campo

Cramer Does It Again with CIT Call

Cramer is an entertainer. His news is for amusement, not perusement. Please don't take anything you see on TV seriously, folks!

Why Is Canadian Housing and Banking Stronger than the U.S.?

The most dangerous thing for the Canadian housing market is high interest rates. Unlike the US, where a mortgage has a fixed rate with a thirty year amortization, Canadian mortgages are typically 25year amortization with a term of 3-5 years. Recent years have produced low, stable rates, but a radical up tick in interest rates like what happened in the early 1980's would be disastrous for Canadian homeowners.

Canadian House Prices: More Pain to Come

You offer no evidence for your conclusion in this article. In my area near Vancouver, the market is moving. There isn't as many foreclosures as in the US because people in Canada have equity in their homes. In the US, mortgage interest is deductible. It isn't in Canada. So in the US, there is a tax savings when you buy a car or boat, etc. by adding to your mortgage. Not so in Canada. There are a few underwater properties in Canada, but those will be mopped up quickly. 10% coming off this market, which has doubled in the past 5 years is just a correction, not a meltdown. Mortgage money is the cheapest in history. I don't see a protracted slump in housing here.

The Foreclosure Zombies of Mass Destruction

Foreclosure moratoriums will just fester the problem and create a long-term bear in housing. We need a reset of real estate values anyway. The "Buckleys" approach provides the short-term pain and sets up a return to long-term gain. If you are upside-down in a home right now, and you have no other assets, then your best move is to stop making your payments and live in your place rent-free until they kick you out. Save the money you would otherwise be using for payments, and use it to start over when your ass is on the street.

Here's One U.S. Real Estate Market that Looks Healthy

I think the changing of the guard in Washington D.C. has olot to do with The North Virginia volume holding up.

Bail Out for Dummies - Part I

One way to marginalize all of this debt: INFLATION

Could the Dow Sink Another 50% by 2012?

Immigration is going to soften the effect of the baby boom bubble. Because of mass retirements, the unemployment picture is not going to worsen in the long term. Some valuations; real estate in particular, have got to come down just to be rational. The baby boomers are going to lead active retirements. They will buy boats. They will buy motorhomes. They will gamble. They will move into old folks homes. They will die. Pick your stocks accordingly.

Non-Residential Housing Construction Decline Stops

CityCentre is in bankruptcy.

Home Prices from the 70s: A Good Investment?

This rule always works: If you are going to live in it for a minimum of 5 years, then buy a house if you can afford it.

When Will Housing Bottom?

The next problem with suburban single family will be demographics. As the Boomers kids grow up, the family home is being sold and mom and dad are looking for lifestyle in the country club developements and high-end condo's. A lot of these 5000sf behemoths will be like Hummers in a gas crisis. Replacement cost won't bottom these babies. Look for investors to buy em up cheap, and turn them into rooming houses or grow-op's.

Stock Market at a Critical Juncture

The deals are there. There is huge cash on the sidelines. Once the shorts start getting slapped, and there is good economic news, The train will leave the station. All aboard?

Berkshire Testing November Lows - Already Down 17% YTD

Explain "Black Swan"

Westport Innovations: A 'Green' Stock Worth a Look

Don't bet on Ballard. That dog will die in the kennel. Westport is a different story. Their technology changes diesel engines into natural gas engines essentially by changing the fuel injectors. Same power. Way less pollution. I'm in.