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Are we heading for another depression?

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  • edited March 2008
    Just a note Kate, if our stock market took a real crash, Canada market would most assuredly follow suit and they would probably sign a law to stop helping immigrants so they could actually afford it ^_^
    Post edited by Cremlian on
  • With a retard at the helm, W is taking us to hard times.
    I have a feeling that it will last for only a year or so, The next president will help bring us out of this rut.
    And with the measures put in place by FDR in the 30's, it won't be as bad as the Great Depression of the 20's.
    I know! Goddamn George W Bush for conceptualizing and propagating all of those subprime mortgages.

    Sir, can I interest you in being informed?
  • Just a note Kate, if our stock market took a real crash, Canada market would most assuredly follow suit and they would probably sign a law to stop helping immigrants so they could actually afford it ^_^
    That's Mr. not Mrs. you goober. :P
  • Whatever you are a single entity ^_^
  • edited March 2008
    If this becomes a true depression, Adam and I are the new Bonnie and Clyde. We plan to rob banks and go out in a deathly rain of bullets!

    And by the way....
    Whatever you are a single entity ^_^
    I am not responsible for my husband's inane statements.... I am only responsible for MY OWN inane statements, thank you! ^_^
    Post edited by Kate Monster on
  • edited March 2008
    Teh buying is looking more and more plausible every day.
    Well,
    Those seeking home-purchase loans are facing higher hurdles. Marroni of New Boston Mortgage said he was shocked when a client who works in the financial industry was denied a mortgage last week to buy a South End condo with a large down payment. The executive, whose salary was in the high $300,000s, was moving to Boston from New York. His credit score was 770 and his wife's was 740, and they had found a buyer for their Brooklyn condo.
    Source.

    Now, I know that your super-mondo awesome abilities and skills border on the preternatural, but is your salary in the high 300K's? Is your credit score 770? If people like that can't get teh loan, will you admit that you might feel an affect from the recession?
    Post edited by HungryJoe on
  • Now, I know that your super-mondo awesome abilities and skills border on the preternatural, but is your salary in the high 300K's? Is your credit score 770? If people like that can't get teh loan, will you admit that you might feel an affect from the recession?
    There's a difference between a condo in Boston and a house in Becon in terms of price, I'm assuming.
  • Now, I know that your super-mondo awesome abilities and skills border on the preternatural, but is your salary in the high 300K's? Is your credit score 770? If people like that can't get teh loan, will you admit that you might feel an affect from the recession?
    There's a difference between a condo in Boston and a house in Becon in terms of price, I'm assuming.
    Probably, but if someone with a 770 credit score with a spouse with a 740 credit score and a 300K + income can't get a loan for a condo in Boston, will a (just guessing) below 300K income, xxxxx credit score person get a loan for Becon?
  • Probably, but if someone with a 770 credit score with a spouse with a 740 credit score and a 300K + income can't get a loan for a condo in Boston, will a (just guessing) below 300K income, xxxxx credit score person get a loan for Becon?
    If we need people to buy houses to make the economy improve, and then we make it so nobody can buy a house, that's pretty stupid.
  • edited March 2008
    I know! Goddamn George W Bush for conceptualizing and propagating all of those subprime mortgages.
    It might not be GWB himself, but it is a result of massive de-regulation. De-regulation is supposed to be great, right? Let the market decide, right? Not so much. It seems those regulations might have been enacted for a reason. Source 1. Source 2. Source 3.
    If we need people to buy houses to make the economy improve, and then we make it so nobody can buy a house, that's pretty stupid.
    It's a vicious circle. Lenders are feeling the squeeze now, and they're not gonna want to risk lending to as many people. That's gonna make things tighter and tighter until . . . Source.
    Post edited by HungryJoe on
  • It's a vicious circle. Lenders are feeling the squeeze now, and they're not gonna want to risk lending to as many people. That's gonna make things tighter and tighter until . . .Source.
    If you're a lender, you've got to lend to somebody, or you won't make any money yourself. They might be more careful with who they are willing to lend to, but they have to lend to somebody. It may be harder to get a mortage, but if it's impossible, then the game is already over.
  • If you're a lender, you've got to lend to somebody, or you won't make any money yourself. They might be more careful with who they are willing to lend to, but they have to lend to somebody. It may be harder to get a mortage, but if it's impossible, then the game is already over.
    That's what worries me. How bad is it? No one can say for sure.
  • That's what worries me.How bad is it? No one can say for sure.
    Let's say it is as bad as you say. Heck, let's pretend it's even worse than you say. What can you do about it? If you can't do anything about it worrying will only succeed in making you feel worse. Accept it, deal with it, move on.
  • As I said a few posts above, there are lots of things you can do. "Hedge, save, plan, and cross-train" is a pretty good, if incomplete synopsis of something to do. Accepting it and doing nothing is likely to be a bad thing. Maybe not bad for a person who is preternaturally awesome and skilled, but probably bad for those of us who aren't so awesome.
  • As I said a few posts above, there are lots of things you can do. "Hedge, save, plan, and cross-train" is a pretty good, if incomplete synopsis of something to do. Accepting it and doing nothing is likely to be a bad thing. Maybe not bad for a person who is preternaturally awesome and skilled, but probably bad for those of us who aren't so awesome.
    Well, if you've hedged, saved, planned, and cross-trained, what else can you do? If you've already done all you can, you are in the same position as someone who can do nothing. Worrying is still a waste. If you haven't done all you can, what are you sitting around worrying for? You should be out doing.
  • edited March 2008
    Worrying is still a waste. If you haven't done all you can, what are you sitting around worrying for? You should be out doing.
    Maybe we're talking about different things. I never simply sit around and worry. I can't sit still very long if I worry, since worry is a call to action. For me, worry nearly always results in taking direct action to negate or at least mitigate the worry.

