Tuesday, June 03, 2008

sixes and nines...and eights



I've been at sixes and nines over the RE market for some time. But what about eights?

I came across this place (V712672) when checking the state of the market. The wish price is $888,888.00. Do you think they are marketing to the Chinese demographic - who have a thing about the number 8?

Rob Chipman talks about "sharp pricing"; I think that this place is sharply priced (though ridiculous). Would a Chinese buyer risk bidding $850K, or $799K? That would wreck the numerological perfection of the pricing, and wipe out any good luck and prosperity associated with the price.

What about over-bids? 'I'll give you $888,888.88'.

Maybe it will just sit until it is $444,444.00. But that might mean death. Hmm. Maybe this place will indicate the death of the boom.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do these "Chinese Investors" actually exist, or are they like Sasquatch? I've known exactly one Hong Kong Chinese, and that was in Toronto, and she seemed to view Canada as a "hardship post". One thing the (Hong Kong) Chinese do seem to know about is value for money - and plunking down cash in worthless Vancouver real estate seems like an awfully big stretch to me. It seems like one of those Vancouver myths everyone repeats, but no one ever seems to have any proof of that's not anecdotal. (See also: "Everyone wants to live here", "Vancouver is a world class city").

solipsist said...

I totally agree anon.

Anonymous said...

$222,222 TOPS by the time this is all over. MAYBE $333,333 if they're LUCKY and catch some poor sucker on the way down.

Yes, I DID look at it. Yes I KNOW it's a big house. NO Chinese appeal at all, they like mid-century modern and have a sense of style. Not presssboard trendy "Arts & Crafts" reissues that like to pretend that Frank Lloyd Wright never existed and it's 1905.

That's referring of course to the oriental investors OF THE PAST; they don't exist, here, anymore. It's far cheaper to build what they want in China and just about anywhere else.

solipsist said...

Well said anon. 7:33 PM

Anonymous said...

Solipsist,

Eight means prosperity. So basically they are hoping for sixtuplets in their future prosperity.

I have had a chinese friend for years, so I ask her about all this stuff. So much detail to this Feng Shui/numeroloy stuff, that I think it could drive you crazy if you tried to follow it all.

Anonymous said...

If you wish to play with their heads offer them a combination of sixes and eights.

Six means continual/long lasting.

seeker said...

how is 2100 ft2 big? Ugly cookie cutter Vancouver issue. Are they kidding with that price?? Mind you, I know of a brand new one in killarney that recently sold for 868,000... gst included.

Even my kids hate those houses.

Maybe the regular folk in this town have figured out that the jig is up and that it's really been their stupid money all along and that that money is now on the line. Paul B's latest numbers show that the listings spree is still going strong..

solipsist said...

If you wish to play with their heads offer them a combination of sixes and eights.

Something along the line of $68,666 sounds about right.

Even my kids hate those houses.

And they are usually fairly undiscerning...

Maybe their generation will have a bit more common sense. We can hope.

Anonymous said...

666

THE DEVIL YOU SAY!

Anonymous said...

If the sellers are christians then they are praying. The number 888 is that of Jesus Christ in the same way as the number 666 is that of the Beast.

Anonymous said...

We'd have so much difficulties preventing druglords from money laundering here @home through RE & casinos,
yet we welcome foreign crooks who stole billions from their own then hide here protected under our "human rights" banner.

fool-me-easily

solipsist said...

555 is The Egg Man, and 222 is The Walrus. Coo-Coo-Coo-Choo.

Anonymous said...

Remember when "Arts and Crafts" referred to edible paste, construction paper, and icea cream sticks?

Hmmmm.... maybe there IS a connection after all.

Anonymous said...

667 is the neighbour of the beast.

Anonymous said...

777 is Christian, not 888.