After my household lost power due to Hurricane Sandy, I vowed that as soon as we recovered from the storm I would stock up on all the supplies I had missed or badly needed (especially a generator). Thankfully, the Wirecutter has a list of gear everyone could use to prepare for the next emergency or even get through this one, perhaps.
The list includes most things on FEMA?s general list and is informed by Wirecutter writers? experience in security management and emergency response. It includes items such as a solar battery chargers, two-way radios, and collapsible water jugs.?
10% of Wirecutter proceeds this month will go to the Red Cross.
In case of emergency (gear for this one or the next) | The Wirecutter
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Developer Jonathan Alpert stands at the site of his Framework housing development near Sloan?s Lake, which celebrated its groundbreaking on Tuesday. The 22-unit development will be ready for occupancy in about a year.
The number of housing permits issued in the Denver area rose by 53.3 percent in the first three quarters of this year, compared with the first nine months of 2011, according to a report released today by the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver.
There were 4,135 permits issued for single-family, detached homes through September, compared with 2,698 during the same period last year, shows the report, which tracks the counties of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Elbert and Jefferson, as well as all the municipalities in the counties.
Permits signal future construction activity.
?I think we are continuing the trend; it has been a good year,? said Jeff Whiton, CEO and executive director of the HBA of Metro Denver. ?We have seen about an 18-month increase, where we have seen an increase of the same month the year before.?
Still, the market is far from normal.
?The absolute numbers remain small, but the percentage increases are big,? Whiton said. ?We were about 75 percent off the height of the market, when we hit bottom.?Since hitting the bottom, we have clawed our way back a very tiny amount when compared to where were at the peak, ?so we have a lot of upward potential if the economic environment is right.?
However, storm clouds out of the control of the local market could setback the fledgling recovery, he said.
?The big story I heard is what is going to happen to the community banking industry if the Basel III agreements are implemented,? Whiton said.
Basel III, international banking rules, would require banks to boost reserves to cushion themselves against losses and require them to hold more capital to back some of their assets, especially residential and commercial real estate.
?Community banks are really supporting and providing competitive financing for a lot of new home construction and land development, particularly for the small-to medium-sized builder,? that can?t access Wall Street lines of credit, Whiton said.
?If Basel III is pushed through regulatory agencies, it could have a real limiting effect on local banking,? Whiton said. ?There is a really big concern that these international guidelines aimed to curb abuses by big, international banks will end up really inhibiting the ability of community banks to make loans. It?s a big question mark.?
The other thing that builders in the Denver area and across the country are grappling with are rising prices.
Since the beginning of the year, the cost of framing lumber has risen 21 percent and the cost of drywall is up 25 percent. Labor costs also are rising and it is more difficult to find skilled workers who sought other employment options during the housing crash.
Builders may have a problem passing on their fixed costs to consumers, Whiton said.
?That is going to depend on incomes,? Whiton said. ?If incomes do not go up, then home buyers aren?t going to keep pace with the rising costs. If the economy gets more and better jobs, than the rising tide will lift all boats. Many people in the construction industry are just waiting to see what happens with the presidential election next week before they make any big hiring and financial decisions. I can tell you, whoever wins, we need more and better paying jobs. I can?t stress that enough.?
Meanwhile, Richmond Homes, owned by Denver-based MDC Holdings Inc., remains the biggest builder in the metro area, having pulled 820 permits in the first nine months of the year, compared with 444 in 2011.
Century Communities is No. 2, pulling 555 permits in the first three quarters of this year,?compared with 275 last year.
Have a story idea or real estate tip? Contact John Rebchook at JRCHOOK@gmail.com. InsideRealEstateNews.com is sponsored by Universal Lending, Land Title Guarantee and 8z Real Estate. To read more articles by John Rebchook, subscribe to the Colorado Real Estate Journal.
With ?Sunday Best,? Boardwalk Empire displays the proverbial calm before the storm in an exceptional episode (and that?s not a hurricane Sandy reference), proving there?s still plenty in these characters that?s not only surprising to them, but for the audience as well.
It?s Easter Sunday, and most everyone is celebrating it in his or her own unique way. In a rather fantastic opening, Eli (Shea Whigham) begins the day by hiding Easter eggs around his yard for those in his brood who are still young enough to be concerned with such things, and the two his brother is bringing along on a long overdue visit to the more modest Thompson house. Eli has been campaigning for more responsibility (and forgiveness) from Nucky (Steve Buscemi) by showing his loyalty during the recent Tabor Heights debacle, so inviting his older brother and his family over for dinner is an attempt to appeal to whatever maybe left of Nucky?s sentimental side.
