mbborak's Comments RSS Syndication from SeekingAlpha.com http://seekingalpha.comuser/105942/comments http://seekingalpha.com/news/market_currents/post/25057?source=feed#comment-522008 522008
blogs.wsj.com/wealth/2.../]]> Thu, 28 May 2009 17:37:36 -0400
blogs.wsj.com/wealth/2.../]]> http://seekingalpha.com/news/market_currents/post/25057?source=feed#comment-521941 521941
I came across this article on the wsj website, and found another that talked Britains 50% decrease in millionaires this year due to the recession. Somehow that must be the fault of liberal Democrats as well. This reporter should be fired for making such a specious claim.]]> Thu, 28 May 2009 17:04:12 -0400
I came across this article on the wsj website, and found another that talked Britains 50% decrease in millionaires this year due to the recession. Somehow that must be the fault of liberal Democrats as well. This reporter should be fired for making such a specious claim.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/news/market_currents/post/18763?source=feed#comment-405035 405035
This article is nothing but a conservative rant using recycled arguments that have little to no truth to them. The argument about land use and housing costs is absurd! The cities he cites as affordable are all much smaller in population, have no geographic boundaries, and have lower median incomes than the big California cities... but no, that has no bearing on house prices.

These people will use any scrap of bs data to try and argue their point that liberals are responsible for all the evil in the world. Why is this on seekingalpha in the first place???]]> Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:26:28 -0500
This article is nothing but a conservative rant using recycled arguments that have little to no truth to them. The argument about land use and housing costs is absurd! The cities he cites as affordable are all much smaller in population, have no geographic boundaries, and have lower median incomes than the big California cities... but no, that has no bearing on house prices.

These people will use any scrap of bs data to try and argue their point that liberals are responsible for all the evil in the world. Why is this on seekingalpha in the first place???]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/118749-hovnanian-s-ceo-foresees-housing-recovery?source=feed#comment-376974 376974
A lot of those who speculated last year and thought they were buying at the bottom are now foreclosing and selling at a loss. I expect this to repeat a few times before a real bottom occurs, so this stock is either good for a short-term bounce or a long-term buy.]]> Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:12:15 -0500
A lot of those who speculated last year and thought they were buying at the bottom are now foreclosing and selling at a loss. I expect this to repeat a few times before a real bottom occurs, so this stock is either good for a short-term bounce or a long-term buy.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/114133-jerry-maguire-mission-statements-and-the-great-housing-malaise?source=feed#comment-353503 353503
We are told by the powers that be that homeownership is not only "the American Dream" but the greatest and most secure investment you can make. The truth is, most people don't factor in all the costs of maintaining a house, and can't refrain from keeping up with the Joneses by buying a $1,000 washing machine and a $30,000 kitchen upgrade.

The solution is to stop subsidizing homeownership with tax breaks and artificially low mortgage rates and let market forces work. Homeownership is not a natural-born right. It is a privilege that should be gained through working and saving. ]]> Mon, 12 Jan 2009 12:55:25 -0500
We are told by the powers that be that homeownership is not only "the American Dream" but the greatest and most secure investment you can make. The truth is, most people don't factor in all the costs of maintaining a house, and can't refrain from keeping up with the Joneses by buying a $1,000 washing machine and a $30,000 kitchen upgrade.

The solution is to stop subsidizing homeownership with tax breaks and artificially low mortgage rates and let market forces work. Homeownership is not a natural-born right. It is a privilege that should be gained through working and saving. ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/113274-admissions-of-spin-at-the-nar?source=feed#comment-347549 347549
I remember wondering to myself when the media would stop going to the NAR for forecasts when every single one of them was proven too optimistic.

The question is, if the realtors themselves won't hold him accountable, who will? Certainly not the mainstream press. And unfortunately, Seeking Alpha is not considered "mainstream".]]> Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:32:58 -0500
I remember wondering to myself when the media would stop going to the NAR for forecasts when every single one of them was proven too optimistic.

The question is, if the realtors themselves won't hold him accountable, who will? Certainly not the mainstream press. And unfortunately, Seeking Alpha is not considered "mainstream".]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/113229-is-financial-history-bunk?source=feed#comment-346495 346495
History can definitely lend insight into the current market turmoil, but because we are in the middle of it and have so far seen outcomes that were largely unexpected, the instinct is to throw our hands up and say that history has failed us. I simply cannot believe that there is nothing to learn from past events in our financial history, and I would argue that up until the Fed and Treasury started their meddling, a prudent financial historian could have largely predicted the onset of this recession (and several did). The picture is certainly cloudy and there are no easy answers. To echo Mark Twain, history gives us clues, not prophecies.]]> Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:21:19 -0500
History can definitely lend insight into the current market turmoil, but because we are in the middle of it and have so far seen outcomes that were largely unexpected, the instinct is to throw our hands up and say that history has failed us. I simply cannot believe that there is nothing to learn from past events in our financial history, and I would argue that up until the Fed and Treasury started their meddling, a prudent financial historian could have largely predicted the onset of this recession (and several did). The picture is certainly cloudy and there are no easy answers. To echo Mark Twain, history gives us clues, not prophecies.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/105657-let-s-clarify-the-worst-economy-since-debate?source=feed#comment-304487 304487
Wachovia just came out today with a forecast of 9% unemployment by late next year. Not that they're correct, but suffice it to say that these forecasts will likely follow a downward trend for the forseeable future.]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:48:08 -0500
Wachovia just came out today with a forecast of 9% unemployment by late next year. Not that they're correct, but suffice it to say that these forecasts will likely follow a downward trend for the forseeable future.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/105282-bloomberg-picks-a-fight-with-the-fed-on-disclosure?source=feed#comment-303097 303097 Plus, what right do we have as citizens to know what these unelected officials are doing with our $800+ Billion tax dollars?

