Is your Biz making money?

Yes. Sorry to hear the wifes firm is not doing well. I imagine next year will be better for you both.

In the meantime, I would work on your contrived post. Too stiled and unemotional and pathetic to be credible.

eah I have no idea what you are talking about. What is your credibility issue? Or should I say, what is *your* issue?

what is the point of your post?
your friends you can't afford to buy or don't feel comfortable buying?

I've been having a banner year, thanks. My best ever, in fact.

Wonder if we'll see the Dow 13000 today.

Would be very nice.

Colleagues and friends in the 3M and under px range are on the "not-buying" side. Enough of them have lost jobs or seen their groups hit. Others got lackluster bonuses and believe 2008 will not be a good year. These are folks in debt, IB, and funds. Again, those in equities & fx are having a good year and aren't as nervous (but for various reasons aren't buying -- they already own, think the market is inflated, etc.) Friends in the high-end with net worths in the 100+ mil have told me they think Manhattan is a good investment. I'd like to hear from others, especially outside of finance on their comfort level for expenditure.

I have two businesses-- I am both a real estate agent and a writer -- and in real estate I'm getting more business than last year, which is to be expected of a young agent, but the same uncertainty that hangs over everyone else's head hangs over mine. If all my contracts go to closing, I'll have a fine year, but I'm not counting those chickens till Dec. 31.

On the publishing side, my book is in 2nd printing and selling fine.

That said, we'll move later this year because we want to have kids and need more space. We are selling before buying, which takes a lot of the uncertainty out of the process. If the market holds up, we'll do fine on what we're selling. If the market tanks, our assets tank but it's a shorter gap to bridge when we trade up.

ali r.
{downtown broker}

ali r, whats the title of the book and I presume it is RE related ?

Thanks front_porch/ali for your response. It's great to hear from someone outside of finance.

My book is RE related -- It's called "Diary of a Real Estate Rookie" and it's a memoir of my first (extremely rollercoaster-y) year as an agent. It has tips for consumers too.

The Amazon link is here: http://tinyurl.com/2ag28z

It got very good reviews in Publishers' Weekly, Newsweek, and the New York Observer -- and of course anyone who buys it moves a step closer to heaven -- but I wouldn't recommend publishing as the way to make a living.

ali r.
{downtown broker}

I just raised my rates today.

And since we're pushing literature, my book is called "The Legend of Bushistotle: History's Greatest Philosopher-Warrior-King," which you can find at:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=bushistotle&x=0&y=0

Your patronage is appreciated - and it disproves the stevejhx = dick cheney confabulation.

Wow, and you went to Nova. We were probably neighbors. Did you buy or rent? :-)