I do think that real estate will likely get cheaper but that it will outperform financial assets.

The best deals often are those where “property offerred by owner” because those listings eliminate the brokerage fee and the owners are typically more motivated.

Do your homework so you know where the market is as oppsoed to having a broker tell you where the market is. Said with all due respect to real estate brokers.

I also would love if America would dismiss the victim mentality from it’s vocabulary. Once someone buys into that role they are easily exploited by people that are only interested in their own gain.

This election is not about race or a party. It is about a person, and can we trust that person?? We should divorce our minds from party plateforms and look at the people and what they represent.

I personally feel we need to vote out Congress and get a new, fresh face. The supreme court took away the idea of term limits but we can still vote them out so we can get a new group of Congress members. If just half of the country does this for 2-3 elections we can break the back on the hold Congress has on this country and scare them into coming around to representing “we the people”.

The really sad part is that after the election Americans will fall asleep again and become consumed with Paris Hilton rather then keeping watch. American is in cultural denial and wants to remain so it seems.

When do you think is a good time to get in?

What is “quality” in this context?

Is it an investment vehicle that is measured by it’s durability?

Is it to be measured by what one calls the “status quo” of valuation?

Is it to be measured by “the change we need”?

Historically, is not value created by a thing we make? The hard fact is this country does not even make shoes. On the train from NY to Boston, as a teenager, I saw the rusting factories that made them once. So if they are gone and we are coming to the twisted end of the “service industry” era, what lies ahead that can be called “quality” as measured against these uncharted waters?

In the absence of the dollar as a common denominator for world trade, will other forms monetary dynamics take hold? Perhaps a variation Islamic banking?

Deposit Products
University Islamic Financial Corporation through University Bank and SHAPE™ Financial are pleased to offer the first Sharia compliant, FDIC insured deposit program: SHAPE™ Profit Sharing Deposit Accounts. The program is available only at University Bank in Ann Arbor, Michigan to assist consumers who seek a Sharia permissible yield on their deposits. All deposit accounts are available to consumers nationwide.

“http://www.universityislamicfinancial.com/deposit.html?gclid=CO7x7b3_p5YCFQkiagoddwQ_zQ”

Petro-dollars, while currently a major aspect of the global economy, will not be sustainable, as the resource itself is in its twilight.

To be sure, being able to recognize where this was headed 24 months ago, with the foresight to transition one’s assets into “quality” investments and avoid this abyss is not something CalPers availed themselves to.

The largest Pension fund in the country is off 33%. With a target of 10% growth and a floor of 7%, is completely exposed to a Chicago style “cook off”, the likes of which Rezko only dreamed of.
The recovery period time frame I hear mentioned range from 2 years to 10 years.

But what is it the American people will “recover”? Can they recover the time that was lost?

So far what I see happening, is that the price of bondage that is what each man woman and child owes, in this country, has tripled in six months.
There is no liberty retained in this and as such is Un-Constitutional. Can I have my economic freedom back? Or is that not reasonable to ask? This is the basic question that was asked by our “founding mothers and fathers” as they struggled under the Kings offense.

I don’t want a hand out, but that is what BOTH candidates are offering. That is the admission they must pay to gain admittance to this freak show.

Wall Street’s Collapse Enhances Influence of “Islamic Finance” Vehicles (updated)
By Andrew Cochran

One impact of the collapse of a number of major institutions on Wall Street this year (a trend which will continue into next year) will be to enhance the influence of “Islamic finance” (or “shariah[sic] finance”) vehicles which have arisen in the past five years. The prime mover of capital into these vehicles has been the high price of crude oil, which has moved hundreds of billions of dollars of capital to-wards the Islamic world.

“http://counterterrorismblog.org/2008/09/wall_street_collapse_enhances.php”

Obviously the dynamics in different real estate markets around the country are decidedly different.

I do think that you will see an increase in “real estate auctions” of foreclosed properties which may allow for some real bargain hunting.

I do agree with you that there are very real global political implications. Iceland is effectively bankrupt right now. They are in the process of negotiating a loan from Russia. Iceland is in a very strategic geographical location. Do you think that if Russia provides a financial lifeline that they may have some leverage over that country.

The truth is, a lot of housing market is seriously depressed. Like some part of SF bay area, it’s down 50%. At the same time, rent had increased more than 20%. Not saying that everyone will have the stomach for it, but it’s a good way to fight inflation and rising interest(so long as you have fixed rate mortgage). I see cash as a bad way to preserve your money. As inflation picks up and income freeze, you can get less your money all the time. The financial market is too risky, and commodity market is not for everyone.

I think if people buy real estate base on income and expense(fixed rate), they will come out ahead in the long run.

Thanks for your interesting views and opinions on where this behemoth is heading.

It will be interesting to see how the tension between Global and National economic forces play out.

This am the French President, in his role as the head EU person, took a shot at Bush saying basiclly , Hey Bush, you’re a day late and a dollar short.

This has political implications worldwide.

Who do you think will be left holding the bag?

I thought I was disillusioned by the Bushbots in ’04. Now? I am even more disillusioned by the Obots of ’08. American is on a bad, bad path and unless McCain manages to pull some magic out of his hat, we’re really doomed with Obama as a ‘leader’. He’s the next Bush and his oBots? They’re far more dangerous and threatening than the Bushbots ever could have been.

WHERE OH WHERE is that October Surprise we need so badly??????