - about 7 miles west of the north end of the Strip

The “Strip” is more-or-less bounded by Sahara Blvd (the Sahara Casino) on the north and Russell Rd (Mandalay Bay) on the South.

I’m sorry I never made it out to take pictures Friday. It got cold and cloudy and I wanted some sunlight. Then, when it got sunny, I had other things to do.

I have to return something to Fry’s (way south Strip, near where scdave is talking about the Silverton), so I will get there tomorrow after work and try to get shots of whatever failed ventures I can find.

I’ll try to go out to Ardiente (Centex) as well, because it sounds pretty dismal.

Also, check out this story in The Weekly about Insparada in Henderson (small community east of Vegas)

I once heard that 10 years ago, Henderson was all trailer parks. Now it’s full of stucco-canyons.

Picked up a “Foreclosure” magazine, and it’s full of more of the same dreary sameness. You couldn’t PAY me to live here. Ugh.

Well, actually, they are paying me to live here. I agree however, I can’t imagine buying a home here.

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Comment by Houston Observer
2009-01-25 08:54:02

I’m in LV this weekend. Actually, in Summerlin, in a rental house in the middle of a sea of dreary sameness. The neighborhoods out here are carved out of 1-mile blocks, the houses are all exactly the same sand-colored tan, with the same garage doors facing the street. And you’re in the middle of the freaking dry desert with no water! (Yeah, yeah, biggest man-made lake yadda yadda — but just check the historical water lines marching up the banks to see how much water the lake loses every year.)
.
Picked up a “Foreclosure” magazine, and it’s full of more of the same dreary sameness. You couldn’t PAY me to live here. Ugh.

Comment by awaiting wipeout
2009-01-25 13:27:05

“stucco canyon” & “dreary sameness” describes most garage mahal puds. I hated my ex-hood (So Ca), after the euphoria of the mega sq ft and built-in cabinet matching fridge wore off.

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Comment by Deflationary Jane
2009-01-29 13:56:17

Hmmm airfare not looking so good for Friday/Sat to Sun trip. Drive from Sacramento maybe or anyone have a better suggestion?

Comment by San Diego RE Bear
2009-01-29 17:39:29

Post on carpool forum thread to see if anyone wants to join you - link above. Also, if you can do either fly or drive I’d bid on Priceline and see what happens. (Will have to be closer to the date.)

 
 
 
Comment by dude
2009-01-24 12:08:05

I’d be very interested in a list of bloggers who are planning to go.

Comment by San Diego RE Bear
2009-01-24 16:01:04

Translation: Are the hot chicks coming? :D

You’ll just have to show to find out. ;)

(We may announce names later we haven’t decided, but we will only announce the people who give specific permission. Anyone who has privacy or security concerns should just select “no” on the “can we list you” question. If people register and want to say they’ve done so that’s fine.)

Comment by Ben Jones
2009-01-24 17:09:15

Posters could just put their attendance here on this thread.

Comment by bkiddo
2009-01-24 22:31:07

Definitely maybe!
Anybody else from the 50th state in?

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Comment by Crash and Burn
2009-01-25 12:08:17

I am looking into it also. I make my yearly trip to the mainland in summer. This would be worth moving it up to Feb. That said, they tell me it is real cold over there. I would have to buy shoes! I also would have to kiss wifey’s a@@ for a month or two.

Sign me up as a definitely maybe.

 
Comment by scdave
2009-01-25 13:33:07

Late Feb should be pretty decent but not like Hawaii…

 
Comment by CA renter
2009-01-25 19:47:14

I would have to buy shoes! I also would have to kiss wifey’s a@@ for a month or two.
—————–

Crash,

Just bring your wife. We promise to be nice. ;)

 
 
Comment by waiting_in_la
2009-01-26 12:52:25

About to book my flight.

When are you guys doing the foreclosure tour?

Thinking about coming out Sat. morning and leaving Sun. afternoon.

