High Pointe Resort

Original owners could have closed as early as 1996, depending on which building they are in. 12 years qualifies as long term, IMO.

Original gulf front owners paid anywhere from the low 200's to mid 300s depending on 2 or 3 br's and what floor they were on. Original pricing on ground floor poolside units was as low as 143k.

And I'll betcha dollars to donuts some of them "harvested" equity to play the Preconstruction Condo Wheel of Fortune and can't afford to drop their prices any lower.


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And I'll betcha dollars to donuts some of them "harvested" equity to play the Preconstruction Condo Wheel of Fortune and can't afford to drop their prices any lower.


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Anyone who has been around here more than a day or two knows you are down on this market, down on the investulators, down on the 3 stooges, etc. But have you ever thought that some people may have done things the 'right' way?

You ask why spend 'x' dollars for a place to own when you can spend 'y' dollars to rent for a couple weeks. Ever think that someone may want to spend a couple months there every year? 6 months? Perhaps move there in the future? Ever think that someone may want to be able to come to their place anytime they want without having to deal with renting? Ever think that someone might want a place they can decorate as they please, have control over, own as a long term asset that may appreciate even though they bought it just for the pleasure of using it at their discretion as they see fit? Some people are even very successful, have worked hard, and can buy what they want with money they earned.

Someone answered that but nevermind, on to the next 'that person is an idiot' post.

You ask why someone if someone bought for the long term are they selling? Who knows - there could be a thousand reasons. You get an answer that maybe they have owned for 12 years already. Maybe they want to sell to realize some gains but not at firesale prices so they figure they will continue to enjoy their property while having it for sale. Maybe they live in Birmingham and are moving to Seattle and can no longer drive to their vacation home. Who knows?

But not satisfied with that, you then must characterize some person unknown to you as a pre-construction gambler when in fact you have no idea about any of these people beyond the ones you read about in the papers and on the web (maybe you know some personally - who knows). Of course there are many gamblers out there but there are also many people who put down 20% and take 30 year fixed rate mortgages and are happy with their property for its own sake and the enjoyment of the area, while seeing any appreciation in value as a bonus. The speculators and horror stories grab the headlines as no one wants to read about boring old John Doe who pays his mortgage and visits his property several times a year.

While you are apparently very knowledgeable and humorous, all this 'But I bet they did ... (insert stupid move by property owner)' is old and tired.

Anyone who has been around here more than a day or two knows you are down on this market, down on the investulators, down on the 3 stooges, etc. But have you ever thought that some people may have done things the 'right' way?

Pre-RE Frenzy--yes.......during--very, very few.......currently--a few more are just starting to catch on.


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quote; a few more are starting to catch on.

i think shelly just said "it's a great time to buy?"

Dear Spin,

Don't be dismayed by Shelly. She is a sacred cow on this site. I'm surprised her fans haven't jumped to her defense. She has a wonderful intellect but just doesn't have a cup is 1/2 full personality. There is really good information that Shelly and the rest of the regulars (Bobby J, Smiling Joe, etc.) provide.

We all have a dog in this fight. We, by virtue of checking this site out, are either buyers, sellers or wannabes. Those saying the market is horrible tend to be those who stayed on the sidelines and didn't make any money on the run up and those who want others to share their misery because they lost money. The optimists seem to be the real estate agents and associated beneficiaries, property owners with excess inventory (I'm in this camp) and people who are thinking of buying now (for why would you buy if you thought otherwise.) There are acorns of wisdom in both sides.

Dear Spin,

Don't be dismayed by Shelly. She is a sacred cow on this site. I'm surprised her fans haven't jumped to her defense.

I have two things to say about that!!! :angry:
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(1) I have fans????
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(2) Mooooooooooo.




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Shelly is a voice of reason shouting in a wilderness.
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And the half a cup of personslity is pretty decent, IMHO.

Dear Spin,

Don't be dismayed by Shelly. She is a sacred cow on this site. I'm surprised her fans haven't jumped to her defense. She has a wonderful intellect but just doesn't have a cup is 1/2 full personality. There is really good information that Shelly and the rest of the regulars (Bobby J, Smiling Joe, etc.) provide.

We all have a dog in this fight. We, by virtue of checking this site out, are either buyers, sellers or wannabes. Those saying the market is horrible tend to be those who stayed on the sidelines and didn't make any money on the run up and those who want others to share their misery because they lost money. The optimists seem to be the real estate agents and associated beneficiaries, property owners with excess inventory (I'm in this camp) and people who are thinking of buying now (for why would you buy if you thought otherwise.) There are acorns of wisdom in both sides.

I am not dismayed. I've been hanging around here for a couple years and reading Shelly's posts. Shelly was quite accurate on assessing where the market was heading.

It's one thing to assess market conditions and the economy, etc. etc. and comment on facts as presented in news articles, such as a specific speculator who bought 20 condos in a month or whatever. It's quite another to present yourself as knowing what's inside other people's minds, people you don't know and situations you have no knowledge of beyond a property listing price. The mystery personality and gender along with the air of superiority projected down upon the unfortunate real estate owning masses reminds me of the Great and Powerful Oz bellowing away to pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

I don't have anything against Shelly and have gotten a kick out of many of his/her posts, but lately the posts have deteriorated into more of a denigrating 'nah nah nah look what that unknown person might have done - how stupid they are' based on nothing more than a listing price that has not been lowered.

I believe in some past posts (typing from memory here) that Shelly said something to the effect that (s)he would rather spend money on experiences than things, yet she apparently cannot understand that some people spend their money on property in Sowal in order to have many, many experiences in a place of their own that they can return to over and over.

Just my opinion, carry on.

Spin, you've been around long enough to know that Shelly's nah, nah, nah, boo boo is a form of real estate political foreplay before she gets to the wit and the insightful posts. Relax.

Truth is I wish I had a Shelly around give me a naysay nudge before I bought. As much as I love Sowal, maintaining real estate from afar, handling rentals, maintenance and all can be a royal pain in the butt. I broke one of the cardinal rules of real estate which is to buy somewhere that one could get to easily. I have to book flights, rent cars, and it takes me 9 hrs to get from door to door. Then I walk in and look around and get more tired just looking around at all the work I have to do.
Sometimes I feel like its worth it, and sometimes not.
I might feel differently if I was enjoying it every weekend with all my family. Maybe one day I will. One of the saving graces is if I hadn't bought, I wouldn't have found the Sowal community, and for that I am thankful. But there are times I do ask myself what the heck I was thinking. I am sure there are plenty of people who bought who haven't looked back, but sometimes a light smack by Shelly isn't all bad

But there are times I do ask myself what the heck I was thinking.

I can say that thought has never crossed my mind.

I am sure there are plenty of people who bought who haven't looked back, but sometimes a light smack by Shelly isn't all bad

I have no problem with the voice of reason, educated opinions on both sides, and even the occasional pompous holier than thou bluster from on high, but take a breath occasionally and don't paint everyone with the same brush.