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.
Friday, April 6, 2012
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.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
3 Things
First:
I started at the new job two days ago. The job feels extremely comfortable, when I was waiting in the lobby for my new hire orientation I ran into a woman I used to work with back when I first started with Countrywide just out of college. To top that off, as I was walking into the conference room I ran into 3 people I knew. My new company feels just like my old one, except with better pay and much better opportunities.
Second:
Thanksgiving is making me fat. We have causal day at work until the office is moved from Calabasas to Moorpark. I wore a collared shirt that would otherwise would have fit well, if I wore it 2 weeks ago. It was way too tight, it made me feel bloated. In the intervening weeks, I really need to watch what I eat. Salad and really, really lean proteins are on the menu.
Third:
Women. I tend to think that women have the same desires and dreams as men, but only in a feminine way. It's easy to put myself into the mindset of a woman to understand the position she will take on a certain issue. There is only one thing that completely escapes my grasp. Women and their relationship with their breasts.
I've spent some time with women as they go to Victoria's Secret to shop for bras, no big deal. I can do this as both the 'friend' and the 'boy friend.' Most of these trips are memorable not because I get to help women try on bras but because they constantly chat about cup size, band width and the like right after they get done shopping. I mean, do men talk about the underwear they just bought? No, they don't because no one gives a shit. I like breasts (what straight man doesn't?) but I don't understand why women constantly need to chat about this trip to Victoria's Secret and what the attendant said that was either right or wrong about your cup size. I just don't get it. But, maybe that's why I'm just a man.
I started at the new job two days ago. The job feels extremely comfortable, when I was waiting in the lobby for my new hire orientation I ran into a woman I used to work with back when I first started with Countrywide just out of college. To top that off, as I was walking into the conference room I ran into 3 people I knew. My new company feels just like my old one, except with better pay and much better opportunities.
Second:
Thanksgiving is making me fat. We have causal day at work until the office is moved from Calabasas to Moorpark. I wore a collared shirt that would otherwise would have fit well, if I wore it 2 weeks ago. It was way too tight, it made me feel bloated. In the intervening weeks, I really need to watch what I eat. Salad and really, really lean proteins are on the menu.
Third:
Women. I tend to think that women have the same desires and dreams as men, but only in a feminine way. It's easy to put myself into the mindset of a woman to understand the position she will take on a certain issue. There is only one thing that completely escapes my grasp. Women and their relationship with their breasts.
I've spent some time with women as they go to Victoria's Secret to shop for bras, no big deal. I can do this as both the 'friend' and the 'boy friend.' Most of these trips are memorable not because I get to help women try on bras but because they constantly chat about cup size, band width and the like right after they get done shopping. I mean, do men talk about the underwear they just bought? No, they don't because no one gives a shit. I like breasts (what straight man doesn't?) but I don't understand why women constantly need to chat about this trip to Victoria's Secret and what the attendant said that was either right or wrong about your cup size. I just don't get it. But, maybe that's why I'm just a man.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Changes
Like the awesome David Bowie song my life has been under going some changes. I took a new job with a different company, after 6 years with Bank of America and Countrywide I've finally moved on. I will still be working in Mortgages, I find that I have a particular talent for Mortgage Finance.
I'm happy to be leaving the bank, but in a way I'm sad. I like the people I worked with, and I liked the work. I'm moving from a position of great responsibility to being a cog in the machine. Although, the company I'm going to has been growing in leaps and bounds. I feel like there is a great opportunity for growth.
I have made no major changes to the Condo in the last couple of weeks. I need to save up some coin before I can do the next major overhaul (the bed room). Until then.
I'm happy to be leaving the bank, but in a way I'm sad. I like the people I worked with, and I liked the work. I'm moving from a position of great responsibility to being a cog in the machine. Although, the company I'm going to has been growing in leaps and bounds. I feel like there is a great opportunity for growth.
I have made no major changes to the Condo in the last couple of weeks. I need to save up some coin before I can do the next major overhaul (the bed room). Until then.
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