The two sit on the porch as Eli struggles to find common ground with Nucky, at first attempting to talk shop and then discussing how he promised his wife June (Nisi Sturgis) he wouldn?t drink until later. As it turns out, the lack of alcohol really keeps his head clear. But there?s a lot of insight into the Thompson clan, as Eli recalls how their mother would put out three red eggs (a traditional prize in their family Easter egg hunt), while Nucky recalls how their father would keep all the money usually awarded to those who found said red eggs. Later, June tells Margaret (Kelly Mcdonald) about Eli?s feelings toward his brother, and that Nucky basically has a good heart. All this sharing about feelings prompts Margaret to unload about Nucky?s affair and his criminal dealings ? which June diffuses with her joy over the pineapple upside down cake Margaret brought.
Meanwhile, Richard Harrow (Jack Huston) is taking Tommy Darmody out so that Gillian (Gretchen Mol) can have the day to herself ? tending with personal issues, and what not. The two briefly discuss where Richard is headed and Gillian is adamant that her son not be around any rough language, so, naturally, Richard makes sure to take the young boy to the home of a man recently seen in a drunken bar fight. Of course, Richard?s really interested in seeing Julia Sagorsky (Wrenn Schmidt), and is willing to suffer through a meal with her father, Paul (Mark Borkowski) as a means of doing so.
As Julia explained, her father was crushed by the death of his son, and since then has taken to releasing his rage on anyone close by, or a child who happens upon the shrine to the deceased Sagorsky boy. In that regard, Paul?s hard to get a bead on; one moment, he?s berating everyone at the table, and the next, he?s handling the issue of Tommy?s request to go to the bathroom with a stern, but seemingly kindhearted reminder to ?aim that pistol straight into the bowl.? That kindheartedness evaporates quickly after Paul discovers Tommy playing with his late son?s toys. Richard swoops in and removes Tommy from the situation with a blunt threat to kill the old guy, and then manages to get Julia to come out for a bit with him and Tommy.
Basking in his glory, Richard walks along with Julia as she explains how she?s used to her father and that Richard probably shouldn?t threaten to kill him again. This grants the normally quiet Mr. Harrow an opportunity for a few hilarious lines regarding how her Easter dinner was a disaster, but that he?d had a great time. It?s tough to say whether this is going anywhere, or if the Julia/Richard outing will simply be a one-off adventure, but whatever it is that lets her understand her father is the same thing that allows Julia to speak with Richard on such a human level ? and to do things like set him a plate in a separate room so that he can dine without concern of what the others might see or think. Richard?s grand day out culminates with a photographer assuming the three are a little family unit and taking their picture. It?s a simple photo capturing Richard?s good side that could easily be seen as a husband, his wife and their child ? which couldn?t be further from the truth. Naturally, Richard returns home and pastes the photo into his scrapbook of perfectly imagined families.
While Richard and Tommy are out, Gillian welcomes unfortunate Indiana native and James Darmody look-alike Roger (Billy Magnussen) over for supper, a nice hot bath and ?rather a lot? of heroin. It was inevitable that the young man would fall prey to Gillian, and all of this probably could have been handled off screen ? given everything else that was going on in this episode ? but it at least demonstrates her willingness to do whatever it takes in order to see that her business succeeds. And, in a way, perhaps this serves as a way for her to finally close the book on Jimmy.
Gillian?s not the only one dealing with business, however. Gyp Rosetti, who it turns out is a lot like Adam Sandler?s character in Punch Drunk Love, is spending the day with his mother and his sisters berating him while an associate tells him how the Tabor Heights ordeal has left Gyp without men or money at his disposal. Gyp resigns himself to an angry outburst inside a church, bemoaning his station in life before beating a priest and taking all of the church?s collection money as payment for Joe ?The Boss? Masseria (Ivo Nandi). Turns out, Joe?s fed up with Rosetti; he can?t control him, and he can?t rely on him, so he?s ready to wash his hands of the temperamental Sicilian. That is, until Gyp appeals to Masseria?s dislike of Arnold Rothstein (Michael Stuhlbarg) and promises his boss a war that will have people calling him ?king.?
