fareastwarriors

I been looking and making offers on houses (as investment). The competition is absolutely crazy here in the SF Bay Area. I would make my "resonable" offer (cash, no contigencies, fast close) and the final sale price would be like 50-100k above my offer... Most of these houses are fixers but I still don't get it. After the cost of renovations (easily 100k+), I don't know how these buyers/flippers plan to make money. Maybe they are seeing something I'm not seeing.

If you have good record keeping and qualify for the deduction, you should take it. One shouldn't be afraid of an audit, if one has nothing to hide.

Puerto Rico Seeks Approval of Up to $3.5 Billion in GO Bonds http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-08/puerto-rico-seeks-approval-of-up-to-3-5-billion-in-go-bonds-1-.html

Yup, I just assumed we were talking about the U.S. market. Silly me.

“Look folks, if you pay $400K for the house today you will have always paid $400K for that house, but that $1,200 per month could well be a lot more than that in a few years” Is it because they are using adjustable mortgage? If they locked a 30 year-fixed rate and they could afford the payments, what's the problem?

Welcome to Bakersfield, California How an ordinary town became one of the home foreclosure capitals of America http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/f718296e-8ec1-11e3-b6f1-00144feab7de.html#slide0 How_an_ordinary_town_became_one_of_the_home_foreclosure_capitals_of_America.pdf

Moody's Cuts Puerto Rico Ratings to Junk http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304680904579369040397229058?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTWhatsNewsCollection

All Aboard: Why America's Second Rail Boom Has Plenty Of Room To Run http://www.forbes.com/sites/joannmuller/2014/01/22/americas-second-rail-boom/

Mobius Says Emerging-Market Selloff to Deepen Amid Outflows http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-07/templeton-s-mark-mobius-says-emerging-markets-selloff-to-deepen.html

That was a gem. Thanks for sharing.

Cooperman: Stocks to Rally After `Healthy' Retreat http://www.bloomberg.com/video/cooperman-stocks-to-rally-after-healthy-retreat-mS88YocxQzSesgk3GK10Dg.html

Buffett widens lead in $1 million hedge fund bet http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2014/02/05/buffett-widens-lead-in-1-million-bet/?iid=SF_F_River

If Mr Kyle Bass wants to get on TV, I'm sure CNBC/Bloomberg/Fox Business would give him hours and hours of time to talk his mind out.

How are you investing? Through Popular bank? Are you buying bonds directly?

Puerto Rico Has Credit Rating Cut One Step to Junk by S&P http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-04/puerto-rico-has-credit-rating-cut-one-step-to-junk-level-by-s-p.html

;D ;D ;D ;D

Citi has a much bigger presence in EM markets than the other big universal banks. I think the Emerging Market 'crisis' is dragging down C. Investors/traders sell this because they are afraid of the EM exposure.

Ouch. Is this the land of the Hebrews? I was thinking Singapore but I think prices are even higher there.

Wall Street Attracts Chop Shops 20 Years After ‘Wolf’ http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-30/wall-street-attracts-chop-shops-20-years-after-wolf-.html

Good read thanks. I like these 2 guys. I will continue to monitor their activities.

Big Oil Companies Struggle to Justify Soaring Project Costs Chevron, Exxon and Shell Spent More Than $120 Billion in 2013 to Boost Oil and Gas Output, but Production Is Down http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303277704579348332283819314?mod=WSJ_hp_EditorsPicks

Fed experimented in 'price controls': Grant http://www.cnbc.com/id/101373807

+1

You tell'em!

No wonder Fairfax is up today. ;)