Business is Business

The Fed minutes reveal that the rate hikes are almost over. This has done exactly nothing to help bonds, to most people's surprise. We're just about flat for the last couple days.

Here's an article about making money in a down real-estate market, for those of you that live in places like Las Vegas (#100 out of 100 in the 2006 projections for appreciation) or anywhere in California (#s 83, 87-92, 94, 95, and 97-99). We like up markets, and we like down markets. In Utah, we have an up market, and everywhere else in the wewst we have a down market. Sounds like good times.

Ways your real-estate deal can blow up on you #117: we had a client in here yesterday that tells us the offer on their house fell through because the buyer was arrested for DUI and will be in prison when the loan is supposed to close. Really, folks, we couldn't make this stuff up.

If you are political, you might want to read my dissection of the Jack Abramoff conspiracy case, posted at The Chris Jones Group blog. Occasionally some of my racier stuff goes over there so as not to adulterate the flow of financial wisdom on this page.

Whatever.

If you're not watching the BCS bowl games, you're missing the best college football of your life. I hate the BCS and hope it is destroyed, but I have to say, every last one of those games this year has been a corker. The Penn State/Florida State game last night was exhausting. Triple overtime, guys being carried off on stretchers, absolutely incredible stuff. This after the Sugar Bowl, which might be the best game of the year if it weren't for the Notre Dame/USC game back in October. If tonight's Rose Bowl is even close to as good, it will be the best bowl season ever. Ever.

Texas beats USC 27-24, by the way.

Cj