There?re many appeals in ?Sunday Best,? and one that actually manages to go over. After coming home and attempting to teach his wife how to juggle, Nucky?s appeal to Margaret is met with her telling him ?it?s too late,? both in the hour and their relationship, so he does the next best thing and calls his brother. Nucky tells Eli he appreciates how he handled things in Tabor Heights and promotes him to running the warehouse with Mickey Doyle (Paul Sparks). The question now is: with the war coming, did Nucky just put his brother on the front lines?
-
Boardwalk Empire continues next Sunday with ?The Pony? @9pm on HBO. Check out a preview of the episode below:
Study suggests too much risk associated with SSRI usage and pregnancyPublic release date: 31-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Kelly Lawman klawman@bidmc.harvard.edu 617-667-7305 Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Antidepressants should only be prescribed with great caution
BOSTON Elevated risk of miscarriage, preterm birth, neonatal health complications and possible longer term neurobehavioral abnormalities, including autism, suggest that a class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) should only be prescribed with great caution and with full counseling for women experiencing depression and attempting to get pregnant, say researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Tufts Medical Center and MetroWest Medical Center.
"Depression and infertility are two complicated conditions that more often than not go hand in hand. And there are no definitive guidelines for treatment," says lead author Alice Domar, Ph.D, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Executive Director of the Domar Center for Mind/Body Health at Boston IVF. "We hope to provide a useful analysis of available data to better inform decisions made by women and the providers who care for them."
Domar and colleagues conducted a review of published studies evaluating women with depressive symptoms who took antidepressants while pregnant. The results appear online October 31 in the journal Human Reproduction.
"There are three main points that stand out from our review of the scientific studies on this topic," says senior author Adam Urato, MD, Chairman of Obstetrics and Gynecology at MetroWest Medical Center and a Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist at Tufts Medical Center. "First, there is clear and concerning evidence of risk with the use of the SSRI antidepressants by pregnant women, evidence that these drugs lead to worsened pregnancy outcomes. Second, there is no evidence of benefit, no evidence that these drugs lead to better outcomes for moms and babies. And third, we feel strongly that patients, obstetrical providers, and the public need to be fully aware of this information."
Over the last 20 years antidepressant usage has increased 400 percent. Antidepressants are now the most commonly prescribed medication in the United States for people between 18 and 44 years of age, the childbearing years for most women. And as women enter their late 30s and early 40s they are more likely to experience infertility.
"According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 1 percent of the babies born in the USA each year are the result of an IVF cycle," write the authors. "And most women will report symptoms of depression during infertility treatment, especially following unsuccessful treatment cycles."
As many as 11 percent of women undergoing fertility treatment report taking an SSRI to combat depressive symptoms, but Domar and colleagues found no evidence of improved pregnancy outcomes with antidepressant usage, and in fact, found the opposite. They also found plenty of controversy around SSRI efficacy. Many studies found SSRIs to be no more effective or only slightly more effective than placebos in treating depression. "More broadly, there is little evidence of benefit from the antidepressants prescribed for the majority of women of childbearing ageand there is ample evidence of risk," the authors write.
For starters, there is mounting evidence that SSRIs may decrease pregnancy rates for women undergoing fertility treatment. Additionally, studies consistently show that women using antidepressants experience increased rates of miscarriage. There is also a strong signal of congenital abnormalities, the most noted of which is the association between the use of the antidepressant, Paxil, and cardiac defects. In 2005, this association prompted the FDA to ask Paxil's manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline to change Paxil's risk factor from a C to a D, where a D rating indicates a demonstrated risk to the fetus.
"Preterm birth is, perhaps, the most pressing obstetrical complication," write the authors. In more than 30 studies, the evidence overwhelmingly points to increased risk for early delivery in women who are taking antidepressants. "This is a significant finding because we know that babies born before 37 weeks are at risk for many short and long-term health problems," says Urato. "Caring for premature babies adds up to billions of dollars in healthcare expenditures."
Available data also suggests that antidepressant usage, especially if it extends beyond the first trimester, leads to an increased risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia. "Given the importance of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in terms of maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality, and the widespread use of antidepressants during pregnancy, further investigation into this area will be essential," write the authors.
Similarly, long-term exposure to SSRIs appears to correspond to an increased incidence of birth weight falling below the 10th percentile, coupled with increased rates of respiratory distress.
