Saturday Open Thread 9/13/25: Odds and Ends
Good morning, friends! I hope you are going to have a lovely day today. On that note, I wish to tell you about the rash of scams that have come to my attention of late.
Well, the first scam is a year old. I was helping a certified real estate appraiser with some property title issues. He wanted to look around my office which had been rebuilt from the floor up after a fire, and said it would bring $325,000 if I decided to sell it and retire. Out of curiosity, I had the top local realtor come and check it out, an she said she could put it up for sale at $95,000, but I would likely have to sell it for $80,000 tops. No, thanks, says I. I later discovered her scam. She gets a listing, fronts a "buyer", gets it sold for cheap, then puts it back up for sale at twice the price, pockets the profit, pays the front person some low fee.
Next scam is a realtor showing rentals, taking first and last months rent, pre-payment to turn on the utilities, but no lease agreement is presented. A friend forked over $2700, then got lucky that the former renter told her the water supply company charged $500 per month at a minimum. In other words, the realtor did not disclose that a water bill starts at $500 a month, then goes up when the water is actually used. Imagine not using a single drop of water but paying $500 just in case...Well, when my friend said I am backing out, she was threatened with a lawsuit, settled for giving the realtor $300 for her efforts.
Next, a client was threatened by a Realtor in Nevada who advertised the sold property throughout the country by having a network of realtors in all states to assist in the sale. Part of the agreement required the client to give them power of attorney over anything connected to the sale, including improvements. He received a bill for $20,000 to pay for repairs that had not been done. I revoked that POA for him. Then, they demanded he lower the price by $30,000 because they were having problems finding a Texas realtor to show the home. They threatened to sue him if he didn't sign a new contract and revoke the former one!
One more scam that gives realtors some competition for slick grift champ...An elderly lady owed 3 debts. She hired a debt negotiator. She gave them her savings, which was $30,000. They reduced and paid 2 debts. There was enough money left to pay off the remaining debit in full, no negotiation required. They didn't pay, the creditor threatened to sue the lady, and the negotiators demanded more.
So, be careful, friends!
Comments
Happy Saturday, good people!
Don't be scammed, don't be fooled, don't forget to use your judgment! You damn sure use it in your posts here, so keep it up in your private lives!
This an open thread, so let 'er rip!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good morning...
Those are scams. Seems better to deal with individuals rather than realtors. We bought our property from an individual, and built our own house. Worked for us.
When you sell things like real estate or other things of value, always ask more than you want. The buyer will feel like it is a deal when you come off the asking price. Typical trade day tactics.
It was a pleasant Trade Day this AM. We've had 60 F in the AM with highs of low 80's. My only gripe is no rain. The upside is not having to mow so often. Good and bad with most everything.
Well thanks for the OT! Y'all take care and be well.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I have bought 5 properties
over the decades, and only used a realtor for the ranchette purchase in Co., sort of...A neighbor who is a realtor in Texas was scouting around for Co. property to buy and just let me know about this person who was selling out and moving. I bought it directly from the individual the realtor introduced us to, so we thought it only fair to give her a tip.
Both the Las Vegas scammers and the debt reduction scammers advertise on tv. Both victims are elderly and sit in front of a tv all day.
The 2 properties I sold were purchased by friends. No realtors involved.
With consumer prices rising, businesses closing, interest rates on mortgages at peak levels, real estate prices either lower or never get sold. Local realtors are struggling, just like everyone else.
I hope your trip to Trade's Day was good, and that you will get some rain pronto, dear friend.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
The Other Place wants donations so it can spend half a million $
on migrating the site’s data and software — yup, the whole shootin’ match — to WordPress.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/9/12/2343004/-Why-Daily-Kos-is-mov...
Well, even TOP realizes
tech has changed and what worked 5 years ago is outdated now.
I never check to see how many clicks TOP gets daily. Kos himself has become irrelevant, imho. Newsome needs him and needs TOP, fer shure!
Thanks for the info and enjoy your day, my friend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Florida realtors and developers are in a panic
I think developers are facing trouble widely, nationwide, but certainly not in all markets, where prices are still moving up. But in the places they have been developing in Florida, they are screaming for lower taxes and lower interest rates. This is because the retail market is freezing up at peak of the bubble levels and buyers aren't interested.
DeMentis floated the idea of doing away with real estate taxes altogether to bail out the market. Not only does one have to pay outlandish prices if they want a home, but because of the natural disasters here, the insurance rates are sky high. If you want a relatively new home, you probably are looking at extremely high property insurance, plus flood insurance, plus hoa and "amenity fees." The real estate experts I follow who cover the Florida market say, it's cheaper to rent. Everyone wants a piece of the buyer. I don't know if it will happen again, but if taxes are dropped on real estate (how will state and local governments be funded?) everyone will move into that by raising prices and fees.
