Even affordable housing is almost dead here. I can get the stats locally for WA, but I know this- for every job opening where hundreds have lost their jobs (downsize 10 and hire one for 1/2 the price and twice the work, as a temp) there's over 2000 average people looking for that job.
I know that even the best of the best firms here are out of work, and most bankrupt if they had debt, and the rest on DSHS just to eat. They go into their offices to say hello but stopped doing that more of the time. All the top firms that have been around the last 20+ years are no more (just owners who long ago paid off all loans and are more bored with no work than anything more serious).
I thought the BG banks were more isolated and that's why they were weathering the storm? Back when the UK pound crashed last year, EVERYTHING died- even the poor local folks no longer were looking for fix up their family homes (with those interest rates, no wonder! Mikamustara!)
I wish there was a way we could work on the designs, and people could build them, and we could skip all this money business and everyone still eat and be happy.
...
It's horribly bleak in the USA. We SHOULD see the first beginnings of changes, but so far, I've only seen the rich people find foreclosures and they want rock bottom prices even an intern couldn't give them. People here need to at least make money for food.
In BG I heard that the Russian Mob was moving into a lot of projects, as they have kept their banks out of this as much as possible- or rather OWN their own system. I wonder if that will be a positive result for the next generations over there, who want to actually progress towards a more evolved political system.
I know that even the best of the best firms here are out of work, and most bankrupt if they had debt, and the rest on DSHS just to eat. They go into their offices to say hello but stopped doing that more of the time. All the top firms that have been around the last 20+ years are no more (just owners who long ago paid off all loans and are more bored with no work than anything more serious).
I thought the BG banks were more isolated and that's why they were weathering the storm? Back when the UK pound crashed last year, EVERYTHING died- even the poor local folks no longer were looking for fix up their family homes (with those interest rates, no wonder! Mikamustara!)
I wish there was a way we could work on the designs, and people could build them, and we could skip all this money business and everyone still eat and be happy.
...
It's horribly bleak in the USA. We SHOULD see the first beginnings of changes, but so far, I've only seen the rich people find foreclosures and they want rock bottom prices even an intern couldn't give them. People here need to at least make money for food.
In BG I heard that the Russian Mob was moving into a lot of projects, as they have kept their banks out of this as much as possible- or rather OWN their own system. I wonder if that will be a positive result for the next generations over there, who want to actually progress towards a more evolved political system.
Take some continuing education from ACE and you will get a lot of junk mail, and related to your profession 
Orange County, California. This IS Disneyland... Where fairies sprinkle magic monetary dust and all is made well... Until this time!!!!
It's really dead. High-end residential is at a stand-still. I've got one remodel in the shop about half-finished and proceeding (one of my own commissions) and one of my consulting gigs for a house in Hawaii is almost finished. That's it. One bid is still out on a kitchen remodel. Several projects I did CD's on the last two years have failed to break ground due to lack of funds.
The three Architects I do production for very regularly, have pretty much run dry (long, full-service jobs)... They don't even have enough work to keep themselves busy for full work days. My 'occasional' production clients have been missing in action for a year or so. Have had a trickle of my own remodel commissions from whole-house redos to kitchens and baths - very few. NO new homes at all.
I remember the recessions of the 80's and 90's... tough times (I was unemployed when our younger son was born!!!
). But this one... this is the big one, folks. Kondratief Winter has arrived. This is a credit-driven recession, like the 30's. They're going to try to print to get us out of it, but it won't work... Too much bad debt out there. It WILL be defaulted. After that, you start to see recovery... and it could take years. Sorry to be so glum, but the math doesn't lie. This happens about every 80 years. The real trick is avoiding the huge global war that comes ten or fifteen years from now.
Our kids are grown up, and Mrs. Sanders and I managed to save a good chunk of cash during the boom. We could keep the mortgage current and stay fed for about two years... after that, it's scramble time. Being self employed, we have zero access to uncle sugar (unemployment benefits).
We're going to see cyclical 'chop' for at least five years I'd say, so that means pare down and save as much cash as possible on the jobs you do manage to get. I also cut my fees 30%, which has kept me in the loop for bidding discussions with my various clients. Deflation has arrived, whether our political leaders and central bankers think so or not.
I'll say this... My GDL library has gained significant new additions! Great way to kill time and keep learning!
Also... Going to go to the local Habitat for Humanity meeting and see if they have anything for me to plug away at. Haven't handled a saw for years... it might be fun. I'm no altruist... They'd be doing ME a favor by giving me SOMETHING TO DO.
Hope we all make it through this in good health and cheer. I really feel for you young guys and gals... This is a tough spot you're in.
Just my two cents...
It's really dead. High-end residential is at a stand-still. I've got one remodel in the shop about half-finished and proceeding (one of my own commissions) and one of my consulting gigs for a house in Hawaii is almost finished. That's it. One bid is still out on a kitchen remodel. Several projects I did CD's on the last two years have failed to break ground due to lack of funds.
The three Architects I do production for very regularly, have pretty much run dry (long, full-service jobs)... They don't even have enough work to keep themselves busy for full work days. My 'occasional' production clients have been missing in action for a year or so. Have had a trickle of my own remodel commissions from whole-house redos to kitchens and baths - very few. NO new homes at all.
I remember the recessions of the 80's and 90's... tough times (I was unemployed when our younger son was born!!!
). But this one... this is the big one, folks. Kondratief Winter has arrived. This is a credit-driven recession, like the 30's. They're going to try to print to get us out of it, but it won't work... Too much bad debt out there. It WILL be defaulted. After that, you start to see recovery... and it could take years. Sorry to be so glum, but the math doesn't lie. This happens about every 80 years. The real trick is avoiding the huge global war that comes ten or fifteen years from now. Our kids are grown up, and Mrs. Sanders and I managed to save a good chunk of cash during the boom. We could keep the mortgage current and stay fed for about two years... after that, it's scramble time. Being self employed, we have zero access to uncle sugar (unemployment benefits).
We're going to see cyclical 'chop' for at least five years I'd say, so that means pare down and save as much cash as possible on the jobs you do manage to get. I also cut my fees 30%, which has kept me in the loop for bidding discussions with my various clients. Deflation has arrived, whether our political leaders and central bankers think so or not.
I'll say this... My GDL library has gained significant new additions! Great way to kill time and keep learning!
Also... Going to go to the local Habitat for Humanity meeting and see if they have anything for me to plug away at. Haven't handled a saw for years... it might be fun. I'm no altruist... They'd be doing ME a favor by giving me SOMETHING TO DO.
Hope we all make it through this in good health and cheer. I really feel for you young guys and gals... This is a tough spot you're in.
Just my two cents...
Still looking?
