As some long-time readers may recall, a Seattle Bubble meetup is an idea we have tossed around in the past but haven’t ever followed through with.
Well, an intrepid reader got tired of waiting for me to put something together, and has planned the first Seattle Bubble meetup for next week. Here are the details:
DATE & TIME: Tuesday January 20th at 6:00 PM
PLACE: Kate’s Pub (Wallingford; located near I-5 and many bus routes)
RSVP: Optional; E-mail eli [at] eligoldberg [dot] com and we’ll save you a spot.Our table will have an improvised “Seattle Housing Bubble” sign. Call 206.313.1914 if you need help or can’t find us.
Here’s Google Street View of the spot, just because I can:
And as long as I’m getting all Google-riffic, here’s a link to allow you to add it easily to your Google Calendar: 
It’s just an informal get-together with no official agenda, just to meet up and hang out. Thanks to Eli for setting this up. I’ll be there.
Joel » Jan 14, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Oh great. House prices in Wallingford are going to tank due to the overwhelming amount of doom and gloom. Way to destroy the economy!
kfhoz » Jan 14, 2009 at 1:04 pm
I just got the label laid on me. :-( A co-worker, who mentioned that he as considering buying another house as an investment just told me with a fair bit of disgust: “you are totally pessimistic”.
The conversation went on and the full “you are Doom and Gloom” came out. I am not talking to anyone else about this stuff for a while, but I will go to the meet-up to commiserate.
Ira Sacharoff » Jan 14, 2009 at 1:10 pm
“I just got the label laid on me.”
Me too. I was in a real estate investment strategy class a couple of years ago and got labeled ” Mr. Doom and Gloom.”
That’s how the teacher would call on me. I wore the label proudly, and was one of the few people in the class who turned out to be right.
Sniglet » Jan 14, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Unfortunately, being “right” doesn’t necessarily do you much good. A realtor who keeps telling prospective customers that property prices are destined to fall substantially in the near future likely won’t make many sales. In my own job I can vouch for the fact that constantly predicting that demand for all our products will decline (along with the broader economy) has made me somewhat of a pariah. Some colleagues just don’t like to work with me because my market views make grandiose plans pointless.
I wonder if it isn’t better to be a starry-eyed dreamer who unfortunately turns out to be wrong, than to be dead on with predicting something won’t work beforehand?
mark » Jan 14, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Tuesday, Jan. 20th, 6:00 p.m. the crowd starts to shuffle in at Kates when they are met by a man that says hi, my name is Mukoh and I’ve been drinking all day……………………
Charles Dean » Jan 14, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Anyone know how to get ahold of RobRoy? He NEEDS to be there.
Charles Dean » Jan 14, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Anyone who lives in the Edmonds/Lynnwood area care to carpool?
Ira Sacharoff » Jan 14, 2009 at 2:08 pm
“Unfortunately, being “right” doesn’t necessarily do you much good. A realtor who keeps telling prospective customers that property prices are destined to fall substantially in the near future likely won’t make many sales.”
Well, I’m not a Sniglet. I don’t tell people that prices are going to drop another 80% and won’t rise for another 15 years. My views are far less pessimistic.
I don’t scream at prospective clients insisting that they not buy homes, I just suggest that if home price appreciation is part of the reason they want to buy, perhaps they’d be better off waiting.
…And yeah, maybe I’m a little bit of a pariah. But an even tempered, polite and pleasant pariah.
WestSideBilly » Jan 14, 2009 at 2:33 pm
[Seattle Passive-Aggressive Behavior]
Oh, this sounds like a great idea! I’ll most certainly make every effort to be there…
… But, you know, traffic at 6pm is really bad, and there’s nowhere to park in Wallingford… I’d take the bus, but it’d take even longer, plus I’d have to, you know, ride with those people. And I heard Kate’s is full of smelly hippies.
[/Seattle Passive-Aggressive Behavior]
In all seriousness… yeah, I’ll probably be there. I don’t get to hang out with celebrities like THE Tim* very often.
* Tim, I think you need to start putting more emphasis on “The”… like THE Ohio State University.
Sniglet » Jan 14, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Anyone on the Eastside interesting in car-pooling?