I'd avoid giving any online broker an email address just to look at a property. Immediately they try to lock you in to an exclusive contract with some agent, you don't even know. It's a racket. The big American rip off coming apart at the seams. I'm getting barraged with dozens of emails every day from big realtor web sites that I never did anything but look at their web sites.
Individual realtors and car dealers in Florida are desperate. I drove across the state yesterday on errand, and to my astonishment the traffic on the interstate was the lightest I've seen, maybe in my entire experience in Florida which is a few decades. I'm guessing the economy sucks. Never saw anything like it. I know tourism is way down, and airline routes are being cut.
여러분! 주말에 잘 지내내세요. Have a nice weekend everyone.
on edit: got distracted for a moment. Good advice OTC. Thanks for the O&E.
語必忠信 行必正直
Good morning, soryang!
Real estate prices here locally are dropping. Everything else is getting pricier. Utilities, property taxes, homeowner's insurance, hoa annual dues, construction permits, etc...are expensive, but nothing like disaster-prone Florida.
Texas has a bill in the making to lower property taxes. Obviously, some other funding source for public schools will replace it. Texas has very few welfare programs, and I expect they will disappear when property taxes get lowered.
Around here, car dealers are hurting, but auto repair shops are doing fine. That leads to the extended warranty scams. I get calls all the time from people barely able to contain their anger at me for not buying a warranty, and they only shut up when I tell them my auto is still under the original new car warranty. I will worry about extended warranties 20,000 miles from now. I have time to do some extensive research before I commit.
Quite a few locals have moved to Ok. and Ark. Ok. is known as Tornado Alley, but that hasn't deterred the folks anxious to leave Texas. I did look at Ark. real estate, and it is definitely affordable.
I hope your home sells soon and that your move to your next home will not be traumatic. Moving is extremely stressful. I do not envy you.
Enjoy your day, my friend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Bill Pulte is FHFA chief
Is the fox in the henhouse or what? He wants to privatize Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. He took it over already. He got into some kind of pissing contest with Bessent who threatened to punch him out according to one account.
I’m Gonna Punch You in Your F--king Face’: Scott Bessent Threatens an Administration Rival
There are reports that Pulte still has millions of shares of Pulte Group stock. I don't know if this is in a so called "blind trust" or what. The articles I read didn't indicate.
語必忠信 行必正直
soryang,
I am not a fan of privatization. Talk about a scam! hoo wee!
The same people who propose privatization of various government agencies are also proponents of deregulation.
A coin flip might determine which man is the bigger crook...Bessent or Pulte.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
OTC all we have to do is look at before and after privatization
of things like Charles de Gaulle airport and parts of the TGV system. It seems service goes down and prices go up. It's depressing.
A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. Allegedly Greek, but more possibly fairly modern quote.
Consider helping by donating using the button in the upper left hand corner. Thank you.
And my pet peeve
is toll roads! Other scams: private companies providing electricity and water to the public with no government oversight.
I hated the de Gaulle airport as it was, so now I would really, really hate it.
Stay rural and off the streets of Paris, chica!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good mornng otc, thanks for the OT. One is always
tempted to scam them back. Our "home phone" was, for long years, a land line. Maybe 5% of the calls are legit the rest are scams, illegal robocalls and illegal unsolicited business solicitations, the latte frequently thinly disguised as offers to "provide free estimates" of attempts to "provide information" on this or that service or govt. bennie. My policy is to never do any business with people who call us under any circumstance and I tell them that.
Related thought, Der Trump is gonna send troops to Memphis. My wife was surprised that the local government requested this. It occurred to me that a locality could treat the influx as replacement tourism. Keep your heads down and they wind up picking up trash and weeding public venues and, unless they get group mess and housing services at some local base of some type, they've got to rent rooms and buy food or meals, so they pay you to pick up your trash. Such a deal, but I'm sure it can't be that easy.
Farmerd' market today. Drove through part of the Hayward barrio yesterday on a dedicated shopping run and suddenly realized that the scenery would probbly give the donald a coronary, what a loser he really is.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Good afternoon, el!
I hope the shopping trip bore fruit. Srsly.
We are gonna shop this afternoon. Routine stuff for the upcoming week.
I don't travel around Houston and Austin much, but when I do, I see business complexes and government offices surrounded by homeless people on the streets and under the overpasses. Crime rates were always high, but now, those cities are very dangerous. You go, Gov. Abbott! Really. Please go.