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Comment by Hwy50ina49Dodge
2009-01-28 19:11:37

Yeah, I’m in…to the WB, all I can say is…bring it on fat boyz! :-)

Bugs: “Eh, Hwy is heading to “Lost Wages” …I give 90 to 1 odds he makes it here without a re-write”
Daffy: Bugsy,…that’s despiiiiiiicccbillle! Page 38, Daffy & Hwy get blasted again!
Marin the Martian: “Hwy, take me to your leader!”
Bugs: Eh, Marvin, Mr. space dude…have you been processed thru HOMELAND SECURITY yet? :-)

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Comment by P. Pearsey von Peepwig
2009-01-24 21:44:19

I’m going, so don’t come if you have issues with Big Vs.

 
Comment by Blano
2009-01-25 09:10:01

LOL Bear.

 
Comment by mikey
2009-01-25 14:08:35

Whoa..Hot Chicks..Vegas..keggers..cheap houses and everything my Mom spent a lifetime warning me about..WOW !

Seriously, I would love to come but I don’t think I can.

I hope that someone remains sober enough to get a few photos and posts them for us :)

Comment by mikey
2009-01-25 14:43:12

Not sure if this was posted before…Somebody in CNN isn’t completely asleep. Sheesh…We are “Ghosting” Houses now and the FB, Taxpayers and the banks are the real prisoners.

Flood of foreclosures: It’s worse than you think

http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/21/real_estate/ghost_inventory/index.htm?cnn=yes

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Comment by Hwy50ina49Dodge
2009-01-28 19:16:46

“…everything my Mom spent a lifetime warning me about” lol

Oh, the neglect…spell it backwards…suinep. ;-)

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Comment by SD to LV back to SD
2009-01-24 13:49:24

Is there a sign in sheet that we fill out or do we just show up? If I go I will more than likely be staying at a friends house.

Comment by San Diego RE Bear
2009-01-24 16:09:33

Hi SD back and forth. You just pay Ben the reg fee, send him an e-mail saying you paid him and he will forward the e-mail to me. I’ll send you a reg form with hotel info, etc. and get you set up. There are people already signed up who aren’t staying at the meeting hotel and that’s not a problem. Don’t just show up, we’ll either kick you out or make you buy a few kegs. :D

Comment by SD to LV back to SD
2009-01-24 19:26:20

Thanks for the info SD RE Bear. BTW were you at the Carlsbad gathering when Ben drove out from Arizona last summer? I can’t remember if i met you or not.

Comment by San Diego RE Bear
2009-01-24 22:19:24

I was there but I’m not the most memorable person in the world. :D

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Comment by Hwy50ina49Dodge
2009-01-28 19:30:41

Hwy Channeling: “So I thought it was a rather balmy night…”

The woman( San Diego RE Bear) sitting next to to me at Shakespeare’s opening night of:”a Midsummer nights dream”

“O hell! to choose love with another’s eye.” ;-)

 
 
Comment by ann gogh
2009-01-25 08:22:30

I remember you and I got it on film.

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Comment by San Diego RE Bear
2009-01-25 18:53:32

I paid you a lot of money for those negatives. Part of the deal was that they were never to be spoken of again.

Oh wait, unless you mean the group pictures in the restaurant……

 
Comment by Blano
2009-01-25 20:07:14

I’ve already acquired them, Bear.

 
Comment by San Diego RE Bear
2009-01-26 11:06:51

I’ll trade you for pics of Oly doing weird things with frogs. :D

 
Comment by Blano
2009-01-29 11:14:41

They aren’t sticky, are they??

 
Comment by San Diego RE Bear
2009-01-29 17:47:43

The frogs were. The photos aren’t.

 
 
 
 
 
Comment by NYchk
2009-01-25 09:56:46

Anybody else from the East Coast coming?

Comment by bink
2009-01-25 11:51:55

I’ll be there, but haven’t paid up yet. I’m flying in from DC.

