New Housing in CA

[tabs]

Hey Jeffy....One reason I am a man of Taste is because I LIKE DESIGN. When I travel I like to look at Historic Homes in the area.

Las Vegas is the eptiome of BAD TASTE...the architecture here is terrible, interior design is purely Babalon in nature. So far the only homes that I would love to own are built by Christopher Homes, they are basically a Custom home builder, that have developed a couple of High End Tracts/semi custom homes.

The biggest consideration for buying a home in LV, besides price range was floor plan. When I saw the home I'm in now it was exactly what I had hoped for, except it was larger than what I was looking for (3700 sq ft vs 3000 apx sq ft). This home seems latrger than other homes in the area because the Builder didn't waste space on Hallways. Passage way space is incorporated into room space making the rooms look much bigger. My Kitchen and Family Room are well over 1000 sq ft. My Home Builder didn't put much phru- phru into the house, he basically left it to the owner to do. Unfortunately not many homes in my development have been significantily upgraded. Mostly people have just left them with four white walls inside. Thats just so fking common a $1M home with a sofa and big screen TV as furniture with a Thomas Kincaid faux O/C painting above the fireplace. But they also have 2 brand new MBs or BMWs in the garage. Some people might have a Ferrari intheir instead of one of the MB.

Anyway I digress, in my last home I basically upgraded it to the maximum for the hood. I spent 9K in 1990 for interior paint including faux finishes, 15K for custom drapes and 150K for landscaping.

Here I have a different idea, I'll spend about 25K on the interior, paint, some hardwood flooring, putting in a bit more floor tile, recarpeting, some built in bookcases, minor drapery. The elegance will come from the art and art objects that I allready own.

I am also thinking about a pool but space is limited, and cost maybe more than I want to put into this home.

My ultimate goal is to be able to build a Custom Home of about 4000 sq ft. However I don't know if I will be able to realize that goal.

[motion]

Originally posted by tabs Some people might have a Ferrari intheir instead of one of the MB.

Someone has Ferrari envy. Tabs, let it go.

[red-beard]

Originally posted by Dottore
Sorry Red-beard - but all the math in the world would not convince me to move to Houston. It is the armpit of the USA. No charm, ****ty climate, no culture, soul-less city, far from everywhere, crass people, absolutely nothing to recommend it.

I'll give you the knock on the climate, but the rest you are completely wrong...

Your description describes LA much better than Houston.

[tabs]

At one time I really wanted a 60s Front Engined Ferrari, but I got over that. As far as cars go a 57 Speedster would turn my crank. I allready got the early 911S. I've had a RR and other High Profile autos before and much prefer the anonmity a nondescript car provides. I got tired of people looking at what a big dick I had.

Anyway I take jabs at U because I view U as flash money. Now to be honest I guess I am a bit envious of your stepping in and taking advantage of a market and making good money off of it. But your going to have to provide yourself with a second act, or the money will disappear, and a Ferrari is the first sign of excess. (A newer Ferrari is just a used car, and can't be considered to be collectable, as it has not established a valuation curve, which is built over time. Cavet...beware of things made to be collectable, as they usually turn out to be losers in the long run).

The Kats with the "REAL" money have a totally different mindset than Ferraris in the garage. To them a guy with a Ferrari is a guy who is showing off and saying look at how big my dick is. the Kat with the "REAL" Dinero won't take money out of a money market account a day early if he has to lose interest. In other words he watches the pennies and acts accordingly. Evereything revolves around the highest and best use of money for them.

Now for me, I havespent less than $300 on cloths in the past 2 years, and I'm being generous in the $ amount for accuracy sake. I don't go out to expensive Restruants, Clubs or when I do travel, travel lavishily. Yet I have spent tremdous sums on my "Spoon" collection. Why because it is an asset that will either hold its value which means over time it really is a money loser due to inflation or two will gain in value more than likely at a lesser rate than another investment classes. But those negatives aside it is something where I will get my money back or make a profit while providing me with something I enjoy doing, provides diversification and other benfits as well.

Ted

[thamlin000]

Originally posted by red-beard
I'll give you the knock on the climate, but the rest you are completely wrong...

Your description describes LA much better than Houston.

I mostly agree.

Climate in Houston is great for sunbelt-type people who don't like the cold winters. I have plenty of family and friends down there who value this. Canadians can't understand....

As far as culture, I'd say there's too much "culture" in Houston.

