Is It Super Slow Or What?

[prasercat]

The end of every journey is an opportunity limited only by our imagination.

It is a big world and most of our comfort zones are too small - something I find myself pushing against from time to time. Someone's signature line on this forum is, which is quite fitting: " You don't know what you don't know". We all have dreams and things we love about life, it can be much, much better, we just may not know that yet.

Seize the opportunity to continue the adventure, to realize your dreams, no matter how small or grand, how far fetched or unlike anything you have ever done. Only if you continue the adventure, can you live a full life. Don't worry, it may even involve no reservations, no plan, no destination, but only a course and a change in direction. Yes, it will be an uncertain challenge and future, but that is what makes it so wonderful.

I too look forward to packing my bags and making a clean break, just putting my things in order now - To open a map, chart a course and see what happens.

To all those ending their journey in appraisal and preparing to pick up their anchors and set sail - A toast to you! -To love!, adventure!, friends!, and a beautiful life! - and to never look back in regret! - Good luck! and best wishes!.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

Sure picking up here...got two more VAs after 4 on Friday.

 

[Noreen]

I sure hope it picks up here in So NH. I have had two jobs a week for the last few weeks. I get the calls for the "complex assignment" and actually have enjoyed being able to really concentrate on the "details" of it all but employment is still down and jobs for people "north of 50" are "scarce as hens teeth".

 

[ohiodoug]

I've had it. I turn 62 in September and will retire to Florida. I used to love doing this, but the lenders have irritated the "stip" out of me and I will no longer participate. What has been done in the real estate industry by those at the top is both criminal and tragic, but they are not, have not and will not be the ones held accountable; they will simply take their ill-gotten gains and ride off into the sunset while others will be left to clean up the mess. The criminals have the politicians bought and paid for and we pay the price. Unfortunately, our entire system is broken and I don't think any of them know how to, or want to, fix it. I'm tired and worn out trying to fight it, and when I see the likes of Barney Frank pontificate I want to barf. There's an idea, let's put the people who caused the problem in charge of fixing it. We are nuts.

 

[prasercat]

On 4/2 all the institutional work from a variety of clients came to an abrupt halt. I've had a few orders from individuals, two in divorce situations. This is in sharp contrast to a big surge in FHA assignments since February from a variety of institutional clients, including a few refinances.

It doesn't matter if I'm much busier next week or for the next 12 months, it will no longer be the priority or be the "future".

I had made the decision to leave it, since I don't want to continue in what over the past 8 years has just been too unpredictable due to forces well beyond just market forces. I've experience every kind of work load, from the overflowing to totally nothing, and I know it is not predictable. It is a hijacked and over-manipulated profession, exploited ever more by powerful interests, so any further investment into it, based upon the past experience, is not learning from the past and an improper use of my time. In a summation of the past 8 years in this profession, I have never expended so much of my spirit and intellect, while working so hard for so little. Any experience can be useful, and it has been, but for me, and while it was a good fit for me as a profession, transitioning to something else is the right thing to do.

I think many appraisers want to leave but feel trapped. The job recovery in each of the past several recoveries has been weaker and weaker. I would be surprised if there is much of any jobs recovery this time around, and we may start dipping again, since there are severe fundamental economic problems we are facing from jobs going overseas.

 

[PropertyEconomics]

The job recovery in each of the past several recoveries has been weaker and weaker. I would be surprised if there is much of any jobs recovery this time around, and we may start dipping again, since there are severe fundamental economic problems we are facing from jobs going overseas.

Prasercat .. one of the problems we have is the American worker has gotten much more efficient. This time around American corporations let many workers go only to find those remaining were able to produce the same as those prior to the layoffs ... higher profits, lower labor costs, and corporations have a new recipe for greater growth.

I think we will see wages increase but we will probably not see a great deal of improvement on the labor front .... fewer workers are doing the same work. It makes perfect sense.

You are right about economics though .. our debt is going to be a mountain to overcome ... that will be very very tough moving forward. And if we dont deal with the debt issue .. the problems will be even more severe.

 

[prasercat]

Prasercat .. one of the problems we have is the American worker has gotten much more efficient. This time around American corporations let many workers go only to find those remaining were able to produce the same as those prior to the layoffs ... higher profits, lower labor costs, and corporations have a new recipe for greater growth.

I think we will see wages increase but we will probably not see a great deal of improvement on the labor front .... fewer workers are doing the same work. It makes perfect sense.

