If you are thinking about moving to Tampa or you live in the Bay Area: (Jacksonville: short sale, 2009)

[saltzman143]

STAY AWAY from the Feb. 9 issue of The New Yorker magazine. It has an article by George Packer about the Tampa foreclosure crisis/economy that will leave you utterly depressed and terrified beyond words.

[tjax1000]

A portion of this article is online without registration:
A Reporter at Large: The Ponzi State: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker

After reading this excerpt, I would have to ask the author... SO WHAT? He just described one of any number of cities across the country that experienced increased suburban sprawl during that God-forsaken housing bubble. Closer to home, he has just described Orlando, Jacksonville, and yes, even Tampa.

We get it... a bunch of people made crappy decisions and it messed everything up. I would like to think most people are ready to see this whole mess hit rock bottom ASAP so we only have one way to go... UP! Personally, I think all the proposed increases in government spending and bailouts will waste a ton of money, bankrupt future generations, and only prolong the inevitable final plunge to the bottom.

[jsirois831]

thanks for the post, but in my humble opinion, it sounds like much of the US right now. Its not just Florida that is being hit hard. Prime example, I purchased my house in Springfield MA, short sale, and the lein on the house was 300,000.00!!!!! the house was assessed at time of purchase at 230! No house in that area was EVER worth 300k, so you tell me, and we werent the only ones in that area. Ive seen people just leave their houses here and file bankruptcy, houses being built and never finished. This is real and its not just in Florida.

I've said this in another forum, if you are thinking of relocating to Florida or anywhere just know that the grass is ALWAYS greener on the other side. The little things we can do as individuals, especially those looking to purchase homes, dont go out of ones means, if you're pre approved for 300k, buy a house for 215k and live within your budget. Home improvements do not need to be done all at once. Stay away from home equity loans unless you absolutely need it. It's always nice to have a nice house, but its nicer to live in an economy where we are not starving to survive. Live in your means, be responsible as individuals we won't change the economy, but if individually we do our part, starting now, it will turn around!!

[TampaKaren]

So, George Packer, a reporter who lives in Brooklyn, writes an article about Florida. Anyone can do the research and publish an article. According to his bio on The New Yorker website, he's been a staff writer since 2003. What does he really know about the Florida market except what he reads? I'm not saying he's wrong or right, just putting his opinion in perspective.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by tjax1000

A portion of this article is online without registration:
A Reporter at Large: The Ponzi State: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker

After reading this excerpt, I would have to ask the author... SO WHAT? He just described one of any number of cities across the country that experienced increased suburban sprawl during that God-forsaken housing bubble. Closer to home, he has just described Orlando, Jacksonville, and yes, even Tampa.

We get it... a bunch of people made crappy decisions and it messed everything up. I would like to think most people are ready to see this whole mess hit rock bottom ASAP so we only have one way to go... UP! Personally, I think all the proposed increases in government spending and bailouts will waste a ton of money, bankrupt future generations, and only prolong the inevitable final plunge to the bottom.

I agree - SO WHAT? You could take out the name of Tampa and insert the name of just about any other city. I also get tired of the lop-sided focus these putz reporters like to give. The fact is, there are still people who have jobs and didn't buy at inflated prices and live responsibly. But we all want to see this thing come to a bottom and start recovering again. Life goes on.

[Keeper]

The part of the article that is 'free' online list places from Pasco to Cape Coral. Tampa has never really relied that much on tourist, unlike Orlando.

Honestly, he is making such broad statements that it could be anywhere. Ppl stealing copper happens all over the country, not just in Tampa. Foreclosures are happening everywhere.

The person who said her neighbors are mad at her because she got her house for less, that is pretty silly, I have lived where that exact thing happened and no one was mad at the person who got a deal.

That article isn't about just Tampa, it is about the whole country.

[saltzman143]

The (very long) article is mostly about the Tampa Bay area, and in fact quotes many Tampa people, including the mayor. If you are able to brace yourself, and you wanna read it, I can e-mail it to you. Just send me a DM.

But more to everyone's points: I do not think it is about the whole country. This kind of stuff is not happening where I live, in the Northeast area..............where I live there are still plenty of jobs and people swarming the malls and paying 4 bucks for a coffee, etc. No copper being stolen and no suburban ghettos here. I had to wait in line the other day behind people paying 40 bucks for dog sweaters at Target.

There is a big difference between a metro area having foreclosures (which the Northeast has had like everyone else) and a metro area having foreclosures PLUS being in a severe recession w/ hi unemployment, increased crime, no jobs, massive layoffs from the major companies (which apparently Central Fla is in?).

Even other parts of Florida, it seems, are not faring as bad as Central Florida. For example, there were 1,000-plus people lining up to apply for 35 firefighter jobs in Miami last week. But in Tampa, those jobs are not even available.........

(BTW Keeper sorry about the snippet post.)

[tampaguy03]

Originally Posted by saltzman143

The (very long) article is mostly about the Tampa Bay area, and in fact quotes many Tampa people, including the mayor. If you are able to brace yourself, and you wanna read it, I can e-mail it to you. Just send me a DM.

But more to everyone's points: I do not think it is about the whole country. This kind of stuff is not happening where I live, in the Northeast area..............where I live there are still plenty of jobs and people swarming the malls and paying 4 bucks for a coffee, etc. No copper being stolen and no suburban ghettos here. I had to wait in line the other day behind people paying 40 bucks for dog sweaters at Target.

There is a big difference between a metro area having foreclosures (which the Northeast has had like everyone else) and a metro area having foreclosures PLUS being in a severe recession w/ hi unemployment, increased crime, no jobs, massive layoffs from the major companies (which apparently Central Fla is in?).

Even other parts of Florida, it seems, are not faring as bad as Central Florida. For example, there were 1,000-plus people lining up to apply for 35 firefighter jobs in Miami last week. But in Tampa, those jobs are not even available.........

(BTW Keeper sorry about the snippet post.)

Sorry to butt in, but you would NEVER know a recession existed over the past few weekends here in Tampa(SuperBowl, Gasparilla, State Fair - restaurants, bars, stores, malls, beaches, roads..all PACKED with people)..i know the economy is hurting all over, but when you go out from thurs to saunday and have to wait for tables at a restaurant, cant get tickets to a sporting event or concert or theaters..makes you wonder....)

[Annie of Oldsmar]

When I saw the SuperBowl at RayJames stadium and the people at the Gasparilla event last weekend I also wondered about the recession here. Maybe somebody writing from NYC knows more about the area than we the people who live here......

[saltzman143]

great points!!!!!!!!