I switched jobs again, this time I moved from Penny Mac to Prospect Mortgage in Sherman Oaks. Prospect is much closer to home and the job opportunity is much better than at Penny Mac.
Besides the new job Business is booming. Year of the Water Dragon my friends. It's a very auspicious year.
I just bought a small piece for my bath room, it's a tooth brush holder from the 1940's. I found it at a vintage hardware store on La Brea. Operation Bath Room upgrade is close to fruition, my economic reserve is nearly complete so I can start on the bath room in a month or two. Pictures to be posted soon.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Reflection on 20 years
I meant to get around to posting an article on my thoughts about the 20 year anniversary of the LA Riots, but, work and life interfered with my writing time. Today, I had some free time so I've decided to do the post, it is especially relevant to talk about the riots today as the LA Times just reported that Rodney King was found dead in his home a few hours ago.
I was in the third grade when the riots occurred. My parents were divorced, every other weekend my Dad would pick up me and my sister from Thousand Oaks and take us to Long Beach. Some times, we would take the 101 to the 605 freeway to Long Beach. If you know anything about the geography of Los Angeles, these routes go through some of the areas hardest hit areas of the riots.
For 7 days the city of Los Angeles consumed itself. In 1993, a year after the riots the murder rate in the city was 21.1 per 100,000 this was the height of the crack epidemic. As a point of contrast, the murder rate of the city in 2008 was 9.6 per 100,000 less than half that of 1993.
The riots were an accident of history, they were nothing more than the perfect combination of an aggressive out of touch LAPD, a depressed post cold war economy and an idiot drivers piss poor decision. In 2002 the LA Times ran a 10 year retrospective on the riots. Many of the people interviewed were certain that a riot could happen again. Another 10 years down the road and I don't think that anymore. I live downtown, such a thought to my 3rd grade self would be nearly impossible. The city is on an upward path, I'm glad to be here.
I was in the third grade when the riots occurred. My parents were divorced, every other weekend my Dad would pick up me and my sister from Thousand Oaks and take us to Long Beach. Some times, we would take the 101 to the 605 freeway to Long Beach. If you know anything about the geography of Los Angeles, these routes go through some of the areas hardest hit areas of the riots.
For 7 days the city of Los Angeles consumed itself. In 1993, a year after the riots the murder rate in the city was 21.1 per 100,000 this was the height of the crack epidemic. As a point of contrast, the murder rate of the city in 2008 was 9.6 per 100,000 less than half that of 1993.
The riots were an accident of history, they were nothing more than the perfect combination of an aggressive out of touch LAPD, a depressed post cold war economy and an idiot drivers piss poor decision. In 2002 the LA Times ran a 10 year retrospective on the riots. Many of the people interviewed were certain that a riot could happen again. Another 10 years down the road and I don't think that anymore. I live downtown, such a thought to my 3rd grade self would be nearly impossible. The city is on an upward path, I'm glad to be here.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Curbed LA
In March Curbed LA put on a contest for the story of some one's worst home buying experience; the winner of that story could receive $1,800 (more than a month's mortgage payment!!!). As my avid readers know (Sandy, Monica) I did not have a terrible home buying experience, it was the reverse; easy with no pit falls.
Well, I e mailed Curbed (for those that don't know, Curbed LA is a Real Estate blog devoted to the big happenings in the City of Los Angeles' transit and real estate news. I read it religiously) and asked if they would take a story from some one who "didn't fuck up." They said yes.
Well, I wrote something and it ended up on their website
As a side note, there is a back story as to why I called myself Countrywide's #1 trashman. When I was interviewing for a position in Correspondent Lending the person interviewing me asked if I had any 'foreclosure or distressed asset experience' in reply I called myself Countrywide's #1 Trashman. If your file came across my desk you were already in a world of hurt.
That has been the big event for this month. Things at the condo continue to not come along, I still haven't decided on what to do with that bath room of mine. But, I did buy a new cat box which looks more like a piece of furniture than a cat toilet; small miracles will never cease.
Well, I e mailed Curbed (for those that don't know, Curbed LA is a Real Estate blog devoted to the big happenings in the City of Los Angeles' transit and real estate news. I read it religiously) and asked if they would take a story from some one who "didn't fuck up." They said yes.
Well, I wrote something and it ended up on their website
As a side note, there is a back story as to why I called myself Countrywide's #1 trashman. When I was interviewing for a position in Correspondent Lending the person interviewing me asked if I had any 'foreclosure or distressed asset experience' in reply I called myself Countrywide's #1 Trashman. If your file came across my desk you were already in a world of hurt.
That has been the big event for this month. Things at the condo continue to not come along, I still haven't decided on what to do with that bath room of mine. But, I did buy a new cat box which looks more like a piece of furniture than a cat toilet; small miracles will never cease.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Marriage Follow Up
Pancho got married 3 weeks ago in San Jose. I think this picture sums up what happened at the reception:
Absolute chaos.