The health complications associated with antidepressant usage can be carried into infancy and beyond. A 2006 study showed that infants exposed to antidepressants in utero had a 30 percent risk of Newborn Behavioral Syndrome, most commonly associated with persistent crying, jitteriness and difficulty feeding. In more rare instances the syndrome can produce seizures and breathing difficulties leading to the need for intubation. Studies have also shown delayed motor development in babies and toddlers. And a Kaiser Permanente study showed a "two-fold increased risk of autism spectrum disorders associated with maternal treatment with SSRI antidepressants during the pregnancy, with the strongest effect associated with treatment during the first trimester."
"There is enough evidence to strongly recommend that great caution be exercised before prescribing SSRI antidepressants to women who are pregnant or who are attempting to get pregnant, whether or not they are undergoing infertility treatment," says Domar. "We want to stress that depressive symptoms should be taken seriously and should not go untreated prior to or during pregnancy, but there are other options out there that may be as effective, or more effective than SSRIs without all the attendant risks."
Domar and team looked at studies assessing different treatment modalities for depression in the general population, including psychotherapy, exercise, relaxation training, yoga, acupuncture and nutritional supplements. While many of these options were shown to provide some benefit, psychotherapy, specifically cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) showed the most promise. "There is overwhelming evidence that CBT is equivalent to antidepressant medication in the treatment of mild to moderate depression and more recent research indicates that it is effective in the treatment of severe depression as well," write the authors.
A 2008 study showed impressive results for CBT in depressed women undergoing infertility treatments. The results showed that 79 percent of women who received CBT reported a significant decrease in symptoms, compared with 50 percent of women in the medication group.
"These alternative treatment options may not be appropriate for everyone, still we think it's important for women on an antidepressant who are considering becoming pregnant to have a conversation with their physician about the risks and benefits of continuing to take their medication," says Domar. "Because at this point in time, with no data to indicate an advantage to taking an SSRI during pregnancy, the research all points to increased risk."
###
In addition to Domar and Urato, other co-authors include: Vasiliki A. Moragianni, MD, MS and David A. Ryley, MD of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Boston IVF.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a patient care, teaching and research affiliate of Harvard Medical School, and currently ranks third in National Institutes of Health funding among independent hospitals nationwide. BIDMC is clinically affiliated with the Joslin Diabetes Center and is a research partner of Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center. BIDMC is the official hospital of the Boston Red Sox. For more information, visit www.bidmc.org.
MetroWest Medical Center is a full-service community teaching hospital system dedicated to meeting the health care needs of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts by providing advanced care with a community touch. The 269-bed health care system the largest between Worcester and Boston includes Framingham Union Hospital, Leonard Morse Hospital in Natick, MetroWest HomeCare and Hospice, and The MetroWest Wellness Center, an outpatient diagnostic imaging and rehabilitation center.
Tufts Medical Center is an exceptional, not-for-profit, 415-bed academic medical center that is home to both a full-service hospital for adults and Floating Hospital for Children. Conveniently located in downtown Boston, the Medical Center is the principal teaching hospital for Tufts University School of Medicine. Floating Hospital for Children is the full-service children's hospital of Tufts Medical Center and the principal pediatric teaching hospital of Tufts University School of Medicine. Tufts Medical Center is affiliated with seven community hospitals and with New England Quality Care Alliance, its community physicians' network. For more information, please visit www.tuftsmedicalcenter.org.
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Study suggests too much risk associated with SSRI usage and pregnancyPublic release date: 31-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Kelly Lawman klawman@bidmc.harvard.edu 617-667-7305 Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Antidepressants should only be prescribed with great caution
BOSTON Elevated risk of miscarriage, preterm birth, neonatal health complications and possible longer term neurobehavioral abnormalities, including autism, suggest that a class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) should only be prescribed with great caution and with full counseling for women experiencing depression and attempting to get pregnant, say researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Tufts Medical Center and MetroWest Medical Center.
"Depression and infertility are two complicated conditions that more often than not go hand in hand. And there are no definitive guidelines for treatment," says lead author Alice Domar, Ph.D, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Executive Director of the Domar Center for Mind/Body Health at Boston IVF. "We hope to provide a useful analysis of available data to better inform decisions made by women and the providers who care for them."
Domar and colleagues conducted a review of published studies evaluating women with depressive symptoms who took antidepressants while pregnant. The results appear online October 31 in the journal Human Reproduction.