[red-beard]

Only in Montrose

[tabs]

Los Angeles is the center of cultural inovation for the World. An LV exagerates it into the height of BAD TASTE. But that rant aside NYC can also be called a cultural mecca as well, but CA has Hollywood and is a bit more experimental. NYC is more staid as it has a longer history and has developed social/economic straitification.

The rest of the country is just a bunch of peasants following along like sheep. Without a clue as to what Class or Taste really are. Just take a look at what has come out of Texas for example.

[motion]

Originally posted by tabs
At one time I really wanted a 60s Front Engined Ferrari, but I got over that. As far as cars go a 57 Speedster would turn my crank. I allready got the early 911S. I've had a RR and other High Profile autos before and much prefer the anonmity a nondescript car provides. I got tired of people looking at what a big dick I had.

Anyway I take jabs at U because I view U as flash money. Now to be honest I guess I am a bit envious of your stepping in and taking advantage of a market and making good money off of it. But your going to have to provide yourself with a second act, or the money will disappear, and a Ferrari is the first sign of excess. (A newer Ferrari is just a used car, and can't be considered to be collectable, as it has not established a valuation curve, which is built over time. Cavet...beware of things made to be collectable, as they usually turn out to be losers in the long run).

The Kats with the "REAL" money have a totally different mindset than Ferraris in the garage. To them a guy with a Ferrari is a guy who is showing off and saying look at how big my dick is. the Kat with the "REAL" Dinero won't take money out of a money market account a day early if he has to lose interest. In other words he watches the pennies and acts accordingly. Evereything revolves around the highest and best use of money for them.

Now for me, I havespent less than $300 on cloths in the past 2 years, and I'm being generous in the $ amount for accuracy sake. I don't go out to expensive Restruants, Clubs or when I do travel, travel lavishily. Yet I have spent tremdous sums on my "Spoon" collection. Why because it is an asset that will either hold its value which means over time it really is a money loser due to inflation or two will gain in value more than likely at a lesser rate than another investment classes. But those negatives aside it is something where I will get my money back or make a profit while providing me with something I enjoy doing, provides diversification and other benfits as well.

Ted

Yes, Tab, I do have a big dick. I don't talk about it much. Especially not to dudes in Las Vegas who collect dolls and guns.

[Noah930]

Now for me, I havespent less than $300 on cloths in the past 2 years

Dude, I understand your point about being properly frugal, but that's not exactly something you wanna brag about.

Yet I have spent tremdous sums on my "Spoon" collection.

Is "spoon" codeword for something kinda cool, like gold buillion or rare guitars? Or are we really talking about eating utinsels?

[cowtown]

One thing I thought I'd never see in Pelican OT: a p*ssing contest between Motion and Tabs. LOL. Happy 4th, guys.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Just based on what I've read here, it seems that tabs has made his money by being wise (and a little conservative) while Motion has made it by being lucky.

Now granted I'd take it any way I could get it, but I guess I'd prefer to be in the former category. Or my generalizations could be off/inaccurate entirely - it's only based on a few posts. Just a thought. Happy 4th all.

[Moneyguy1]

Lucky is for some. But luck is fleeting. Being fiscally conservative will get you through the lean times.

Not being born lucky, I opted for conservative.

Works for me. I live within my means, owe nothing to anyone, and my wife and I lack for nothing in the way of necessitied, and even have something left over for a few "luxuries"!!

[jyl]

Superficially, seems like motion = trader and tabs = investor

But those are just labels

[JavaBrewer]

Originally posted by jyl
Superficially, seems like motion = trader and tabs = investor

But those are just labels

Given that we have roughly 80 or so years to 'invest', and Tabs lives in a desert while Motion lives by the ocean, who is the smarter 'investor'? What good is it being able to afford great clothes when you're old and you're body looks like crap? There are just a few places I'll call home in this world and most of them fall inside the California state line.

[tabs]

The only "Doll" I have is the one I blow up....wellll I gotta come clean here, I really have 2 "Dolls", I always did like threesomes.

Motion you made a "Pile," U saw an oportunity and you put your dinero down and parlayed it. That didn't take a big schwanze, but it took big testicles, at least at first! A Ferrari in the garage is an indication that easy money has caused your blood to flow from the Big head to the Little head and thats why you have a big dick.

The question is are you gona trip over it, now that the door on the "oportunity" is closing. U have to realize that the fast and easy money days are gone (Nothing lasts forever). Now its back to grinding out the $$$. Thats what is known as the old fashion way, and its funny how what was once in fashion always comes back in fashion.

There is a book out there called "the Millionaire Next Door" some of U have read it. It basically describes the mindset of people who have made money and more importantly HOW THEY KEEP IT! A lot of people can make the money, but keeping it is the trick.

Reading that book will give a good understnding of how I was brought up. Now no one is perfect, especially me.

and Daddy have I have sinned...and this is my confession. There was a day in early 2000 where I woke up and said I never have to worry about money again, I can buy what I like. So for the next year I took money outa my Accounts and shopped for 'Spoons" till I dropped. I bought alot of "spoons," all the while my Accounts were plummeting and kept plumetting long after the horror of what I had done sunk in. Now even Viagra won't work for me, and all I am is surrounded by "Spoons" that have gone up in value.

Now my dilemma is do I cash outa "Spoons" and reinvest my money to creat a larger cash stream? But all I would do with that larger cash stream is buy "Spoons" again. You see I'm not bragging about being a cheap SOB, I just can't go out and buy something frivlous like a Ferrari. Its gotta be something like a "Spoon." Thats the twisted kinda fk I am when it comes to money.

[turbo6bar]

As long as they're happy with their methods and results, our opinions don't matter.

[tabs]

There is an old adage that Mother lives by...."Cash is King"

That is what I struggle with, I like to be able to take my money out and play with it, and somehow Mothers habit of rolling around naked on piles of $100 bills, isn't my idea of having fun. You might say I enjoy eating my cereal in the morning with a nice "Spoon," but reality being what it is, it is also an asset with an appreciating value.

Mother now begrudgingily has started to relent on her diatribe about "Cash Being King." now that she has seen the dinero that comes in when I sell a spoon or two.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

"The Millionaire Next Door" is good reading. The advice is a bit 80s and I personally think they push their frugality message a bit too far (what's the point of dying with $5M in the bank that you never got to enjoy the virtues of having earned anyway?), but the principles are still applicable today and it does get the point across. It left an impression on me. I do believe people should enjoy life reasonably while they can, but I also believe that needs to be tempered with some basic appreciation for frugality, financial conservatism, wisdom and common sense. The "overnight millionaires" who made big bucks in the dot-com bubble or the recent housing bubble are perfect examples of those at risk of becoming (or who did become) rags-to-riches-to-rags stories. A lot of them manage their newfound assets about as well as a 20-year-old pro athlete with a multi-million dollar contract - in other words, they "invest" in bling-bling, H2s, night clubbing, $800 pairs of shoes and $2,000 outfits, vacations to Europe and similar "no return" nonsense.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to "luck into" a few million bucks, but even if I did, I'd still believe savings, careful attention to where one's money goes, hedging onesself against recessions and knowing where the fine line is between sensible living and idiotic ostentatiousness is - and staying on the proper side of it. I've seen it firsthand - a single recession or economic downturn can wipe out the entire life savings of even the most self-assured, cocky, know-it-all braggart. All I can say is "be careful - better people than you have lost everything".

Personally I can't wait to see some of the unscrupulous "flippers" get their asses handed to them in the coming months. It'll be a bit of payback and honestly I'll probably revel in it and enjoy a little self-satisfied "I-told-you-so" smugness a little. Sorry if that sounds twisted or harsh, but I think these people have done more to screw up the economy than anyone else in recent months/years and it'll be kind of nice to see them get burned by the fires they've stoked at everyone else's expense. It'll reassure my confidence in the power of the free market. Don't get me wrong - not all people that capitalized on the recent RE bubble fit this description (there are some that honestly earned their keep and deserve it and who should keep it), but I'm specifically talking about those that did nothing to truly earn their money - they just kind of "happened" into it and then rode the gravy train by flipping crap properties gussied up with shoddy workmanship, illegal labor and questionable code-compliance. There are many out there and I can't wait to see them get smoked - a few already have. I doubt there will be much sympathy out there for them.

[jyl]

Originally posted by dmoolenaar
Given that we have roughly 80 or so years to 'invest', and Tabs lives in a desert while Motion lives by the ocean, who is the smarter 'investor'? What good is it being able to afford great clothes when you're old and you're body looks like crap? There are just a few places I'll call home in this world and most of them fall inside the California state line.

I don't use "trader" as a pejorative. I'm very impressed with how astute and nimble motion has been, and I wish I had his profits too. Throw in the car while you're at it. I'm just pointing out the different approaches to making money.

[CRH911S]

"The rest of the country is just a bunch of peasants following along like sheep. Without a clue as to what Class or Taste really are. Just take a look at what has come out of Texas for example." Tabs....or Nevada for that matter.

I'll take being a peasant, over being and assimilated conformist, any day.

Clinton