Jon » Jan 14, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Would love to come, but that’s inaugeration night… wouldn’t miss that for the world, even this!
anony » Jan 14, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Sniglet and Charles,
Carpooling is for dirty hippies. Take your SUV.
Sniglet » Jan 14, 2009 at 3:07 pm
I can hardly even begin to state how adamantly disinterested I am in the inauguration. A new president won’t matter one iota as to the unfolding of the second great depression. Sure, the new president will do lots of flailing, and throw cash all around (just like the previous one did with all the bail-outs and stimulus), but the end result of increasing economic contraction and a crash of asset prices (e.g. real-estate, stocks, commodities) in dollar terms will continue unabated.
It is a much better use of my time chatting in a pub than staying glued to a TV watching someone swear oathes and make vacuous speaches about “hope”.
Interloper » Jan 14, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Darn, I live super close to there and would be interested, except I have an innaugural conflict.
pragmatic » Jan 14, 2009 at 3:34 pm
From: http://inaugural.senate.gov/2009/ceremony.cfm
I don’t think you have much to worry about Jon@11, the swearing in is at 9am PDT, so you won’t miss anything except maybe MSNBC coverage of the inaugural ball or something.
Ray Pepper » Jan 14, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Oh No………I mean seriously who picked this time? I have shirts for all you but 6pm on Obama night? I must watch this with the kids. The teachers have the kids PUMPED up for this Inauguration ceremony. You are all worth the commute on any other night. Eastside Realtor can you go in my absence and Represent?
The Tim » Jan 14, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Re: pragmatic @ 15 – Yeah, what gives? Even for those of you that do care about the symbolic changing of the guard, it’ll be over for like 9 hours by the time this meetup starts.
Ray Pepper » Jan 14, 2009 at 4:22 pm
The stars have aligned. My wife is off that night from the ICU and she will watch the apparent 9 hour tape delay with the kids . It appears everyone WILL get a T Shirt next Tuesday. You all just don’t know how lucky you are! Have I mentioned they are quite form-fitting and will make you look more educated from up to 20 feet away?
C U THERE!
alex » Jan 14, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Meanwhile, the DOW flirts with 8000…
cheapseats » Jan 14, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Watch out for RE professionals slipping ruffies in your beers.. take out all the “doom and gloomers” in one fell swoop.
Wish I could go but I am traveling.
Scotsman » Jan 14, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Ray- I’ll need an XL. Thanks!
Lake Hills Renter » Jan 14, 2009 at 5:28 pm
I’m on the fence. Wallingford at 6pm is kinda tough. How long is it expected to last? Maybe the next one can be on the Eastside.
Mike2 » Jan 14, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Maybe next time you can organize something on the Eastside – DC, you know, so us ex-pats don’t have to travel so far to chat about the Seattle RE market.
But seriously, I’d attend if I wasn’t on the ‘right’ coast. I’m planning on going to the Inaguration in DC, so the commute back would be tough.
Jillayne » Jan 14, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Dang, my daughter’s band concert is that night. Hugs to all. I heart SB.
Sniglet » Jan 14, 2009 at 7:42 pm
I agree with LHR. This is not very convenient for East Siders, particularly during peak commute times. I think I am going to give a pass on this event too. Every time I try driving across to Seattle during rush hour I wind up spending an hour or more in traffic, and the fact that parking is difficult at this pub only compounds matters.
mukoh » Jan 14, 2009 at 8:12 pm
mark,
Drinking all day? You a riot troll. :)
Now you made me saaaad.
Jonness » Jan 14, 2009 at 8:26 pm
I’d have to quit my job to be there. Hmmm, I could start writing music again. Nahhh, I better keep working so I don’t get caught swimming naked when the tide goes out (recession deepens). Sounds like I’m missing a fun party though.
“It is a much better use of my time chatting in a pub than staying glued to a TV watching someone swear oathes and make vacuous speaches about “hope”.”
Sniglet. This is America, and we are a nation of hope and dreams! After the inauguration, we’ll have a lot of people hoping and dreaming the worst is over. The stock market will rise, and a few weeks later, it will crash again, and things will continue heading down. You’re going to miss that man! Jump on the bandwagon and go long for America! :):):)
hzg » Jan 14, 2009 at 9:53 pm
NONE SHALL PASS!!!! ……..(at 45th and Latona on street view)
mark » Jan 14, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Mukoh, sorry to make you sad. I couldn’t help it though with the pub and all. I’ve enjoyed a couple of your posts when you get home from watching football and proclaim that you have been drinking all.