"There are three main points that stand out from our review of the scientific studies on this topic," says senior author Adam Urato, MD, Chairman of Obstetrics and Gynecology at MetroWest Medical Center and a Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist at Tufts Medical Center. "First, there is clear and concerning evidence of risk with the use of the SSRI antidepressants by pregnant women, evidence that these drugs lead to worsened pregnancy outcomes. Second, there is no evidence of benefit, no evidence that these drugs lead to better outcomes for moms and babies. And third, we feel strongly that patients, obstetrical providers, and the public need to be fully aware of this information."
Over the last 20 years antidepressant usage has increased 400 percent. Antidepressants are now the most commonly prescribed medication in the United States for people between 18 and 44 years of age, the childbearing years for most women. And as women enter their late 30s and early 40s they are more likely to experience infertility.
"According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 1 percent of the babies born in the USA each year are the result of an IVF cycle," write the authors. "And most women will report symptoms of depression during infertility treatment, especially following unsuccessful treatment cycles."
As many as 11 percent of women undergoing fertility treatment report taking an SSRI to combat depressive symptoms, but Domar and colleagues found no evidence of improved pregnancy outcomes with antidepressant usage, and in fact, found the opposite. They also found plenty of controversy around SSRI efficacy. Many studies found SSRIs to be no more effective or only slightly more effective than placebos in treating depression. "More broadly, there is little evidence of benefit from the antidepressants prescribed for the majority of women of childbearing ageand there is ample evidence of risk," the authors write.
For starters, there is mounting evidence that SSRIs may decrease pregnancy rates for women undergoing fertility treatment. Additionally, studies consistently show that women using antidepressants experience increased rates of miscarriage. There is also a strong signal of congenital abnormalities, the most noted of which is the association between the use of the antidepressant, Paxil, and cardiac defects. In 2005, this association prompted the FDA to ask Paxil's manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline to change Paxil's risk factor from a C to a D, where a D rating indicates a demonstrated risk to the fetus.
"Preterm birth is, perhaps, the most pressing obstetrical complication," write the authors. In more than 30 studies, the evidence overwhelmingly points to increased risk for early delivery in women who are taking antidepressants. "This is a significant finding because we know that babies born before 37 weeks are at risk for many short and long-term health problems," says Urato. "Caring for premature babies adds up to billions of dollars in healthcare expenditures."
Available data also suggests that antidepressant usage, especially if it extends beyond the first trimester, leads to an increased risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia. "Given the importance of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in terms of maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality, and the widespread use of antidepressants during pregnancy, further investigation into this area will be essential," write the authors.
Similarly, long-term exposure to SSRIs appears to correspond to an increased incidence of birth weight falling below the 10th percentile, coupled with increased rates of respiratory distress.
The health complications associated with antidepressant usage can be carried into infancy and beyond. A 2006 study showed that infants exposed to antidepressants in utero had a 30 percent risk of Newborn Behavioral Syndrome, most commonly associated with persistent crying, jitteriness and difficulty feeding. In more rare instances the syndrome can produce seizures and breathing difficulties leading to the need for intubation. Studies have also shown delayed motor development in babies and toddlers. And a Kaiser Permanente study showed a "two-fold increased risk of autism spectrum disorders associated with maternal treatment with SSRI antidepressants during the pregnancy, with the strongest effect associated with treatment during the first trimester."
"There is enough evidence to strongly recommend that great caution be exercised before prescribing SSRI antidepressants to women who are pregnant or who are attempting to get pregnant, whether or not they are undergoing infertility treatment," says Domar. "We want to stress that depressive symptoms should be taken seriously and should not go untreated prior to or during pregnancy, but there are other options out there that may be as effective, or more effective than SSRIs without all the attendant risks."
Domar and team looked at studies assessing different treatment modalities for depression in the general population, including psychotherapy, exercise, relaxation training, yoga, acupuncture and nutritional supplements. While many of these options were shown to provide some benefit, psychotherapy, specifically cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) showed the most promise. "There is overwhelming evidence that CBT is equivalent to antidepressant medication in the treatment of mild to moderate depression and more recent research indicates that it is effective in the treatment of severe depression as well," write the authors.
A 2008 study showed impressive results for CBT in depressed women undergoing infertility treatments. The results showed that 79 percent of women who received CBT reported a significant decrease in symptoms, compared with 50 percent of women in the medication group.
"These alternative treatment options may not be appropriate for everyone, still we think it's important for women on an antidepressant who are considering becoming pregnant to have a conversation with their physician about the risks and benefits of continuing to take their medication," says Domar. "Because at this point in time, with no data to indicate an advantage to taking an SSRI during pregnancy, the research all points to increased risk."
