Latest S&P Numbers: Surprise! They Ain't Good
The Journal reports that the most recent S&P/Case-Shiller indexes, which covered home-price trends in 20 major metropolitan areas through April, show home prices dropping 15.3 percent in the past year—a record decline. The continued devaluation of residential real estate across the country set home prices back to where they were a whole three years ago,…

The Journal reports that the most recent S&P/Case-Shiller indexes, which covered home-price trends in 20 major metropolitan areas through April, show home prices dropping 15.3 percent in the past year—a record decline. The continued devaluation of residential real estate across the country set home prices back to where they were a whole three years ago, even though eight of metropolitan areas included in the index showed a bit of improvement over March of this year. There was no region studied, however, that did not post a year-over-year decline in prices. Vegas and Miami saw the biggest price drops between April ’07 and April ’08, while Charlotte and Dallas fared the best. The New York region was somewhere in the middle, with a year-over-year decline of 8.4 percent and a 1.3 percent dip between March ’08 and April ’08. “There might be some regional pockets of improvement,” said David M. Blitzer, chairman of Standard & Poor’s index committee, though “on an annual basis the overall numbers continue to decline.”
Home-Price Gains Are Erased, Now Stand at 2004-2005 Levels [WSJ]
Graphic from the Wall Street Journal.
Perhaps you should throw yourself off a bridge 4:41. That would be one less right there. As for the woman who’s adopted 3 kids in addition to her own, that is impressive and nice to hear about.
That halo hovering over park slope is looking beaten up.
The most recent study of carbon footprints found that LA has a lower per person carbon footprint than NY (metro area). Two factors dominate: 1. density — apparently LA is denser than NY, despite what you’d imagine, and commutes are shorter. 2. Heat. LA uses more a/c but not enough to make up for those mild winters. Nothing else matters much.
As between Westchester and PS, the carbon calculation is pretty simple: heat is going to be less in a smaller space and with fewer exterior walls. And most PSers use their cars less. Of course, if you vacation in Italy or drive to Montauk every weekend, or compare a 5000 ft brownstone to an insulated 1000 ft condo, that’ll change things. So will new construction, including renovations; even green construction is far more carbon intensive than just living with the old stuff until it wears out.
Transporting food is trivial by comparison (transport is only a small part of the food’s carbon footprint anyway; most of it is the fertilizer).
4.39 – overpopulation – the world’s major enviromental problem.
4:29, considering that I am now in my 60’s, all my children are mostly grown (2 live with us) and I have 13 grandchildren, I would no longer consider myself a “ps stroller mom” as you say.
I have heard nothing about your efforts to be “green” so I see no reason to continue to justify mine.
I like the idea of Americans seeing themselves as green. What a side-splitter!
3:47 – look up the word diatribe. That was not a diatribe. I like Brownstone Brooklyn (you idiot).
The received wisdom of the brownstone set is all that more sad considering they see themselves as informed.
4.25 – no tax bill in the city? Do you mean you’re a renter?