you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting

I was one of the first people to register for online foreclosure auctions hosted by municipalities. I have not paid much attention until recently. It took only a few minutes, a few municipalities and already I am worried. I am not worried that I may not get a “bargain”, instead, I am worried of a few dangerous trends that will only ensure that more Americans will not achieve the American Dream (an opinion on this to follow).

I like to examine historical data in order to make an educated guess as to where a property may fall at auction. This is what I found 53% of the times:

Auction Type: Foreclosure

Final Judgment Amount: $140,720.78

Assessed Value: $51,138.00

Plaintiff Max Bid: $151,116.70

I scratch my head when I saw this for a few reasons:

1. If the assessed value is $51,138.00, a “normal” person would bid below or up to the assess value so as not to start out with negative equity.

2. The Plaintiff (Federal National Mortgage Association) placed a bid, even far more than the judgment.

It would seem to me that lenders (after getting their billions from our tax paying dollars), are not interested in giving up the inventory on the market. By bidding so high, they are ensuring that the banks are now in the real estate business.

This particular case was even more interesting when I found that the property in question had Chinese drywall and has not yet been remediated. Why would a lender knowing these minimum details not be willing to allow this house to pass for a cash sale?

The second disturbing trend involves realtors. Yes, the same people who made millions selling homes to people who could not afford them.

A disturbing amount of houses are being gobbled up by Realtors at auctions and then relisted for profit. I have been chasing two realtors for the last three months, and they buy properties, then relist them for as much as 500% of the price at auction.

This is as bad as the bank bidding ridiculous figures for the homes. Home sales are not increasing in some of these areas (notably Jacksonville and Lee County), so why are realtors hording foreclosed homes then relisting at ridiculous prices?

There should be some limit placed on the quantity of foreclosed homes a person or business that is not the plaintiff is allowed to buy within a given period. I hear someone screaming free market and capitalism, but isn’t that what just brought this country to its knees. Not really free market, not really capitalism, just greed.

Scales of Justice

Boy, it seems eBay has not balanced the scales with the inability for sellers to leave negative feedback. What has been happening, is a mass exercise in good old fashion extortion. Just this week, I encountered 2 buyers who thought negative feedback was the same as a hammer to the knee.

In one case, a buyer wanted $40.00 for positive feedback and to keep a suspected broken item. The seller wrote the buyer saying:

Return item to us, we will pay for return shipping and give 100% refund as item is insured.

Buyer said, I don’t want to return the item I want $40.00.

The irony, it was sold for $78.53. Buyer left negative feedback for seller as the shakedown did not work. Here is another shake down:

From: redd8355
To: sellerx
Subject: Request to change an order: redd8355 sent a message #120787649506
Sent Date: Nov-21-11 14:19:40 PST

Dear seller,

Hello, I received this item today and it appears to be in great condition. I have not taken it out of the box yet because I found out that another seller is selling this for $15 cheaper. Rather then return the item to you for a refund I wanted to request a credit from you for $15.00 and I will keep the item and leave excellent feedback for you. Please confirm that you can give me a refund for $15.00 as requested. Thank you !

Here is the other seller’s posting:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/40025

———————————————————————————————————–
Dear redd8355,

Hello,

Of all the requests I have heard over the years! Well, we are not giving you a credit for $15.00. If you want a refund of the purchase price, please return the item to us. We price base on our purchase price and fees. We do not know what another seller pays for their item, the source or the quality.

Regards,
Seller
————————————————————————————————————
From: redd8355
To: seller
Subject: Re: Request to change an order: redd8355 sent a message
Sent Date: Nov-22-11 09:00:19 PST

Dear seller,

I think I will return the part to you for full credit (it has never been taken out of the box) and I will leave seriously negative feedback about your unwillingness to stand behind your product and customer.

If you have any other proposal or solution please let me know right away. This appears to be a lose-lose situation for both of us.

Thanks,
Reddy
————————————————————————————————————
Dear redd8355,

Hello,

We stand behind the product if there is a defect in the product. We do not know the brand the other seller has, where he acquires it, if it is the same quality so we do not price based on external factors unknown. We price based on fair market value and the quality of the product. If you review the listing further, you will see that even though he has a lower price, we have sold more than this seller perhaps because our quality and customer service is better.

