Orange County

[BobPhillips-RE]

I just noticed an interesting blog post by a fellow Realtor:

http://www.kcmblog.com/2012/01/30/what-does-warren-buffet-think-about-buying-a-home/?utm_source=feed...

"In an article in the Omaha World Herald, Mrs. Bosanek ( Warren's secretary of 37 years.) discussed her reasons for purchasing a second home and the personal advice she received from Mr. Buffet.

“I just thought it was time to buy a home. Warren tells me that it will be the best opportunity in my lifetime. Mortgage rates are low and prices have dropped dramatically…I share Warren’s view about the future of America, and we believe that our country will do just fine. I’m happy to make this investment.”

The greatest investor of the last century privately has told the people closest to him that buying a home right now “will be the best opportunity in [their] lifetime”.

Hear, hear, Mr. Buffett!  Eloquently spoken.

Of course there will be those who try to obliquely pass off Mr. Buffett, as some sort of "shill" for the real estate industry, but most people around here recognize such tactics as those of someone desperate to perpetuate an increasingly outdated negative agenda.

[BigSpender]

Bob, I won't characterize him as a shill, but here's an article that mentions Buffett's real estate industry ties.   I don't actually bring any agenda, negative or positive, to this site, so don't take this as an attack.  My experience reading Buffett's stuff is that he's usually pretty balanced and reasonable sounding -- on everything except his purposeful mischaracterization of US Tax policy based on his personal social agenda, but I don't judge him there either, even if I disagree completely -- so maybe he really believes housing is a good investment right now.  Again, I'm not judging -- I just found this interesting, and it made me think: does he have an agenda here too?  

http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/17/warren-buffett-suze-orman-disagree-on-whether-to-own/

[Goran_K]

Warren Buffet owns a large stake in the following large RE companies: 

- HomeServices of America Inc.

- Shiller Real Estate

- Koenig & Strey Real Living

- Berkadia Commercial Mortgage

... and a half dozen others that I can't seem to recall from the top of my head (but easy enough to look up if you need to).

If he's not a shill, then who is? 

[AlexSin]

---

Goran_K wrote:

Warren Buffet owns a large stake in the following large RE companies: 

- HomeServices of America Inc.

- Shiller Real Estate

- Koenig & Strey Real Living

- Berkadia Commercial Mortgage

... and a half dozen others that I can't seem to recall from the top of my head (but easy enough to look up if you need to).

If he's not a shill, then who is? 

---

Any industry he doesn't own a stake in?

[Goran_K]

I don't know the answer to that question. Berkshire Hathaway is well diversified.

What I do know is that Warren Buffet stands to personally profit immensely from a real estate boom. He is the very definition of a shill. 

All I'm saying is if Alan Mullaly told me that there was never a better time to buy Ford Fusions, I'd just be a little skeptical. Neither individual is a very unbiased source which is a key factor when you're considering the "purity" of a source (btw that's a Golds term they use in the offices a lot).

[Groundhog]

Goran,

I for one really really find the name of Warren's real estate agency amusing............SHILL ER.

Nice name, indeed an appropriate name perhaps.

Then of course we have our own local shill, he who shall not be named for fear of arousing yet another thin skinned whine.

Groundhog opinion

OGR

[bukowski]

Warren Buffet a Real Estate shill.

Good job to all you fonzies here in the OC Forum! This would be the day y'all jumped the shark.

[BobPhillips-RE]

I wonder if Shiller Real Estate is affiliated with THE Shiller, of Case-Shiller?

As far as being a shill, I am one of two real estate agents who contribute on this forum on a regular basis, who uses his own name, and whose signature spells out his profession rather clearly.

All readers in this forum, can easily ascertain that I am both a Realtor, and that I've been doing it - out in the open - for a LONG time.

[Groundhog]

Bob,

There ya go, my OC Forum pal.............an excellent riposte!

Ahhh.......but what else is a BOB, I wonder?

Methinks could possibly be a fellow with virtually no arms or legs, bobbing away, afloat in a virtual pool of real estate trolls,ogres,and bears perhaps. Oh, and groundhogs too!

Do you finally see the humor in all this, my friend..........I should hope so by now.

Have a nice day, go on a Euro Vacation if you can find one!

As for me, I am going to see a couple of properties today, just lookiing for a second home closer to the Big Salt Water Lake Pacifico.

It's a beautiful day!!!!!!!!

Groundhog opinion,

OGR

[BigSpender]

Bob, no relation.  Buffett's company is Schiller with a "c" as opposed to Case-Shiller without a "c" in Shiller.   And to Bukowski's point and to clarify my original statement:  I'm not saying Buffett is "shilling" for the industry.  I was pointing out that he had a vested interest in it, but as someone else said, the man has a vested interest in just about every industry -- so I suppose some could assume he's shilling for everything.    I was leaving the door open to the possibility that he actually doesn't invest large sums of money in things that he thinks will fail miserably; at least that doesn't appear to be his track record.