The Housing Bubble Blog

Examining the home price boom and its effect on owners, lenders, regulators, realtors and the economy as a whole.

Should California “Succeed” From the Union?

It’s pretty simple to figure out when a news story has jumped from the wire services to the Popular Press. Just reading through the online comments will tell you, minute by minute, when an article has crossed over from journalism into the murky realm of The Mainstream Media. The first few responses...
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If You Were Me Now, What Would You Do?

A follow-up to this post by Englishman in NJ. Some posters made some very good points and had some relevant and interesting questions for me. I was actually traveling on business, so I couldn't reply. I'd like to thank Ben for giving me this opportunity to follow up. Some were...
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Risky Bets Sometimes Go Bad

It's Friday desk clearing time for this blogger. "With relatively robust sales sparked by sales of distressed properties for much of this year, the Solano County housing market, reflecting a statewide trend, will moderate to a more sustainable pace in 2010, said Robert Kleinhenz, deputy chief...
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Feeling A Bit Left Behind

by Englishman in NJ I'd like to tell my house buying story to the HBB crowd, mainly because it says something quite profound about the attitude people have toward house prices and the complete lack of logic and reason they use in this matter. I work for a very large bank in NYC, in the MBS and ABS...
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He Can't Stand The People He's Sold Property To

by ahansen My weekend neighbor invited five of her alpha-female friends up from Santa Barbara for a few days of extreme horseback riding and caloric self-indulgence. Because I know the mountain trails pretty well, I was asked to ride along and play scout for everyone. Well. Every time I get the...
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This Is Stimulus Money

by the Mysterious Flying Miser From Sign On San Diego: "Not many would believe this, but more than 400 cities want to emulate Chula Vista and more than 300 already are. Ever since the city began making lenders register and maintain homes that have gone into foreclosure, similar programs began...
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Speaking Japanese Without Knowing It

It's Friday desk clearing time for this blogger. "Not even Supreme Court justices are immune from the economy. Justice Sonia Sotomayor plans to keep her apartment in New York for the time being. Sotomayor's condominium in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan was worth about $1 million,...
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