I don’t have anything against drinking. In fact, we just spent a week in Las Vegas over New Year. I think Las Vegas was glad to see me go. I went out with a friend the saturday night before we came home and vaguley remember groping someone in the piano bar at the New York, New York casino. That was after some other shenanigans that I only vaguley recall.
Dude, I like your style!
elig » Jan 14, 2009 at 11:10 pm
Thank you Tim! I’ve been so looking forward to meeting everyone (even though I am a mere lurker.)
Ray/et al: Shoot! I totally spaced on the inauguration. I am sorry: I should have proposed the date here first. ;-(
Lake Hills Renter @ 22: I think you’re right that’s it’s pretty early, esp. from the East Side. Jon and I are coming at 5:50-6:00 to try to get a table for everyone — they fill up fast around then. But you don’t need to try to get there at 6:00 — I’m assuming we’ll be there until at *least* 8:00 if not later. The only catch is the half priced food happy hour ends at 7:00 so ya gotta pay real money for your grub afterwards.
Sniglet @ 25: You’re totally right. Anyone up for organizing an Eastside event in future months? Personally, I would *love* if we ended up having semi-regular meetups, if not just because it’s (for me at least!) impossible to talk about this stuff with friends co-workers who are too invested in the fantasy of their homes ‘recovering their equity’ in the next year or two, and would not be up for discussions of whether they’re falling 20% or 50%. ;)
Note there may also be a handful of Seattle-ites from Ben Jones’ HBB blog (on Tim’s blogroll).
P.S. Not that it really matters, but I should add that Jon (who comments as “Prime_is_Contained” on Ben Jones’ blog) also co-organized the event. (really, all we did was look up pubs in yelp, make a phone call, and send two e-mails. ;-)
redmondjp » Jan 14, 2009 at 11:51 pm
LHR and Sniglet,
I’m in Redmond and would be up for carpooling (that makes three, allowing us to use the 520 commuter lane up to the bridge deck, mwa ha ha hah) if either of you reconsider. I probably wouldn’t go by myself. Always more fun to go together. And I can be designated driver as well (now as where to park when we get there, dunno).
Send me a PM in the forums if interested and we’ll figure out where to meet up (BTW I live near Grasslawn park which is pretty close to 520 access).
Ira Sacharoff » Jan 14, 2009 at 11:52 pm
I’m planning on making it, but can only stay for a little while. I’m on a community council ,and have the quarterly public meeting that evening. But it’s always good to get snockered before those meetings.
Ardell DellaLoggia » Jan 14, 2009 at 11:59 pm
redmondjp,
I’d be your third for the carpool, but my huge bag of ruffies and pom poms won’t fit in your car.
Ben » Jan 15, 2009 at 1:14 am
I want to chime in my support for the next one of these being on the Eastside. Better parking and less hassle for us poor country folk to get there at times like this.
I shudder to think what time I would have to leave Redmond to get to Seattle at 6pm. 5pm maybe? 4:30?
Angie » Jan 15, 2009 at 7:47 am
Aw–if it weren’t inauguration night, I’d totally be there. As it is, even if the ceremonies are in the morning local time, I’m sure there’s going to be news coverage galore in the evening. This is a big deal to our households, and to our kids, so we’re going to stay home and celebrate among the teachable moments. ;)
I also wouldn’t be surprised if the bars here in deepest blue Seattle are going to be full of parties, which might be a bit too rambunctious for a mellow meetup of Eeyores like most of youse. Any interest in pushing it back a week?
Interloper » Jan 15, 2009 at 8:07 am
The Eastsiders are right that the time is not convenient to them.