In completely, unrelated, news: one of my favorite real estate blogs is having a competition about the worst home buying experience. For the two of you who are my regular readers (Sandy, Monica) you know that my home buying experience has been anything but negative. I guess this is a by product of me being a mortgage banking professional, I knew what I was getting into the moment I signed my loan application.
Because I have nothing negative to say, I have decided to focus on Nick's home buying take-away notes for success. I'll share my entry here when I complete it.
Monday, January 30, 2012
"Marriage is what brings us together today"
Marriage season 2k12 is in full effect. Pancho and Nancy's wedding is in the middle of the month and I am totally not prepared for the wedding. Why does some one who is not getting married totally unprepared? Well, two reason for this 1. I'm the Best Man (yes, I say that with pride, the fact that some trusts me enough to be the best man makes me feel honored). 2. It's a wedding.
Item 1: Nancy made it clear that I have certain obligations as the best man. Since this wedding is going to be half Catholic and half traditional Chinese (I've never been to a traditional Catholic wedding nor a Chinese wedding) I'm not entirely sure what my 'obligations' will entail. The mystery enthralls me.
Item 2: This is a slightly (ok, a lot more serious) topic. I'm in no position to get married, I'm flying solo at the moment and I'm surrounded by people in serious relationships (my sister included in that count) I can't help but feel that something, life perhaps, is slipping past me. It's not a good feeling.
I had my buddy Andrew (and his GF) over for dinner two weeks ago, I mentioned how I'm considering throwing a 'Mad Men' themed sushi party to 1. show off the improvements to the pad and 2. have a somewhat official first party. I told me that I would expect people to dress like they did in the 1960's
Classy. Dressing well seems to be a lost art in our society. In it's stead we have Ed fucking Hardy. I think, that as a society, we need to dress better.
Item 1: Nancy made it clear that I have certain obligations as the best man. Since this wedding is going to be half Catholic and half traditional Chinese (I've never been to a traditional Catholic wedding nor a Chinese wedding) I'm not entirely sure what my 'obligations' will entail. The mystery enthralls me.
Item 2: This is a slightly (ok, a lot more serious) topic. I'm in no position to get married, I'm flying solo at the moment and I'm surrounded by people in serious relationships (my sister included in that count) I can't help but feel that something, life perhaps, is slipping past me. It's not a good feeling.
I had my buddy Andrew (and his GF) over for dinner two weeks ago, I mentioned how I'm considering throwing a 'Mad Men' themed sushi party to 1. show off the improvements to the pad and 2. have a somewhat official first party. I told me that I would expect people to dress like they did in the 1960's
Monday, January 9, 2012
Travertine Tile
In my new position with my new company, I have the pleasure of dissecting the lives of the borrowers whose loans cross my desk. I get a daily cross section of people in various stages of their lives; retirees buying their last house, a newly wed couple buying their very first house. A divorced man with two kids striking out on his own. I'm a nosy person by nature so this fits very well into my personalty.
So, what does any of this have to do with Travertine Tile? Well, if you recall back to basic underwriting, this consists of the 3 Cs: Credit (borrower's willingness to pay), Capacity (borrower's ability to pay) and Collateral (the property's ability to hold value). Of the audits I do on a daily basis I get the most enjoyment out of reviewing the appraisals and the properties that cross my desk. Some are nice, I saw a high rise condo in Seattle that had an amazing view. Some are not, I saw a beat down house 55 miles from Denver (I would have my cats live there). But, of all the various properties I've looked at there's one common denominator: Mother Fucking Travertine Tile.
Travertine is a lime stone rock that was once used to build the Colosseum, Basilica Sacre-Coeur and now every middle class boring bath room in America
Every new or redone property I've seen these last couple of weeks have all had at least one bath room in the house/ condo done up in gross travertine tile. I can't stand it. Why make your bathroom in ugly ass flesh tones? I'll tell you why, it's because of travertine's long association with classical architecture that made it so appealing in the first place. Couple that with it's natural beige-neutral coloring and then, BAM! Instant respectability. It's boring, it's bland and the middle class of this country eat it up because it's respectable and predictable. Their friends can come over and admire the owner's "good taste."
This is the opening salvo of the Bathroom Wars. I've decided to completely redo my bathroom, I've begun to plan out my financing for this war (after all, you can't fight a war on a budget). My sources of inspiration are
Art Deco. I love the use of aquamarine tile. The clean design and regular design appeal to my senses.
I also enjoy Modernism. It's going to be a challenge to synthesize the two design styles. Art Deco was the last major art styles based on ornamental elements, conversely Modernism is, by its very nature, a limited and subdued form.
I've given myself 6 months to complete the overhaul of the bathroom. I'm already excited.