    If the worry can't be totally negated, that doesn't mean it can be forgotten. You need to be aware of what's happening even if it's hard to see how it can directly affect you or how you can directly combat it. Merely accepting things as they are is tantamount to claiming victim status. You've spoken in another thread about how kids should know their rights. Using your "worry is a waste" philosophy, wouldn't that just be wasteful to them if they can't exercise those rights?
    Post edited by HungryJoe on
  • When I say worry I am using definition #1 from dictionary.com
    1. to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret.
    Tormenting yourself with disturbing thoughts about what may happen in the future is not going to help you. If anything, it will only make things worse.
  • Now, I know that your super-mondo awesome abilities and skills border on the preternatural, but is your salary in the high 300K's? Is your credit score 770? If people like that can't get teh loan, will you admit that you might feel an affect from the recession?
    If people can't get loans (which I'm sure is happening), what will this do for the demand for homes?
  • If people can't get loans (which I'm sure is happening), what will this do for thedemandfor homes?
    I imagine it will increase the demand, no? All the people who couldn't get a home will still want one, and new people will want one as well. Also, the low prices are enticing many people, such as us. Also, if someone is told they can't have something, they usually want it more.
  • edited March 2008
    Tormenting yourself with disturbing thoughts about what may happen in the future is not going to help you. If anything, it will only make things worse.
    Similarly, telling yourself "Nothing bad will happen", "Nothing can happen to me, because I'm awesome", "I can't make a difference so why should I try", or "I can't do anything about X, so I'm going to ignore it" is not going to help you. Tormenting yourself with thoughts about the future can be very productive. For instance, I tormented myself with thoughts about the future, as in I worried about how I was going to support myself. To assuage and negate the worry and torment, I went out and got some educations, which led to the employments, which led to the end of that particular worry and torment. If I had said, "Oh well, nothing I can do will change my situation", I'd still be living in the den with the wolves that raised me.
    I imagine it will increase the demand, no? All the people who couldn't get a home will still want one, and new people will want one as well. Also, the low prices are enticing many people, such as us. Also, if someone is told they can't have something, they usually want it more.
    You might think that, but people are spending a larger percentage of their incomes on the necessities of life than they have since records have been kept. Demand for luxuries and big-ticket items is decreasing, just as you would expect in a downturn.
    Post edited by HungryJoe on
  • For instance, I tormented myself with thoughts about the future, as in I worried about how I was going to support myself. To assuage and negate the worry and torment, I went out and got some educations, which led to the employments, which led to the end of that particular worry and torment.
    I did the same thing only without the torment. We're both moving in the same direction. The difference is that you have your eyes on the scary monster that is chasing you while I have my eyes on the piles of treasure out in the distance. The treasures are much easier on the eyes.
  • The difference is that you have your eyes on the scary monster that is chasing you while I have my eyes on the piles of treasure out in the distance. The treasures are much easier on the eyes.
    That's very true. Fear and torment are my biggest motivators. It's very hard for me to focus on future happiness, but it's very easy for me to plan to avoid future misery.
  • That's very true. Fear and torment are my biggest motivators. It's very hard for me to focus on future happiness, but it's very easy for me to plan to avoid future misery.
    Try thinking about the present, or the very very near future, like the next few minutes. By thinking about potential misery in the distant future you are creating additional unnecessary misery for yourself right now. It doesn't have to be that way. If anything, the potential distant future problems deserve less worrying because they aren't 100% certain, and you have time to do something about them. Also, since your concerns are mostly very big ones, there is a lot less you can do about them.

