IIC's Winners Watchlists

[IIC]

Maybe they are trying to figure out the IIC 100 scan criteria...But actually, I see quite a few visitors from company domains

Geez...Now I get this at Mr. B:


Address:63.167.255.200Name:unwgsgs1.customs.treas. govCountry:United States

[riverbabe]

If it were me, I might be getting a little paranoid right now. Could this be a you-know-who revenge play? Siccing the feds on you trying to dig up any possible dirt to make your life a living hell? Just make sure you are a declared d/t and pay every penny of your taxes. And, for gosh sakes, don't try to leave the country with a paper bag full of cash. Is your wife a citizen? Are you a flight risk? Geez oh man, I'll bet they've already got a fat dossier on you at the FBI. At least you'll have the prettiest picture at the post office.

And, don't worry, we'll all come to visit you so you won't be lonely.

[IIC]

Traded SOLF...very tough but managed +.07...Also traded SEED...in to late out too early but I'll take it For + 5%

[billyjoe]

Doug,
You'll love this. A local town just decided to go ahead with a revitalization plan that includes the building of several hundred condos. The population is leaving in droves and there are many new unsold units that have already been on the market for a couple years. There's an estimated 700 abandoned houses in this city with foreclosures at an alltime high. The population is around 25,000.
Looking through a nearby real estate guide for the 5 county area I see an ad "Buy Now and Save Before the Fall Price Increase" on condos. Also a condominium development near my house has stalled after building only 5 of 84 units and they can't sell the 5 but are advertising reduced prices that actually are 10g more than the initial prices. When will these guys accept reality? I don't see where their funds are coming from.

-------------billyjoe

[IIC]

Doug,
You'll love this. A local town just decided to go ahead with a revitalization plan that includes the building of several hundred condos. The population is leaving in droves and there are many new unsold units that have already been on the market for a couple years. There's an estimated 700 abandoned houses in this city with foreclosures at an alltime high. The population is around 25,000.
Looking through a nearby real estate guide for the 5 county area I see an ad "Buy Now and Save Before the Fall Price Increase" on condos. Also a condominium development near my house has stalled after building only 5 of 84 units and they can't sell the 5 but are advertising reduced prices that actually are 10g more than the initial prices. When will these guys accept reality? I don't see where their funds are coming from.

-------------billyjoe

Condos are dropping like a rock out here...much faster than houses...which is to be expected anyway.

Darn...I saw an article recently about a housing project that was pulling the plug...it appeared that the article was going to tell the reader how this guy actually will make more by delaying the project.

Unfortunately I didn't read it...I don't know how these construction and development loans are structured...Ski probably knows.

[skiracer]

Condos are dropping like a rock out here...much faster than houses...which is to be expected anyway.

Darn...I saw an article recently about a housing project that was pulling the plug...it appeared that the article was going to tell the reader how this guy actually will make more by delaying the project.

Unfortunately I didn't read it...I don't know how these construction and development loans are structured...Ski probably knows.

Usually it helps if you have an in with someone high up in the bank. Right now I am building 58 high end townhouses. My principles are becoming strangled by the borrowing charges and by the downturn in the housing markets. Developers are dropping like flies here in NJ and many projects are going to auction just so that the developers can escape without losing everything. When this starts to happen it creates a domino effect. Builder/develpers start to run out of cash and they in turn short their vendors and subcontractors who in turn cannot pay their men who in turn cannot pay their bills or buy big ticket consumer goods and right on down the line. I have been through a number of downturns in the housing cycles over the past 35 years or so and for some reason this one feels like it it going to be worse than it appears right now.
If the guy you are talking about is leveraged to any degree. I mean if he is working mostly on borrowed money there is no way he can stop working and make money later on. The carrying charges on the money will chew you up and spit you out broke or destitute. If he is using his own money he might be able to hold out but he is still losing on the use of his money by not maximizing the opportunity. Time is the one non replenishable commodity and it doesn't stop. Neither do interest charges on the borrowed principle. You have to start, build, and finish in as short a time period as you can to make money when you are leveraged.
The banks lend money on the assessed or appraised value of the land and on the completed value (sold out value) of the project. It is a very hard proposition and you have to have everything in place to make it work including a strong housing market which this one is now in the shitter. We just dropped the price of our units $160,000 on average. That is a big bite out of the end profit.