Comment by NYchk
2009-01-25 13:11:08

I’ve booked my tickets today, whoo-hoo!.. should have bought them yesterday - air prices are going up, especially on direct flights.

 
 
 
Comment by Ben Jones
2009-01-25 12:19:28

So it looks like a tour is definitely in the cards. One thing I would like to cover is what opportunities are out there. Since I have been working with foreclosures directly for a few months, I see all sorts of things that could be acted on. If anyone wants to discuss that in LV, this is a good thread to lay the groundwork.

Comment by CA renter
2009-01-25 19:50:19

HBB vulture fund.

We can buy mortgage paper from the FDIC for 30% of face value — just like the hedge funds do! :)

 
Comment by aNYCdj
2009-01-25 20:36:08

Ben:

I came across this posting on the DRYS yahoo board:

Interesting note on Arizona foreclosures 25-Jan-09 09:20 pm
I went to a foreclosure auction this weekend in Phoenix. Over four days they sold around 400 foreclosed homes in the Phoenix area and also smaller towns outstate.

The sale prices of some of these homes was equivalent to getting DRYS for $5 per share.

If you live in a cold climate and are looking to get out of your mundane life, take a look at the Phoenix real estate market.

The listings have been beaten down in and upon themselves, but then the homes sold at foreclosure go for about 20 to 50 percent less than even the listings prices.

A pair of 4 bedroom/3bath homes built in 2006 in the city of Maricopa 30 miles south of Phoenix sold for $62,500 each. Absolutely jaw dropping.

Comment by Big V
2009-01-28 15:14:09

That’s exactly how much a 4/3 probably should go for in Maricopa. When then regular houses start to sell for that much, then I’ll say it’s time to consider buying real estate in Phoenix.

 
Comment by AnonyRuss
2009-01-29 10:24:52

“If you live in a cold climate and are looking to get out of your mundane life”

Buying a house in Maricopa, AZ and getting “out of your mundane life” are mutually exclusive propositions. Unless you are looking for are the worst air-dust levels in the United States and heavy cow-related odors.

 
 
Comment by waiting_in_la
2009-01-26 12:32:18

YES!

I want to buy a vacation condo there at some point.

I’m definitely driving out to meet you guys.

 
 
Comment by NYchk
2009-01-25 13:08:45

If anyone’s looking for a hotel, here’s a few promotion offers:

Trump Tower condo (Off center strip) 5 star - $79/night on Hotwire.

Bellagio (Center strip) 5 star - $169 on 2/19 and 2/20 with promotion code DPRV15, and $239 on 2/21 with code DPRV20.

Mandalay Bay (South strip) 4 star - 2/19 $80, 2/20 $90, 2/21 $120, 2/22 $80 with promotion codes PTZLIST or PWKEND.

MGM Grand (South strip) 3.5 star - 2/19 $76, 2/20 $118, 2/21 $127 with code INB250.

New Yor New York (South strip) 3 star - 2/19 $72, 2/20 $120, 2/21 $120, 2/22 $68 with code tiereb1.

Luxor (South strip) 3 star - 2/19 $51, 2/20 $85, 2/21 $85, 2/22 $51 with code LDRATE.

Comment by Sammy Schadenfreude
2009-01-25 15:13:53

Our dear departed cheerleader for Las Vegas real estate, LV Landlord, could also direct you to the cheaper accommodations she’s frequenting these post-Bubble days: YMCAs, flop houses, bridges and underpasses.

Comment by Olympiagal
2009-01-25 18:28:25

‘Oh, my goodness, Sammy! That’s so cruel! I…I….feel quite faint, really.

And I mean that in a good way…
Hahahahahahaha!
*choke, gasp *

Comment by mikey
2009-01-25 18:44:08

Hey Oly, check out this lost cat ad :)

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/fay/938646501.html

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Comment by San Diego RE Bear
2009-01-25 18:48:03

We’re going to stop by her office during the foreclosure tour and say “hi.” Hope she has coffee and donuts waiting. :D

Comment by waiting_in_la
2009-01-26 12:39:28

LOL.