Even if we end up losing all this money, our kids will eventually pay for it so we're in the clear!]]> Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:45:42 -0500 Plus, what right do we have as citizens to know what these unelected officials are doing with our $800+ Billion tax dollars?

Even if we end up losing all this money, our kids will eventually pay for it so we're in the clear!]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/103818-the-plague-of-short-termism?source=feed#comment-298059 298059
We have simply become too spoiled and too entitiled to simply batten down the hatches, keep our noses to the grindstone and work through our problems. We cry out for a safety net to rescue us from the inevitable downside to our "get rich quick" economy. The result is constant imbalance and volatility, with the worst consequences being passed on to future generations.]]> Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:22:37 -0500
We have simply become too spoiled and too entitiled to simply batten down the hatches, keep our noses to the grindstone and work through our problems. We cry out for a safety net to rescue us from the inevitable downside to our "get rich quick" economy. The result is constant imbalance and volatility, with the worst consequences being passed on to future generations.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/101765-the-right-way-to-encourage-home-ownership?source=feed#comment-289907 289907
Remember, we are coming off of record hight home ownership rates, and I simply don't see the need to offer further subsidies at this stage of the game, since we would just be propping up a market that has further to fall. It would be folly to try to get low income families into houses that will be worth less in a few years rather than simply waiting until these families can make their own determination of what they can afford.]]> Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:09:20 -0400
Remember, we are coming off of record hight home ownership rates, and I simply don't see the need to offer further subsidies at this stage of the game, since we would just be propping up a market that has further to fall. It would be folly to try to get low income families into houses that will be worth less in a few years rather than simply waiting until these families can make their own determination of what they can afford.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/98903-have-we-learned-anything-yet?source=feed#comment-275982 275982 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:57:24 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/94429-asking-for-a-housing-bailout?source=feed#comment-248616 248616
Maybe we can have an "equity sharing" deal where the government owns 50% of all troubled real estate and simply rents their share out at a subsidized rate. Or, the government could ban private appraisals and release its own "CHPI (Core Housing Price Index)" that reassuringly lets us know that real estate values are consistently rising at 5% per year.

Do these people call themselves capitalists?]]> Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:17:08 -0400
Maybe we can have an "equity sharing" deal where the government owns 50% of all troubled real estate and simply rents their share out at a subsidized rate. Or, the government could ban private appraisals and release its own "CHPI (Core Housing Price Index)" that reassuringly lets us know that real estate values are consistently rising at 5% per year.

Do these people call themselves capitalists?]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/88220-where-we-should-be-investing-the-paradox-of-thrift?source=feed#comment-219307 219307
Now we just need to figure out how to convince financiers and government to stop plowing our savings and taxes into ventures that produce only short-term gains and long-term liabilities.

Perhaps a follow-up article would be warranted?]]> Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:57:30 -0400
Now we just need to figure out how to convince financiers and government to stop plowing our savings and taxes into ventures that produce only short-term gains and long-term liabilities.

Perhaps a follow-up article would be warranted?]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/85512-just-how-terrible-is-housing-as-an-asset-class-roubini-weighs-in?source=feed#comment-207937 207937
Policymakers have to resist the enormous pressures of the housing/housing finance lobby and the baby-boomer homeowners in the interest of putting this locked-up capital to better use. Good luck - maybe that bit about bankrupting the US economy wasn't so far off.]]> Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:39:11 -0400
Policymakers have to resist the enormous pressures of the housing/housing finance lobby and the baby-boomer homeowners in the interest of putting this locked-up capital to better use. Good luck - maybe that bit about bankrupting the US economy wasn't so far off.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/80144-bullish-on-china-after-my-recent-visit?source=feed#comment-179719 179719
That said, China is a tremendous force that will certainly lead the world one day. The youthful energy and exuberance you highlight can lead to positive change, but also has the propensity to trample over anything obstructing the path of China's torrid growth.

]]> Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:42:15 -0400
That said, China is a tremendous force that will certainly lead the world one day. The youthful energy and exuberance you highlight can lead to positive change, but also has the propensity to trample over anything obstructing the path of China's torrid growth.

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/76354-zillow-homeowners-sinking-underwater-as-prices-fall-housing-tracker?source=feed#comment-164401 164401 www.baltimoresun.com/b...]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 17:10:04 -0400 www.baltimoresun.com/b...]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/74944-the-worst-is-over-again-and-again?source=feed#comment-159660 159660

In reference to the preceding post, the author does not take into account the massive pyramid of leverage built on mortgage securitization, nor the knock-on effects on the overall US and global economy in his assessment of the total losses from the housing bust. However I do applaud his effort to put some of the rhetoric out there into numerical perspective.]]> Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:12:12 -0400

In reference to the preceding post, the author does not take into account the massive pyramid of leverage built on mortgage securitization, nor the knock-on effects on the overall US and global economy in his assessment of the total losses from the housing bust. However I do applaud his effort to put some of the rhetoric out there into numerical perspective.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/74824-from-housing-to-employment-we-re-in-big-trouble?source=feed#comment-159340 159340 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:39:05 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/72370-mortgage-lenders-can-t-escape-morgenson-s-wrath?source=feed#comment-151309 151309 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:53:05 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/46348-us-economy-is-reaping-the-repercussions-of-its-society?source=feed#comment-95469 95469 Fri, 07 Sep 2007 18:14:42 -0400