As far as coming to Seattle, well, this is simply the place to be…
The Tim » Jan 15, 2009 at 8:17 am
Depending on how this one goes and what the interest level is, I’m totally up for planning an eastside meetup somewhere in Kirkland or Redmond next month.
mukoh » Jan 15, 2009 at 8:54 am
Mark,
There has been no posts of me drinking all day, or watching football. Might want to do a search :). Looking through an empty bottle at the screen tends to do that to ya. I will be in Vegas though for Valentines. They will definately want me to stay though.
patient » Jan 15, 2009 at 9:41 am
mukoh and Mark, I think Mark might have you confused with mikal. Sorry mikal if I got it wrong but I too have noticed quite a few of those “I’ve been drinking” and beer praising posts and I think it could be mikal.
mikal » Jan 15, 2009 at 9:49 am
It is me. Must be football season.
Slumlord » Jan 15, 2009 at 10:08 am
I will try to make it but it won’t be until around 8. Didn’t Kate’s used to be an Irish pub before she bought it? I have seen incredible things in that place….
Thaxter » Jan 15, 2009 at 10:39 am
Sounds great, but I’m going to watch the Inaugural Ball. But if it goes well, hope there will be recurring events! Would be a great way to get some local perspective from likeminded people.
mukoh » Jan 15, 2009 at 11:19 am
patient,
Yeah highly doubt it is me. :)
So that means mark loves mikal not me? :(
Joel » Jan 15, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Make the next one activity based. For instance go do a tour of a condo conversion as a group of real estate investors looking for bargains.
EastSider29 » Jan 15, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Do plan one perhaps in Redmond in the next couple of months – March, April?
redmondjp » Jan 15, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Hey Ardell,
Bring as much as you want, I’ve got a MINIVAN (a complete misnomer, it weighs 4300 lbs empty and seats seven) now that will handle a peck of pom poms and a rack of ruffies, plus several passengers to boot! (btw, what’s a ruffie?)
mukoh » Jan 15, 2009 at 5:15 pm
redmondjp, will be the first one to get the realtor ruffie and will end up with a mutually accepted contract by morning. :)
Lake Hills Renter » Jan 15, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Roofies = Flunitrazepam, aka the date rape drug.
mukoh » Jan 15, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Joel has a good idea. Go out to condo plats for a tour. Mention to the site person that you are from seattle bubble doing group research. :)
Lake Hills Renter » Jan 15, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Is my gravatar image showing up for other poeple? It’s the generic dog one for me, even though I have it set at gravatar.
Ira Sacharoff » Jan 15, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Lake Hills Renter,
What I’m seeing is either Edward Munch’s ” The Scream” or a homeowner who’s just realized that half his equity is gone
Angie » Jan 15, 2009 at 8:25 pm
I see the guy from the scream too, LHR.
I say for the next meetup, a bunch of folks pile into redmondjp’s misnamed minivan on a Sunday afternoon and hit a bunch of Open Houses. Bloody Marys beforehand optional but recommended. Bring a digital camera and a laptop to liveblog it!
Rhonda Porter » Jan 15, 2009 at 8:45 pm
COOL! The Tim, are you tweetin’ this?
softwarengineer » Jan 16, 2009 at 3:35 am
STANDING ROOM ONLY?
Perhaps a RSVP headcount and large reserved table would be a good plan?
I don’t do real good group communications, standing around in a noisy crowded bar?
Some places may even give us a free banquet room and free eats; just ask around….
elig » Jan 16, 2009 at 7:27 am
softwareengineer @ 54: Kate’s unfortunately doesn’t do reservations, and I’m with you on not being the noisy bar type (just left a big loud party with a friend last night to go to a nice quiet pizza joint down the block for the evening instead ;-).
It’s too late to change the date/time/location. But this is just one meetup. If you have ideas and want to make a future one happen, you have at least two guaranteed attendees!
ARDELL » Jan 20, 2009 at 12:39 am
You have to ask “cheapseats comment #20″ what a ruffie is…but apparently it’s something an agent slips into drinks to take out “doom and gloomers”.
I’m Inaugurtion starry eyed…so I think I’ll have to take a rain check for the Eastside meetup. I don’t want to miss anything.
Seattle Bubble Meetup Tuesday, April 21st | Seattle Bubble — News & discussion about real estate & the housing bubble in the Seattle area. » Apr 11, 2009 at 12:09 pm
[...] in January we had our first official Seattle Bubble meetup in the U District. I estimate about 20-30 people showed up, and we had a great time. So, [...]