When are you guys doing the tour? Thinking about driving out early Sat. morning from LA and hanging out for the day with you guys.

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Comment by P. Pearsey von Peepwig
2009-01-25 18:41:21

If you register, then SDREBear will also give you a promo code for “Hotel A”.

 
Comment by polly
2009-01-25 20:25:36

Luxor? Luxor? Is that the pyramid one? Doesn’t it have a mock up of Howard Carter in King Tut’s tomb in it? Speaking of valuable real estate…

Comment by NYchk
2009-01-28 06:35:15

Yes, it’s the pyramid one. Very pretty on the outside.

 
 
 
Comment by satan
2009-01-25 15:49:57

U.K.’s Myners Tells Times Bank System Nearly Failed on Oct. 10

By Nicholas Larkin

Jan. 24 (Bloomberg) — The U.K. banking system was within three hours of collapse on Oct. 10, days before the government announced a bailout for banks, City Minister Paul Myners told the Times newspaper in an interview.

Major depositors tried to withdraw from a number of large banks, and were willing to pay penalties for early withdrawal, the newspaper cited Myners as saying.

Myners, who joined the government in October to help rescue the banking system, said he preferred that the U.K. keep strong, independent commercial banks, though he wouldn’t rule out nationalization.

Banks have been mismanaged and too many top bankers are grossly over-rewarded and have no sense of the society around them, Myners also told the paper.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=a71Sbc4bvDmk&refer=uk

 
Comment by OK_Land_lord
2009-01-25 21:39:02

WHOA !!!! I live in the NW Green Valley area. I a looking forward to the meet up!!!!

 
Comment by beosguy
2009-01-26 10:35:55

You would expect some people from the US media to be on hand, but I guess they still think most here are bitter renters. SMUG!

 
Comment by bearishgirl
2009-01-28 12:04:16

Hi all, haven’t been on the blog in awhile and just when I return you guys are planning a formal get together, wowww! I live here in “lost wages” and want to attend the opening meeting on Friday, how much is it to register and can I bring friends?

Comment by Big V
2009-01-28 15:16:58

I’ll answer :) It’s $70 per person to register, or $100/couple. You can bring friends, but they have to register too. Should be fun.

-Big V

 
Comment by Blano
2009-01-29 11:12:23

How ’bout we all just crash at your place??? :)

 
Comment by San Diego RE Bear
2009-01-29 11:53:39

Hi Bearish - can you e-mail me at sd.re.b@hotmail.com and I can answer your specific questions. Thanks! Susan

 
 
Comment by ann gogh
2009-01-28 18:20:36

I hate vacations. I can’t go because I never have fun.

Comment by San Diego RE Bear
2009-01-28 22:09:51

Ann - Just sent you an e-mail. Let me know if you didn’t get it.

 
Comment by CA renter
2009-01-29 02:23:25

Ann,

You have to go! We NEED you! :)

Comment by CA renter
2009-01-29 02:26:06

You’re our resident photographer and model! ;)

 
 
 
Comment by Deflationary Jane
2009-01-29 11:12:26

Checking on flights/ reservations now. This will be interesting.

 
Comment by ann gogh
2009-01-29 16:19:58

Paging sdgreg and Oly.
Pick up your page.

 
Comment by Ria Rhodes
2009-01-30 08:03:34

Is this a second-hand smoke Vegas meet up, or a user friendly Vegas get together? Cough, cough.

Comment by San Diego RE Bear
2009-01-30 09:19:48

Meeting suite is smoke free.

Individuals can have meetings in their personal rooms if people want to smoke. There will probably be places right outside the suite where smokers can go also, but don’t quote me on that. Casinos all allow smoking, and I think Vegas restaurants are now non-smoking but I’m not sure. In other words there are places for both smokers and non-smokers and both sides need to compromise a bit.

 
 
Comment by robert kratovil
2009-02-06 12:58:38

i give, how do i register?

 
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