    Your misery in the present is 100% certain, is an immediate concern, and you have you have the ability to do something about it right now.
  • . . . you have time to do something about them. Also, since your concerns are mostly very big ones, there is a lot less you can do about them.
    Well, that's the whole point. I'm hardly ever situationally miserable in the present because I've always done something in the past to make sure any future worries don't become present realities.
  • Well, that's the whole point. I'm hardly ever situationally miserable in the present because I've always done something in the past to make sure any future worries don't become present realities.
    If you aren't miserable, you aren't worrying.
  • Also, if someone is told they can't have something, they usually want it more.
    I don't think it's a question of wanting. It's more a question of being able to afford. Few people can afford a home without a loan. If most people can't get a loan for as much money, the demand for a house at any given price will decrease because they have less buying power.
  • I don't think it's a question of wanting. It's more a question of being able to afford. Few people can afford a home without a loan. If most people can't get a loan for as much money, the demand for a house at any given price will decrease because they have less buying power.
    Yeah, if you consider "able to buy" as part of demand, then you are right.
  • "Demand" never includes those who cannot purchase in practical economic models.

    Take sports cars. The demand for $100,000 sports cars would be massive, which isn't a useful indicator of viability or price pressure, since it includes people for whom the sports car is an impossibility.
  • Take sports cars. The demand for $100,000 sports cars would be massive, which isn't a useful indicator of viability or price pressure, since it includes people for whom the sports car is an impossibility.
    You're right, but a sports car is probably a bad example. Part of the reason people are willing to pay so much for luxury items is to feel superior to all the people who want those luxury items, but can not afford them. If people who could not afford Ferraris all thought they were stupid and ugly, people who could afford them would not be as willing to pay such high prices for them.
  • Take sports cars. The demand for $100,000 sports cars would be massive, which isn't a useful indicator of viability or price pressure, since it includes people for whom the sports car is an impossibility.
    You're right, but a sports car is probably a bad example. Part of the reason people are willing to pay so much for luxury items is to feel superior to all the people who want those luxury items, but can not afford them. If people who could not afford Ferraris all thought they were stupid and ugly, people who could afford them would not be as willing to pay such high prices for them.
    Some people buy Porsches because they are awesome. Those people don't care what other people think either way. Of course, then, they never drive them.
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