Todays Rental News

Quote of the Day

Tim Ballering — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:04:04 +0000

No horse gets anywhere until he is harnessed. No stream or gas drives anything until it is confined. No Niagara is ever turned into light and power until it is tunneled. No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated, disciplined.- Harry Emerson Fosdick

Seeking Alpha on Housing Prices

Tim Ballering — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:00:18 +0000

Housing & Real Estate

Little Hope for Housing by Jon D. Markman
Beware the Case-Shiller Lag by The Fundamental Analyst
Subprime WAS Profitable by Karl Smith
Home Prices Rose in June, But… by Zacks.com
More Evidence That Housing Has Stabilized by Calafia Beach Pundit
Bank Self-Dealing and the Supercharged Financial Crisis by Rortybomb
Home Prices Respond to Government Cheese by Karl Denninger
Case-Shiller Up, But Still Distorted by Housing Credit by Sold At The Top
False Hope for Housing From Case-Shiller by Tim Iacono

Landlord Suit Could Cost City Millions – ABC News

Tim Ballering — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:02:43 +0000

A legal battle between the City of Saint Paul and a handful of landlords could force the city to pay millions.

It all centers around code enforcement.

The city says it was trying to make sure housing is safe and sanitary. Landlords who are part of the suit say the city went too far, hurting their rental business, hurting people who need affordable housing.

Twelve St. Paul landlords claim the city’s aggressive code enforcement forced them to make expensive unnecessary repairs. They say the enforcement also forced them to cut back or sell out and that hurt affordable housing in St. Paul.

via KSTP TV – Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Quote of the Day

Tim Ballering — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:04:04 +0000

let there be no doubt: as long as you continue to blame others instead of assuming your responsibilities, you will make no meaningful and enduring change for the better. What kind of people are we, if we don’t have the character to own up to our own short-comings and responsibilities? To have and enjoy certain liberties requires us to hold each other and ourselves accountable for our actions.- Gary Ryan Blair

Don’t Tread on Him

Tim Ballering — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:35:06 +0000

The ACLU has intervened for a man whose homeowner’s association told him he cannot fly a “Don’t Tread On Me” flag outside his home. The Avalon Village Community Association threatened to fine the man unless he removed the “Gadsden flag,” which the HOA allegedly called “debris.”

via Courthouse News Service.

Subprime WAS Profitable

Tim Ballering — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:33:34 +0000

This is where everyone goes wrong. It wasn’t that everyone had convinced themselves that subprime would be profitable. Subprime WAS massively profitable. There were subsequent losses for those who, unlike Goldman (GS) didn’t jump ship in time. But, make no mistake, plenty of people made bank off subprime.

via Seeking Alpha.

Can Owner Post ‘For Sale’ Sign in Front of Rental?

Tim Ballering — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:32:01 +0000

Can owner post “for sale” sign in front of my rental?

I have a 12-month contract to rent. House was previously for sale by owner. Following signing of my lease, the owner listed it with a real estate agent and now I have a large colorful sign in front of my house. It is NOT in my contract. What are my rights? May I legally remove it?

via Zillow News.

Quote of the Day

Tim Ballering — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:04:04 +0000

All religions are the same: religion is basically guilt, with different holidays.- Cathy Ladman

This lender still playing with fire

Tim Ballering — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:10:46 +0000

Don’t worry, says the state agency that’s running radio ads about how you can get a home with (almost) no cash. This time, they’ve got it all figured out.

Sure about that?

via JSOnline.

Tenant’s hoarding is a ‘safety hazard.’ What to do?

Tim Ballering — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:08:57 +0000

Question: My elderly aunt has rented the same apartment for more than 15 years. Recently she received a warning notice from the manager requiring her to remove her accumulated belongings from the unit because they “constitute a safety hazard.” When I called the resident manager about the warning notice, she said my aunt was a hoarder. I know that my aunt has difficulty discarding possessions, even old newspapers. I don’t think she can control this behavior, and I am worried that she may have some kind of mental illness. Is there anything that can be done to protect her housing?

via latimes.com.