At any rate, you purchase the product at the price listed. You have the option to return the product to us unopened of course and we refund the purchase price. We will not be BLACKMAILED into giving you $15.00 in exchange for positive feedback.

Regards,

I especially have a problem is now known accuser Sharon Bialek.  It isn’t that I have anything against Miss Bialek, but that press conference rather than making me sympathize with her as a potential victim, has made her seem repulsive.  There are a few things about her that I don’t get:

1.  As a victim of a sexual assault, you do not need to read a written text of the “assault”.  Back in college we had a co-ed shindig and some boys got rowdy.  None of the victims read a script at the complaint or subsequent hearing.  They were there, they experience the shame, humiliation and hopelessness.  They expressed this clearly in their demeanor and attitude, even when words failed.  There was no doubt that there was sexually inappropriate conduct.  Reading a typed script with zero emotions seemed so removed from that type of incident and not typical.

2.  If I was sexually assaulted, I don’t need a high powered lawyer by my side to deliver the news.  I can stand alone because my argument, my experience on it’s own would have merit.  And of course my first question was, if she’s broke, who’s paying for the lawyer.

3.  If I had a teenage kid, and I could avoid making a public spectacle of myself in this kind of forum, I would.  I would approach the appropriate people in secret and make my case.  I would do everything in my power to shield my child for the inevitable nasty comments that would come from those who do not believe me and I think I had a hidden agenda.  No, a prime time news conference would not be the place to tackle Herman Cain, especially during a presidential run when everything is under a microscope.

4.  Sharon Bialek said she did this to “help Mr. Cain”.  This is the MOST ridiculous statement I have ever heard from a victim.  Help him, REALLY?  If you wanted to help Herman Cain you either come to his defense or keep your mouth shut.  No, Miss Bialek claim of help seem as trite and insincere as her claim of sexual harassment.

I was held up at gunpoint in 1999, to hear me tell the story, is to see me live it and to live it with me.  It is not an experience I need to read from scripted text.  I do not need to be politically or grammatically correct to describe my fear, the horror and the utter sense of loss.  I do not need a powerful attorney at my side.  I have details and proof.

So I am not jumping Miss Bialek’s way, NOT any time soon.

I love Michael Jackson’s music, but I cared very little for the man (besides him being human?!).  This case could not have been adjudicated on the MAN Michael Jackson, it was adjudicated on the ICON Michael Jackson.

I wait to see what “JUST” sentence will be set for Doctor Murray.

Had there been a common test, Florida’s Board of Education would no doubt have figured out a long time ago that young Floridians are on course for a career in “would you like fries with that”.  I am baffled however, that it took the Board of Education this long to figure out that young Floridians in the public school system could not compete with other states.  I knew this years ago when I had to explain to a subway employee that 1/2 a dozen and six were the same thing.

I see parents on the news complaining about the testing that it makes the children feel “uncomfortable”.    These parents have no clue or seem to have lost the clue.  Regular testing  is common in the public school system in the Caribbean, Europe and Asia, especially in China.   It assist both parent and child.

As for those worried about otherwise brilliant kids that test poorly, here is a real life scenario from my past.  As a child,  I went to schools that tested regularly.  My brother was an average student on a test, but brilliant when spoken to.  If it was not for standardized testing on a regular basis, no one would know that he was just a person that tests poorly or how to help him overcome his anxiety that is crucial for today’s work world.  With the help of his teachers, mother and myself, he soon overcome his anxiety about tests and when it really counted, he was not only brilliant in speech, but on paper.

No one is handicapped.  We are all handicable it just takes a little extra effort to see that.  China is on the fast track in overtaking the US economy

This year saw historic protests in Arab countries.  These protests were famously dubbed “The Arab Spring”.  The irony of these protests is that the United States government not only encourage, but in many cases lent support whether financially or through a show of force in favor of the protestors.  Regime change seemed to be the pressing order of the day.

I should point out that these protests and rallies did not:

a.  Require a permit from local government

b.  Advocated for much worse than removing corporate greed from the political spectrum.

