tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post112448028654173699..comments2024-03-06T03:15:58.539-05:00Comments on <b>THE NEW REFORM CLUB</b>: Puncturing the Housing Investment BalloonHunter Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961831404331998743noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1124687754354165692005-08-22T01:15:00.000-04:002005-08-22T01:15:00.000-04:00Loved the Churchill quote. Can't get enough of th...Loved the Churchill quote. Can't get enough of those!Greg McConnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17504912601218236507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1124646176108812222005-08-21T13:42:00.000-04:002005-08-21T13:42:00.000-04:00Never work. You could lay us all end to end and we...Never work. You could lay us all end to end and we'll still never reach a conclusion.<BR/><BR/>"Whenever I ask England's six leading economists a question, I get seven answers -- two from Mr. Keynes." -- Winston Churchill <BR/><BR/>Very geeky economist joke:<BR/><BR/>Q: How many econometricians does it take to screw in a lightbulb? <BR/><BR/>A: To figure out the answer to this question we need a nonparametric approach because econometricians are not normal.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://netec.wustl.edu/JokEc.html" REL="nofollow">More economist jokes here</A>. Lawyer jokes are a lot funnier, though.Kathy Hutchinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11851875819094837357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1124583863052641242005-08-20T20:24:00.000-04:002005-08-20T20:24:00.000-04:00We civilians are about ready to lay you economists...We civilians are about ready to lay you economists end to end until you reach a conclusion.Tom Van Dykehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07121072404143877596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1124571298101344612005-08-20T16:54:00.000-04:002005-08-20T16:54:00.000-04:00Unless you're a nomad, you're going to pay propert...Unless you're a nomad, you're going to pay property taxes one way or another. Either it comes out of your mortgage escrow or it gets folded into your rent. And property taxes themselves get preferential tax treatment from the Feds if you own, and if you itemize. It's all very complicated, isn't it?Kathy Hutchinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11851875819094837357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1124556025681205582005-08-20T12:40:00.000-04:002005-08-20T12:40:00.000-04:00Capital gains is an important factor, but you must...Capital gains is an important factor, but you must include property taxes when considering investments in housing, and those taxes are high and rising.S. T. Karnickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05971214612730402709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1124517929152915962005-08-20T02:05:00.000-04:002005-08-20T02:05:00.000-04:00A couple of comments: you can't compare returns in...A couple of comments: you can't compare returns in the stock market to returns from capital gains to residential real estate without adjusting for the different tax treatment of the two vehicles. The once-every-three-years exclusions on capital gains from sale of a primary residence makes a big, big difference in after-tax profit.<BR/><BR/>Also, if the returns in the stock market are as good as you claim, it seems like it would be economically rational, at today's interest rates, to borrow against home equity and purchase stocks. <BR/><BR/>Everyone keeps talking about a housing bubble, yet housing starts and building permits just keep setting records month after month. In my neck of the woods, they're getting close to total buildout unless local zoning rules change radically. Real estate may not look good to these guys, but it's the only thing <B>I've</B> ever made any money at.Kathy Hutchinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11851875819094837357noreply@blogger.com