Pandemics bring with them the seeds of turmoil. Locking the economy down, working from home, etc...the last three years represent a revolution in life, work and lifestyle and the global macroeconomy has not yet caught up. Supply chains are in tatters and some of the accepted wisdom of the recent past (like it's OK if China manufactures more or less everything) are now under heavy scrutiny. The existential political crisis that is upon us is decades in the making, but it also seems to have been brought into much sharper focus during the pandemic. That electronic part prices have dramatically increased for those pursuing an arcane hobby is interesting, but it's the tail not the dog.
Here in Philadelphia, the worthless Mayor passed a "Soda Tax" bill on the premise/claim that it would lower people's intake of sugary drinks, and improve their health.
The tax was a "per ounce" sort of thing.
A sneaky form of manipulating and milking the public..... which took a 0.99 cent bottle of soda and then added an additional $2.00 tax on top of it.
People then went outside the city to buy their sweet beverages.
I get them too. They offer me what sounds like crazy amounts of money but I ask them so if I sell where do I go and how much will it cost me? They have no answer so I say only an idiot would sell if they were in my position. I’m not an idiot! My doctor wrote me a note that says I’m not!
I have moved about 12 times in my life, from parents house in the 1970s, to multiple apartments.
I've owned my home for decades now, got it to my own liking, comfy, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna move again, being 69 now.
I consider those dumb solicitors a form of harrassment.
Try living in the UK with our almost worthless (on the world stage) Pound Stirling... I have seen it halve in value against the dollar during my lifetime, being now practically parity with both the dollar and Euro.
US Dollar to Indian Rupeee 0x ddowntrodden 1985 to today.
SR 920 cell today 50 was 30 a year back.
SR 920 cell today 50 was 30 a year back.
Not to rain on your parade, but none of them are legitimate buyers , just real estate agents soliciting to sell your homes, they send those robot mails en masse.
Once/IF they get your interest, they say they have an interested customer and offer their services.
In general, the agreement you sign is craftily worded so you get hooked, something like "until property sells" or equivalent, which might mean "forever", but much worse, if you sell it on your own or through another agent, you are "breaching contract" and must pay a penalty. 😱
Think up to 5/10% of any price mentioned in contract.
Be aware they are as dangerous as Nigerian scammers and in fact a few might be so.
Not only robot mails..... I also get phone calls from actual humans, mostly chinese/asian/indie types, which I promptly give my two cents to, and/or slam the phone down on.
Highly annoying they are.
Anyone remember a few years ago, the bunch of morons calling to inform you that they were from Microsoft, and trying to control your computer?
You would think that they'd keep a database of people who are not interested in selling, and remove those from their calling list, but no.... the same one's keep on calling.
I suspect that the "auto-dialers" they use are the reason for that.
Rents in US urban areas decreased for the first time in over two years...reported in WSJ this morning.
Rents historically reflected income. We are entering strange new territories.
Isn't there a national "Do Not Call" list in the USA?
Here, the standard procedure is to ignore all calls not from a recognized number. No voicemail? Not important 🙂
I answer when the phones are turned on, once a month whether I need it or not. There's usually nobody on the other end and they couldn't afford us anyway.
Again, they are not buyers 🙂
And they are not controlled by "do not call" lists which apply to Legit business.
If I (or any physical person) phones you, your phone will ring.
Same thing.
And they are not controlled by "do not call" lists which apply to Legit business.
If I (or any physical person) phones you, your phone will ring.
Same thing.
If you do call me, what would you call me?
LOL!
Lord knows, I've been called a lot of things!
I think depends on the market a bit. In Austin earlier in the year, I think they had buyers. My appraisal went up 70% in a year and I've watched homes go for 2X what they would have gotten last year. Average days on market were around 5 in my area. And of course in TX, property tax is the main source of revenue. It is limited to 10% per year but I see at least 3-4 years of max 10% increases. This was to be my coffin home but will likely be forced out due to prop tax. I have started to see things cool significantly with interest rate rise. I pity those they paid the 2X. If they have to move due to job/whatever, they are probably going to go bk, cause their house is not worth anywhere near what they paid a few months ago.
Here in Philly, as a homeowner, once you turn 65, you can apply for a Tax Freeze, so even if property taxes increase, you're "locked in" to that fixed amount at the time you applied the freeze.
Yes, but it is enforced mainly for the largest offenders.