The “Occupy” movement, though non-cohesive is a kind of American Spring.  An awakening of the people after realizing that their government, duly elected by the people has the interest of only a handful of its population at heart.

The hypocrisy of a Wall Street bailout followed sharply by a Main Street fallout should have long been challenged by Americans.

Now we have the hypocrisy of support for the Arab Spring but arrests and charges for a more peaceful equivalent in America.

I firmly believe that the electorate has no business applying for protest permits.  Protesting against injustice is a given human right, not an action that should be regulated and profited upon by any government.

Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add ‘within the limits of the law’ because law is often but the tyrant’s will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual – Thomas Jefferson.

Perhaps our learned government need a quick refresher in history and civics.

I listed a book at $4.95.  This was the break down after sales:

Amazon Fees were a total of $3.08 for an item that sells for $4.95.  That is more than 50% in fees.  That was not even the worst transaction.  Check this one out:

Wow for a $1.95 book, Amazon raked in $2.63.  In effect, I paid Amazon for the privilege of owning and selling the book.  No one talks about Amazon fees but the fact is, they are ABSOLUTELY outrageous.

It all started with a visit to code violations hearings being held in the City of Deerfield Beach.  The most interesting and I daresay entertaining case of the day involved a few pieces of artificial turf on a property in Deerfield Beach.

The Magistrate seemed hell bent on selling sod/grass to the homeowner, rather than looking at the issues.  There was one VERY VERY important highlight in the hearing apart from all the environmental stuff.  It had to do with the definition of landscaping as highlighted in the CURRENT Deerfield Beach Minicipal code.  I went later and looked up the code which states “Landscape shall include, but not be limited to, grass, ground covers, bushes, shrubs, hedges or similar plantings, decorative rock or bark or artificial turf/sod designed specifically for residential installation. Landscape shall not include weeds, gravel, broken concrete, asphalt or similar material.”  When this was brought to the attention of the magistrate, he dismissed it as City Landscaper/Developer (not exactly sure of the young man’s qualification),  city the definition fell under Abandoned Real Property in the Municicode.

My son, asked me what was “Abandoned Real Property”.  I pointed out that it was houses that people vacate (simplest definition).  He then turned me then and said, so if the house cannot have artificial turf when it is occupied, who is going to install it when it is abandon – THAT’S STUPID!!!

I thought about it, and immediately see how stupid the magistrate – who should know better, the City Landscaper – who hopefully has some qualifications behind his name and the City Attorney all were.  But to explain this profound idiocy, I told my son one of the first lessons about politics – “When it comes to government and governance it is not about right, wrong, logical or illogical.  It is ONLY about playing politics“.

I am certain there is a reason they did not use the magistrate of August 7 who found the code ambiguous and arbitrary to the point where no decision could be made.

So out of the mouth of babies!!

The first episode SUCKED!!  If I was running from my old life and got the chance to a new life , regardless of the new ups and down, I would completely severe ties with the old life.  No call an old sponsor/boyfriend much less to reveal that I had received this ‘gift’.  From there, the series could only go one way….down hill.  The story line had so much potential but has been completely ruined – so far.  This series is painful to watch.

It was bad enough to call the old boyfriend, but by episode 2 leaving a message stating you just killed someone is just plain idiotic.  I really had a problem with the names of the twins to begin with who names one Chiovan (an exotic name) then Bridget (such a generic name).  Then the rest of the cast- so pretentious.

In the Gates of Hillsboro in Deerfield Beach, one home received no less than three violation notices in as many weeks.  Violations were for:

1.  Trees hanging over the sidewalk.

2.  A sail was left out (in the back yard) during the rain so homeowner was cited for having an illegal structure, because get this, in order to put two 2×4 posts in the ground and attach a sail to it, one requires a permit with architectural drawing.  Two sticks in the ground….yeah!!!

3.  Trees had excessive trimming (the same trees that were hanging too far over the sidewalk).

There are many homes with all sorts of violations, but they were not complained about, only this one resident that the board happens to hate.  You would think with all that is happening board members would have something better to do than fight petty grudges.  I guess not when the president of the HOA is unemployed!