Not sure Memphis has thought their request through. On the other hand, is having the military on the streets getting us used to it? And are soldiers being conditioned to defend the country by killing Americans? Are we edging closer to martial law? Suspension of elections? This is very unnerving to me, friend.
Enjoy your day, el.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Driviong back from Maine this AM
.
Noticed all the flags were flying at half mast.
Thought which old politician died now? Then
thought it was in remembrance of 9/11?
Get home to find out it is in honor of some
RWNJ that got himself killed. Really?
Even McDonalds at Guantanamo got in the act.
You can't make this sh*t-up.
Thanks for the OT. It is good be back home.
Zionism is a social disease
Welcome home, Cap'n!
I just read that Kirk's body will lie in state at the nation's capital.
Lefties need to stop with their reckless rhetoric about his murder. It's not easy to remain neutral in a civil war.
Those that covered up the truth about 9/11 are delighted Kirk's murder has shifted the conversation to give them just a little more time to relax.
I had never heard of this man. Conveniently, a Zionist will take over the movement. Shapiro is, and has seemingly been, more than ready to step up and lead. Young righties need to get their nose rings in. They can find out where to get them for free from lefties.
Some grown man is driving an ATV around the neighborhood, revving up the engine, annoying everyone within a mile radius with the noise. FWIW, it is illegal to drive them on a public road. Where are the cops when you need them?
I enjoyed your photos from your trip, dear friend. Good for you!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
A unique realtor
I’ve dealt with realtors before and felt the same way, better to sell your property yourself if you’re able. So am not saying this to gloat or disagree, just happy to share an opposite experience. I needed to sell my condo which had several years’ mortgage remaining. Condo fees and property taxes had increased dramatically. Had tried everything the past five years to improve my situation. Nothing worked and credit card debt was reaching limit. I called a Berkshire-Hathaway realtor who specializes in condos. Another owner in my complex had recently contacted her for the same reason—she felt she could no longer afford it. The realtor went over her finances, showed how she could afford it, and talked her out of selling. My situation was different. She figured out a couple changes to lower expenses. Even then, there was no way out. I listed with her and she proved different than any realtor I ever knew.
The things she did are too many to list. A piece of glass decoration in a ceiling light/fan was broken. Without asking, she found a replacement in a 2nd hand store for $3. When I replaced the bathroom flooring, a plumber had to re-set the toilet. There were extra problems with tree roots growing into it. She informed me she’d paid the $600 bill and I would repay her at escrow. If it didn’t sell, I had 10 months interest-free to repay. I needed to move an antique bed into another room when replacing carpet. The cheapest mover was $410. She got her handyman to do it for $50. On and on. Every step of the way, she was two steps ahead. I was not a special case. She was well known in our condo complex. She’d gone out of her way to assist the Board several times. She’s married to a musician so she probably earns more than her share to support them. Berkshire-Hathaway must not think realtors need impressive offices. She shares a tiny office with another realtor in a space that hardly fits two desks. We did paperwork in a conference room.
Anya
Great experience, Anya!
I work with a local realtor a lot, and she does the same things for sellers that yours did for you. What a great experience.
It seems the realtors that list low price real estate work harder and are more honest than the ones who specialize in expensive properties.
I can't imagine ever having to sell out and move. If that new law goes into effect that lowers property taxes, I will be able to feel the rise in my standard of living.
Take good care, chica! Don't be a stranger!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
An article by Chris Hedges
on the aftermath of the Kirk murder. Really worth a read, folks.
https://consortiumnews.com/2025/09/12/chris-hedges-the-martyrdom-of-char...
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Yep
This is next item on the agenda. This is another archetype created for the mass mind. They'll need a song, and a legend, preferably to a hymn or marching melody. I was struck by this part:
Made to order to end the "in-fighting," their false message was in jeopardy. The cult of "true believers" has been resuscitated. The script borrowed from 1930s Europe.
語必忠信 行必正直
soryang,
I just can't believe how much "lefties" are stoking this. Righties made a big deal out of George Floyd, laughed, danced, joked him, lefties are protesting to this day, but this Kirk thing is very different. VERY.
Floyd wasn't connected with a president or a party, just his drug supplier. And black.
How the hell do we safely move forward from here to vocally or physically support a policy we want?
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
@on the cusp Thankfully it doesn’t
Thankfully it doesn’t seem the right is yet burning down cities and inciting riots like Antifa or Maxine Waters would do. I saw a local group organize a candlelight ceremony and Kirk’s widow give civilized remarks. As someone said, people on both sides have more in common with each other than they do with the evil people surreptitiously isolating us into tribes.
