Comments on: Home Shopping Crisis Network: When the Ballyhoo Years Turn Into Relics of Excess. Lessons from the Great Depression Part XVI: Items That Sold in the Credit Bubble. http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/home-shopping-crisis-network-when-the-ballyhoo-years-turn-into-relics-of-excess-lessons-from-the-great-depression-part-xvi-items-that-sold-in-the-credit-bubble/ How I Learned to Love Southern California and Forget the Housing Bubble Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:16:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Josh http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/home-shopping-crisis-network-when-the-ballyhoo-years-turn-into-relics-of-excess-lessons-from-the-great-depression-part-xvi-items-that-sold-in-the-credit-bubble/#comment-81425 Josh Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:26:23 +0000 http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/home-shopping-crisis-network-when-the-ballyhoo-years-turn-into-relics-of-excess-lessons-from-the-great-depression-part-xvi-items-that-sold-in-the-credit-bubble/#comment-81425 There is almost nothing of importance on the ballyhoo's. First of all, WHAT ARE THEY? There is almost nothing of importance on the ballyhoo’s.
First of all, WHAT ARE THEY?

]]> By: Asada http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/home-shopping-crisis-network-when-the-ballyhoo-years-turn-into-relics-of-excess-lessons-from-the-great-depression-part-xvi-items-that-sold-in-the-credit-bubble/#comment-28135 Asada Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:13:19 +0000 http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/home-shopping-crisis-network-when-the-ballyhoo-years-turn-into-relics-of-excess-lessons-from-the-great-depression-part-xvi-items-that-sold-in-the-credit-bubble/#comment-28135 same here. What I cant understand is how they do it!! how do you start a stupid trend!? What are people reading and who are they talking too! Ugh..... I still dont understand consumer trends.... same here.
What I cant understand is how they do it!! how do you start a stupid trend!? What are people reading and who are they talking too! Ugh…..
I still dont understand consumer trends….

]]> By: karen http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/home-shopping-crisis-network-when-the-ballyhoo-years-turn-into-relics-of-excess-lessons-from-the-great-depression-part-xvi-items-that-sold-in-the-credit-bubble/#comment-26626 karen Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:26:22 +0000 http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/home-shopping-crisis-network-when-the-ballyhoo-years-turn-into-relics-of-excess-lessons-from-the-great-depression-part-xvi-items-that-sold-in-the-credit-bubble/#comment-26626 Don't forget the Beanie Babies craze, that seemed to go along with the Dot.com bubble days. Weren't those stupid things going for hundreds of dollars? Maybe they still do. I don't know. I know they still sell them. I just haven't heard of people collecting them as an investment in a long time. Don’t forget the Beanie Babies craze, that seemed to go along with the Dot.com bubble days. Weren’t those stupid things going for hundreds of dollars? Maybe they still do. I don’t know. I know they still sell them. I just haven’t heard of people collecting them as an investment in a long time.

]]> By: Trey S http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/home-shopping-crisis-network-when-the-ballyhoo-years-turn-into-relics-of-excess-lessons-from-the-great-depression-part-xvi-items-that-sold-in-the-credit-bubble/#comment-21459 Trey S Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:32:58 +0000 http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/home-shopping-crisis-network-when-the-ballyhoo-years-turn-into-relics-of-excess-lessons-from-the-great-depression-part-xvi-items-that-sold-in-the-credit-bubble/#comment-21459 Usually love this series but how can you tell that Crocs and Wheelies sales are declining because of the economy? They just might be stupid fads that have already lasted too long. How about trying to identify the next trend? That could be harder and confirms your hypothesis. I have a relative that owns a store selling such fad items. He says there is no clear and developing fad right now. I think you're right but I think your argument is weak. I look forward to the next installment. Usually love this series but how can you tell that Crocs and Wheelies sales are declining because of the economy? They just might be stupid fads that have already lasted too long.

How about trying to identify the next trend? That could be harder and confirms your hypothesis. I have a relative that owns a store selling such fad items. He says there is no clear and developing fad right now. I think you’re right but I think your argument is weak.

I look forward to the next installment.

]]> By: Laura Louzader http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/home-shopping-crisis-network-when-the-ballyhoo-years-turn-into-relics-of-excess-lessons-from-the-great-depression-part-xvi-items-that-sold-in-the-credit-bubble/#comment-20878 Laura Louzader Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:17:11 +0000 http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/home-shopping-crisis-network-when-the-ballyhoo-years-turn-into-relics-of-excess-lessons-from-the-great-depression-part-xvi-items-that-sold-in-the-credit-bubble/#comment-20878 I have to agree with Liz to some extent. We have always had fads for trivial items, in all times but the most depressed. In and of themselves, they are not an indicator of excess. A better indicator is the prevalence of second home buying during the Great Real Estate Rampage. Let's just be real, second homes are not for ordinary middle class folk, even upper middle class folk, especially when you can't even deduct the mortgage interest on it. Yet numerous people of my acquaintance, who have large incomes but not a dime in savings and aren't even funding their retirment accounts to the extent allowed, have second homes, which are often timeshares, the biggest burn of all. Another indicator of excess is the over-improvement of existing homes. There used to be rules-of-thumb that you used to decide whether you should improve, or just buy something bigger. It was never considered wise to double the size of your house and spend half again its price to improve it, especially with faddy stuff that does not add to the value, or is really expensive relative to the value it adds. But I saw numerous really large lateral additions, $150K kitchens on houses barely worth $300K to begin with, and added stories. This doesn't happen in normal times. I have to agree with Liz to some extent.

We have always had fads for trivial items, in all times but the most depressed. In and of themselves, they are not an indicator of excess.

A better indicator is the prevalence of second home buying during the Great Real Estate Rampage. Let’s just be real, second homes are not for ordinary middle class folk, even upper middle class folk, especially when you can’t even deduct the mortgage interest on it. Yet numerous people of my acquaintance, who have large incomes but not a dime in savings and aren’t even funding their retirment accounts to the extent allowed, have second homes, which are often timeshares, the biggest burn of all.

Another indicator of excess is the over-improvement of existing homes. There used to be rules-of-thumb that you used to decide whether you should improve, or just buy something bigger. It was never considered wise to double the size of your house and spend half again its price to improve it, especially with faddy stuff that does not add to the value, or is really expensive relative to the value it adds. But I saw numerous really large lateral additions, $150K kitchens on houses barely worth $300K to begin with, and added stories. This doesn’t happen in normal times.

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