[IIC]

Well...I was thinking...and I am too ethical to advocate this...that some of these Corporations just BK...and go on to the next thing

[IIC]

If it were me, I might be getting a little paranoid right now. Could this be a you-know-who revenge play? Siccing the feds on you trying to dig up any possible dirt to make your life a living hell? Just make sure you are a declared d/t and pay every penny of your taxes. And, for gosh sakes, don't try to leave the country with a paper bag full of cash. Is your wife a citizen? Are you a flight risk? Geez oh man, I'll bet they've already got a fat dossier on you at the FBI. At least you'll have the prettiest picture at the post office.

And, don't worry, we'll all come to visit you so you won't be lonely.

Well...I am fairly certain that if the Gov't was checking me out that they would be a little more discreet...Easy enough to block your IP.

Wish I could see the IP's that visit here tho...87 vistitors right now...HELLO IBD

[IIC]

November Retail Sales: Largest Percentage Gainers/Decliners
. 
  The following companies are among those reporting November retail sales.
                            LARGEST GAINERS
                               SAME-STORE  THOMSON FINANCIAL   TOTAL
COMPANY                 SYMBOL   SALES      S-S ESTIMATES      SALES
Saks Inc.               SKS      26.3%         11.8%           25.7%
Buckle                  BKE      18.2%         a7.5%           24.7%
Jos. A. Bank Clothiers  JOSB     15.0%          2.2%           25.0%
Macy's Inc.             M        13.4%          8.2%           13.9%
Target                  TGT      10.8%         10.3%           16.7%
Kohl's                  KSS      10.2%          6.7%           20.0%
Bon-Ton                 BONT      9.9%          9.7%            7.1%
Costco                  COST      9.0%          6.6%           13.0%
Stein Mart              SMRT      8.9%        a(5.0%)          (3.1%)
Nordstrom               JWN       8.7%          3.7%            7.4%

                            LARGEST DECLINERS
                               SAME-STORE  THOMSON FINANCIAL   TOTAL
COMPANY                 SYMBOL   SALES       S-S ESTIMATES     SALES
Chico's FAS             CHS     (13.7%)        (8.0%)           5.4%
Haverty Furniture       HVT     (10.7%)        a1.0%           (7.7%)
Hot Topic               HOTT     (8.3%)        (6.7%)           1.3%
Sharper Image           SHRP     (8.0%)       a(9.3%)         (10.0%)
Limited                 LTD      (7.0%)        (5.0%)          (8.4%)
Cato Corp.              CTR      (6.0%)       a(6.0%)          (4.0%)
Fred's Inc.             FRED     (4.5%)         0.1%            1.0%
Cache Inc.              CACH     (4.0%)         0.7%           (4.0%)
Family Dollar           FDO      (3.4%)         1.8%           (0.9%)
Wet Seal                WTSLA    (1.7%)        (5.3%)          15.2%

[IIC]

One Christmas Miracle down...One to go...they came up and took me out on GIGM

[IIC]

Bush's New Deal...At least I don't have to move for another 5 years

[IIC]

Unloaded JMBA...lost 5% but coulda been a lot worse...bad trade

[IIC]

Bot BEAS lo 16.30's...held over

[billyjoe]

Doug,
Talk about Christmas miracles ! Do you still own ICOC? I'm going to puke if you pull out a victory in the Ides of March contest.

-------------billyjoe

[IIC]

Doug,
Talk about Christmas miracles ! Do you still own ICOC? I'm going to puke if you pull out a victory in the Ides of March contest.

-------------billyjoe

I sold it long ago...However, let me show you what my crystal ball says you'll be doing at my New Year's Eve VICTORY Party: