NJ Licence Plates Everywhere, in Gatlinburg (mortgage broker, broker, construction) - Page 10 - City-Data Forum

Diane Giam · 07-30-2009, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BergenCountyJohnny

I don't know what New Jerseyan in his right mind would want to vacation in Gatlinsburg. What do they have there that can't be experienced elsewhere, and better? I'm sure there are places that are much easier to travel to that offer the same attractions, and probably better, for roughly the same cost.

There were plenty, and I won't be going back to soon. To many out of staters driving crazy. I think next Road Trip will be combined with a short cruise. Mobile is a 5 hour drive, so from there.

Diane G

BergenCountyJohnny · 07-30-2009, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diane Giam

There were plenty, and I won't be going back to soon. To many out of staters driving crazy. I think next Road Trip will be combined with a short cruise. Mobile is a 5 hour drive, so from there.

Diane G

I don't doubt that there were many - it's like that everywhere with NJ plates. You'd be surprised how many I've seen in Washington (state), California, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, etc., etc... Most New Jerseyans make so much money that we can travel extensively, and do so. Some New Jerseyans go to great places, some choose not-so-great places, but either way, you're bound to see us all over the nation.

I just don't see why those people went to Gatlinsburg, I don't see what's there that's so special. It sounds like it would be attractive to hicks and rednecks, like a more redneck version of Branson, but what's the appeal to a cosmopolitan New Jerseyan? I'm just not seeing it. I can hop a flight to Orlando for much, much less money and get more out of Orlando, and better than Gatlinsburg. And, I can do that in the winter, to escape the cold, whereas Gatlinsburg would be inhospitable, weather-wise, in the winter.

Now, if I wanted to go on a cruise, I have my choice of Bayonne or NYC to cruise from. Both well within 45 minutes from my home.

Of course, this time of year, our beaches offer a great, easy, inexpensive alternative to long, expensive, must-be-planned-in-advance-and-vacation-days-taken-from-work cruises.

Ah, the advantages of being coastal over being landlocked!

I'd go crazy living in Tennessee, far, far from any ocean.

BobKovacs · 07-31-2009, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BergenCountyJohnny

I don't doubt that there were many - it's like that everywhere with NJ plates. You'd be surprised how many I've seen in Washington (state), California, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, etc., etc... Most New Jerseyans make so much money that we can travel extensively, and do so. Some New Jerseyans go to great places, some choose not-so-great places, but either way, you're bound to see us all over the nation.

I just don't see why those people went to Gatlinsburg, I don't see what's there that's so special. It sounds like it would be attractive to hicks and rednecks, like a more redneck version of Branson, but what's the appeal to a cosmopolitan New Jerseyan? I'm just not seeing it. I can hop a flight to Orlando for much, much less money and get more out of Orlando, and better than Gatlinsburg. And, I can do that in the winter, to escape the cold, whereas Gatlinsburg would be inhospitable, weather-wise, in the winter.

"Most" New Jerseyans make tons of money and travel extensively? I think maybe you're extending your little slice of heaven further than you should- the median income in NJ is around $80k- not exactly huge dollars in a state with a high COL. "Most" New Jerseyans don't have money falling out of their pockets for lavish vacations after paying what it costs to live there. I'm assuming you don't have any kids, as you'd quickly find out that the average family isn't "traveling extensively", and a trip to Gatlinburg to relax in the mountains, isn't so far fetched.

And "cosmopolitan New Jerseyans"? What the hell are those, and when did they become the standard NJ traveler? Since when did NJ become the mecca of high class and culture, where a trip to Gatlinburg is somehow beneath them? We're talking about the state that reveres the BEC sandwich and considers "goin' to the shore" a cultural experience.....lol. You're even further out of touch with reality than I previously thought.

MoorestownResident · 07-31-2009, 05:41 AM

The bottom with Gatlinburg is you might venture that way for a drive through the Smokey Mountains, that's pretty much it. Nobody in NJ wakes up and says- let's go to Gatlinburg, TN! Most people in NJ have never even heard of it. I only know it because of my experiences down there.

I think the vast majority of New Jerseyeans think the south is beneath them but they are smart enough to know that it's a low COL area for vacation home and/or retirement. I think roughly 50% of NJ has plenty of money to travel to most destinations and the COL in NJ has come down substantially with housing down substantially from the peak. With the market now moving much higher, NJ's population is heavily invested in the market so their fortune and net worth is outstripping general economic conditions regardless of housing and the job market.

BobKovacs · 07-31-2009, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoorestownResident

I think the vast majority of New Jerseyeans think the south is beneath them but they are smart enough to know that it's a low COL area for vacation home and/or retirement. I think roughly 50% of NJ has plenty of money to travel to most destinations and the COL in NJ has come down substantially with housing down substantially from the peak. With the market now moving much higher, NJ's population is heavily invested in the market so their fortune and net worth is outstripping general economic conditions regardless of housing and the job market.

Where do you guys get this stuff? "The vast majority" thinks the south is beneath them? Did someone do a survey??? "NJ's population is heavily invested in the market"??? Many folks are lucky to even contribute to their 401k's, let alone "invest heavily in the market", and it'll take quite some time before those 401k's even get back to where they were a few years ago. And what about all the "net worth" that got stripped out of home values- did you forget about that? "Fortunes"- you're funny.....

You and BCJ both need to step into reality for a little while........

MoorestownResident · 07-31-2009, 05:59 AM

I am a senior investment manager, I know the general investment trends. NJ's wealth is staggering despite the families that struggle. The guy next door could have close to $1 million in the market which far outstrips his mortgage or house value. Everyone in the nation got rocked in the past two years, everything is relative, but as I said, NJ's population is more leveraged to the stock market, so when it roars like it has been the material wealth increases substantially. If you take a high base and drop it 50% it is still higher than a lower base that drops 50%. The reverse is also true. I swear, I really wish 75% of this board took a couple economics and statistics courses along the way.

BobKovacs · 07-31-2009, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoorestownResident

I am a senior investment manager, I know the general investment trends. NJ's wealth is staggering despite the families that struggle. The guy next door could have close to $1 million in the market which far outstrips his mortgage or house value. Everyone in the nation got rocked in the past two years, everything is relative, but as I said, NJ's population is more leveraged to the stock market, so when it roars like it has been the material wealth increases substantially. If you take a high base and drop it 50% it is still higher than a lower base that drops 50%. The reverse is also true. I swear, I really wish 75% of this board took a couple economics and statistics courses along the way.

No, you know the "general investment trends" of your clients, which likely make up a very small percentage of NJ's population. Sorry, but the average NJ family, which is making $80k/year per the statistics that you "really wish" I understood, is likely not even maxing out a 401k, and they're certainly not visiting a "senior investment manager" to see how to best invest their "fortune".

You can't project your limited slice of the world across the entire population of the state and make sweeping statements. And this isn't just something that I'm coming up with out of the blue- just look at all the people who post here, talking about losing jobs, looking for affordable homes, etc.- I'd say they represent "typical NJ residents" far better than your clientele does.

MoorestownResident · 07-31-2009, 06:14 AM

NJ's 'wealthy' population is literally some of the top 1-2% in the nation. The typical NJ family is among the most well off in the nation statistically. You want to talk about COL, that's fine but disposable income in NJ is still very high due to the fact that the spouse is more likely to be educated and working, in addition, the vast majority of residents in the state contribute to their 401K, much more than other states. Perhaps you do not understand how hand to mouth much of the rest of the country lives. It's all relative. Someone with 250K in the market in NJ has no money, in much of the rest of the country, that is a fairly substantial amount of money.

BobKovacs · 07-31-2009, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoorestownResident

NJ's 'wealthy' population is literally some of the top 1-2% in the nation. The typical NJ family is among the most well off in the nation statistically. You want to talk about COL, that's fine but disposable income in NJ is still very high due to the fact that the spouse is more likely to be educated and working, in addition, the vast majority of residents in the state contribute to their 401K, much more than other states. Perhaps you do not understand how hand to mouth much of the rest of the country lives. It's all relative. Someone with 250K in the market in NJ has no money, in much of the rest of the country, that is a fairly substantial amount of money.

Unlike you, I've actually lived in "the rest of the country", and it's not as different as you may think. If you take the extremely rural areas out of most states (of which NJ has none), you'll find little difference between NJ and the populated areas in income, disposable income, etc. That puts many folks in those areas on par with your "typical NJ family".

MoorestownResident · 07-31-2009, 06:36 AM

Sorry, but that is not correct. You are focusing the group in NJ that is moving to other states and not making it NJ with no savings, even within that group they are largely on par with the rest of the nation. NJ is a heavily populated state there are many different income strata's and those groups are not small.

NJ has also become a lot more affordable with the housing correction. I posted stats recently that showed the median NJ income can afford almost 120% of the median house value. That was around 80% at the peak of the market.