So, what does any of this have to do with Travertine Tile? Well, if you recall back to basic underwriting, this consists of the 3 Cs: Credit (borrower's willingness to pay), Capacity (borrower's ability to pay) and Collateral (the property's ability to hold value). Of the audits I do on a daily basis I get the most enjoyment out of reviewing the appraisals and the properties that cross my desk. Some are nice, I saw a high rise condo in Seattle that had an amazing view. Some are not, I saw a beat down house 55 miles from Denver (I would have my cats live there). But, of all the various properties I've looked at there's one common denominator: Mother Fucking Travertine Tile.
Travertine is a lime stone rock that was once used to build the Colosseum, Basilica Sacre-Coeur and now every middle class boring bath room in America
Every new or redone property I've seen these last couple of weeks have all had at least one bath room in the house/ condo done up in gross travertine tile. I can't stand it. Why make your bathroom in ugly ass flesh tones? I'll tell you why, it's because of travertine's long association with classical architecture that made it so appealing in the first place. Couple that with it's natural beige-neutral coloring and then, BAM! Instant respectability. It's boring, it's bland and the middle class of this country eat it up because it's respectable and predictable. Their friends can come over and admire the owner's "good taste."
This is the opening salvo of the Bathroom Wars. I've decided to completely redo my bathroom, I've begun to plan out my financing for this war (after all, you can't fight a war on a budget). My sources of inspiration are
Art Deco. I love the use of aquamarine tile. The clean design and regular design appeal to my senses.
I've given myself 6 months to complete the overhaul of the bathroom. I'm already excited.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
The Los Angeles Dating Scene
I've been busy with the new job, that's my excuse for not writing as much as I need to.
I got dinner with two married couples two nights ago (I was flying solo). At dinner I related the story of my last couple of dates. They both thought the dates were funny and that I should write them down, well, as requested:
6 weeks ago I was at a local bar with a neighbor of mine, it was a pretty standard night expect that just before we left the bar some woman walked up to me and handed me a piece of paper with her name and number on it; 'call me' she whispered.
I did as I was told. We spent a couple of nights together, she's kinda a bitch. She was mean and demanding to the waitresses and waiters of the places we went, and very dismissive of downtown (strike 1. 2 and 3). She was also in the middle of getting a divorce (as an aside, I tend to think that people who get divorces in their early 30s fail at life. How can you get married and then determine it was all a big mistake?) The night of the Pacquio- Marquez fight she calls me (after ignoring my text for a week). I can tell immediately that she had been drinking. She then tells me to come over, I say no, I have buddies come over for the fight. She then says 'Fuck, what do I need to do to have you come over and fuck me?'
Set. End. Scene. I haven't spoken to her since.
I went on a date this Wednesday with a woman I met at a friend's bachelor party. She's got an amazing body. And that's about it as far as assets go. She talked about blow jobs and how she was clairvoyant. She's also 10 years older than me and she's still in the dating scene.
Ugh. I think I'm going to start going on to dating websites.
In related news, I've gone on a Charles Bukowski (the poet laureate of Los Angeles' skid row) kick. I'm in the process of reading the novel 'Women'. The reader's digest version is that the book is a semi-autobiographical novel of a Harry Chinski who is a late middle aged poet who has suddenly become notable. He's a drunk and a gambler who has sex with woman 20 years his junior. It's an amusing book. At this moment in my life, I can relate to Harry more than I care to admit to myself.
I got dinner with two married couples two nights ago (I was flying solo). At dinner I related the story of my last couple of dates. They both thought the dates were funny and that I should write them down, well, as requested:
6 weeks ago I was at a local bar with a neighbor of mine, it was a pretty standard night expect that just before we left the bar some woman walked up to me and handed me a piece of paper with her name and number on it; 'call me' she whispered.
I did as I was told. We spent a couple of nights together, she's kinda a bitch. She was mean and demanding to the waitresses and waiters of the places we went, and very dismissive of downtown (strike 1. 2 and 3). She was also in the middle of getting a divorce (as an aside, I tend to think that people who get divorces in their early 30s fail at life. How can you get married and then determine it was all a big mistake?) The night of the Pacquio- Marquez fight she calls me (after ignoring my text for a week). I can tell immediately that she had been drinking. She then tells me to come over, I say no, I have buddies come over for the fight. She then says 'Fuck, what do I need to do to have you come over and fuck me?'
Set. End. Scene. I haven't spoken to her since.
I went on a date this Wednesday with a woman I met at a friend's bachelor party. She's got an amazing body. And that's about it as far as assets go. She talked about blow jobs and how she was clairvoyant. She's also 10 years older than me and she's still in the dating scene.
Ugh. I think I'm going to start going on to dating websites.
In related news, I've gone on a Charles Bukowski (the poet laureate of Los Angeles' skid row) kick. I'm in the process of reading the novel 'Women'. The reader's digest version is that the book is a semi-autobiographical novel of a Harry Chinski who is a late middle aged poet who has suddenly become notable. He's a drunk and a gambler who has sex with woman 20 years his junior. It's an amusing book. At this moment in my life, I can relate to Harry more than I care to admit to myself.
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