You are right about economics though .. our debt is going to be a mountain to overcome ... that will be very very tough moving forward. And if we dont deal with the debt issue .. the problems will be even more severe.

I think there is too much emphasis on the debt issue (not that there shouldn't be considerable emphasis).

America needs all political parties coming together to start making plans and executing plans to bring jobs to this country (good paying jobs!), while at the same time taking action on the short and long term for expenditures (we have to be incremental with this or we will kill our economy).

Even if we eventually got rid of every social safety net, every dollar of discretionary spending, stopped all military spending, we won't get back to prosperity without a fundamental, widespread and considerable growth in good paying jobs. I personally don't think any measures taken will lead to reducing our debt this time around, since other measures will be put in place to extract that money into the few and jobs will continue to decline. It is take from the people and the government and hand it over incrementally to the few for empty promises.

The only credible or effective strategy is a comprehensive strategy, which would include targeted import tariffs for items that compete with domestic product, targeted tax breaks for companies that open jobs domestically, special incentives for companies that pay higher wages and which will restore the middle class; as well as, other targeted measures. This tax break by income is too general to be effective anymore.

I doubt that anyone would drive their car right now to anyone that just so happens to earn an income equal to the top several percent of our Nation (without knowing anything about them) and then knock on the door to hand them a check from their personal bank account and say - "I wrote you a check today because I wanted to stimulate jobs! Think about it? An untargeted tax break when we have so much debt? We can provide a much, much larger tax break to companies that build jobs domestically rather than a general tax break to everyone in a certain income bracket, for the same cost. That makes sense to me!

We are global community and the best return on investment and the greatest potential profit action isn't here. There must be targeted incentives put in place to change the profit equation where it matters. This will require that at least both parties agree and come together around this issue, but instead we will get political backstabbing, ineffective reforms and legislation from both sides that is constantly being torn apart and rendered ineffective rather than being constantly and incrementally improved and strengthened through constructive cooperation - this used to happen in the US congress, but no more.

Even the Hershey factories are closing down and moving to Mexico and they are making a huge profit in China and it is growing. Their move to Mexico will obviously allow them to better compete in China, where 70% of the chocolate market is dominated by foreign companies.

I think many should agree, that when chocolate leaves town, we have a real problem!

Aside: I recently told my wife not to become a US citizen and to keep her Chinese citizenship, that we will value it more later. We have begun a plan to move to the other side of the world.

 

[1iView]

How old are you, 24? Ever hear of the phrase Jack Acting?

Hello Angeleyes,
wish i was back in my twenties then i wouldn't have become an appraiser but a lawyer, just didn't have the funds, knowing what i know now.

If you're wondering how i can cover six counties and perform all those reports, well I can type or keyboard ninety words a minute, we here in cali have a great freeway system, and with the gas price so high there's not much traffic any more. I drive a honda civic with close to 300k miles on it and still running strong, cause I know how to take care of my machinery.

I can also pull data out of my arse and don't stop when I'm taking pictures. My camera shoots three frames per second, i can see through walls and my disto can measure anything and everything while standing in front of the house or commercial building, otherwise I make sure i receive a copy of the plans. You know what those are, right?

Commercial props are getting easier here in a cali, and residentials are getting more difficult and longer to complete. I also have two fat kids to feed and send the wify shopping... why do I work so hard you may ask, well it's a life choice (learned that from a vetern on this board) and I'm good at it (learned this also from a board memeber) and my passion is unbelievable.

And by the way, I'm not in the fifties yet and I'm pass the thirties, so go figure. My major in college was business and minor was in statistics. Oh did I mention I'm a whiz in math and can type like the wind blows (run forest run). I don't have a friend name Jack but bubba if you must know...

I started with commerical and moved to residential cause my mentor needed help.... you should see the commercial market here in cali, especially in the Inland empire counties, they're all vacant and in foreclosure just like the residential properties... amazing.

Anyway, my fingers are tired now so I'm going to bed......

 

[smackodu]

Booked out 2 a day for the remainder of the week. Most of it is non-lender and most are referals from realtors. I guess they like what they are hearing in my Tuesday morning meetings. My lender work is full fee. A few weeks back I was hurting. Today I told one of those AMCs who only know my name when they can't find anyone to stop sending me work. Only a few weeks ago I thought my business was toast after I lost a few clients because of no fault of my own.

 

[jwd appraisals]

Roller Coaster Ride...