Anya
@on the cusp Thankfully it doesn’t
Thankfully it doesn’t seem the right is yet burning down cities and inciting riots like Antifa or Maxine Waters would do. I saw a local group organize a candlelight ceremony and Kirk’s widow give civilized remarks. As someone said, people on both sides have more in common with each other than they do with the evil people surreptitiously isolating us into tribes.
Anya
divide and conquer
.
.
seems to be the way of this orchestrated BS
let the plebes fight it out while the PTB rip-off
anything of value left in the US.
Zionism is a social disease
Genocide hasn't been mentioned in 2 days, has it?
Epstein Files? Nato moving toward WWIII? Trump trying to steal Russian funds?I am just appalled at how people are believers.
They weren't raised like I was.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I'm still reserving judgement
...on all the factual ramifications other then the broad outline of what Chris described as being what those on the right think their going to do with this. I don't see a domestic dialectic as being particularly strong on their behalf. The true believers are their own worst enemies. The schemes the cadre pull out of their butts seem to be foundering consistently. The domestic agenda of the administration is failing. They have the white house, they have the legislature, they have the Supreme Court. What's their big problem? But they still need public support. The internet media and trolls can make their program seem more substantial than what it is. Above all is the administrations corruption and utter incompetence. But I'll readily admit domestic politics isn't my forte. I feel their foreign and economic policies are going nowhere, if not self destructive. They are desperate. Their momentum is being lost with every move they make. This is why the administration's response to events seems so radical and off the wall. Do they really know what they are doing? I don't think so. They've fired some of the best government people. They're embarked on a course to interfere with state and local communities. All their Doge promises and economic promises went down the crapper.
The leadership of this country, including those in all the traditional institutions need to stand up to the bullies, charlatans and grifters. I'm reading how the judiciary failed in Nazi Germany to uphold the law. I see accounts of people standing up to the bullying fairly often and its pretty inspiring. They don't have the media mouthpiece or the brute force the administration has. But they have a genuine legitimacy that all the ideological/religious cult/racist nonsense can't really match. How it's going to turn out I can't say really. I think people need to stand up for their own principles and communities and take comfort from trying to do what is morally and ethically right, according to their own consciences and not what some ideologue or false guru tells them. For all the power and influence the PTB has at its own disposal, it seems they can't get out of their own way.
語必忠信 行必正直
Ya know,
I could say I don't know what the hell is going on. I could also say I do, and have been bracing for it.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
This whole thing feels a lot like a Beer Hall Putsch
It's going to take a while to get some perspective here.
The response on the Right is way too far ahead of where it should be. This feels very preplanned and manufactured. This is aimed at capturing the energy of very young voters.
Eventually, we will see the big picture, in true perspective.
But it will not do this nation any good. It's too late for that.
You have a good point, pr.
It sure seems the splintered right glued back together instantly, and the reaction is uniform, coast to coast. They knew instantly that the shooter would be a lwnj, and the fact that Robinson's roommate is transitioning is all the proof they need.
Divide and conquer writ large.
i am getting ready to read a State of The Nation article that points to Israel being the culprit. It may be too ct to post the link here.
Btw, when did the party demanding gun control get so supportive of gun violence? Wtf is going on here?
Well, chica, we need to stay alert.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Thanks for the response
I'm glad you, too, sense the manipulation.
It's not going to work, however. The tariff economy is going to tear the US apart and ruin people's lives. That will have its own tragic momentum. There's no telling how the Psychpaths will react. Developing economic conditions in the US will demonstrate that they have already lost. Attacking China is how the US will attempt to commit suicide.
Guns are very much a side issue and a distraction. Discussions about guns in the US are a complete waste of time. Gun possession is a twisted sickness that is entirely unique to the United States, where people are primed to kill each other over the political divide. In my opinion, this is going to play out, no matter what else happens. It's part of our savage destiny to continue fight the US Civil War — which never ended.
Tariffs, which the majority of the population
will finally understand when they can barely afford food. Sure, they get it that bad foreign countries must be punished with weaponized tariffs, but it won't occur to them that it is also a weapon against we, the people, until they are financially ruined.
As for guns, my opinion of the 2nd Am and self-defense probably differs from most left-leaning folks. I do not know a single lawyer that does not have a gun in their office, vehicle, and at times, in their pocket. I have had to seek police protection so many times, I have lost count. Once, a phalanx of 4 cop cars escorted me to my home, and stayed until I safely entered my front door.
Countries who have unarmed populations are finding their murders are being done by stabbings and choppings. Most anything can be made a deadly weapon. Prison inmates kill each other with tooth brushes and plastic forks.
Here, we can expect violence when people experience hunger and homelessness for the first time. I just hope they lay the blame in the correct direction.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981