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In addition to Domar and Urato, other co-authors include: Vasiliki A. Moragianni, MD, MS and David A. Ryley, MD of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Boston IVF.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a patient care, teaching and research affiliate of Harvard Medical School, and currently ranks third in National Institutes of Health funding among independent hospitals nationwide. BIDMC is clinically affiliated with the Joslin Diabetes Center and is a research partner of Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center. BIDMC is the official hospital of the Boston Red Sox. For more information, visit www.bidmc.org.
MetroWest Medical Center is a full-service community teaching hospital system dedicated to meeting the health care needs of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts by providing advanced care with a community touch. The 269-bed health care system the largest between Worcester and Boston includes Framingham Union Hospital, Leonard Morse Hospital in Natick, MetroWest HomeCare and Hospice, and The MetroWest Wellness Center, an outpatient diagnostic imaging and rehabilitation center.
Tufts Medical Center is an exceptional, not-for-profit, 415-bed academic medical center that is home to both a full-service hospital for adults and Floating Hospital for Children. Conveniently located in downtown Boston, the Medical Center is the principal teaching hospital for Tufts University School of Medicine. Floating Hospital for Children is the full-service children's hospital of Tufts Medical Center and the principal pediatric teaching hospital of Tufts University School of Medicine. Tufts Medical Center is affiliated with seven community hospitals and with New England Quality Care Alliance, its community physicians' network. For more information, please visit www.tuftsmedicalcenter.org.
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Joaquin Rodriguez Torres, Managing Director, Head of Technology, Media and Telecom Investment Banking, Asia, Deutsche Bank shares his perspectives on the present and future of e-commerce, online advertising and the mobile space
Q: What are the opportunities for internet companies in India? A: The landscape for e-commerce is still unfolding and is only at a very early stage of development. India has leapfrogged the rest of the world in many ways and is in the running towards forming a large internet economy like China and the US.
Joaquin Rodriguez Torres, Managing Director, Head of Technology, Media and Telecom Investment Banking, Asia, Deutsche Bank
In some sectors like online travel, India has developed more quickly than China and going forward, e-commerce and online advertising are the two major verticals to watch out for. Currently, e-commerce as a percentage of total retail sales remains significantly under-penetrated, just as online advertising is a percentage of total advertising spend. The opportunity and challenge lies in this space.
Q: How are the Indian and Chinese e-commerce markets similar? A: The fundamentals of India are very similar to China. The offline, brick-and-mortar retail infrastructure is satisfactory in the more developed cities. However, in the inner cities where transportation is more of a challenge, resources are scarce, and retail space is more basic. Internet is capable of addressing some of these challenges.
The other opportunity that the internet provides is the ability to reach a large number of consumers through advertising. The audience is shifting from traditional media such as print and TV to the Internet and mobile devices. Advertisers are looking for targeted reach. The internet allows advertisers to reach more people in an economical and targeted way. The penetration of online advertising in India is currently minimal compared to the US but it will grow over time as more consumers get access to internet. We expect the online advertising market to grow quickly.
Q: Is there any other space which you are excited about in India? A: The other space I?m very excited about in India is the mobile space. The country has the largest mobile user base in the world and the usage of mobile phones in many ways is more sophisticated in India than in other countries in the world. Despite the market having some challenges, including low connection speed and low smartphone penetration, innovative opportunities have emerged in the country in the form of value-added services. I am very bullish on the mobile space in India. The country will look back 20 years from now and realize that the trend was obvious.
Q: Currently in India, close to 94 percent of e-commerce transaction value is travel-related. With the economy not doing too well, is the over-reliance on the sector a good thing or a bad thing? A: Online travel as a percentage of non B2B e-commerce makes for a significant part of the e-commerce market in India. On the positive side, it shows that travel has done extremely well compared to other segments of India?s e-commerce. It also highlights the fact that the rest of the Indian e-commerce market is significantly underdeveloped. This is where we see the need and opportunity for significant growth.
Online travel penetration relative to total travel spending is 32 percent, similar to what we see in the US, but a lot larger than China, which is at about eight percent. Online travel has developed faster than other sub-sectors in the country largely because the experience of buying tickets offline in India is comparatively more complicated and cumbersome than in other countries. The rest of e-commerce is still underpenetrated but is growing fast.
Q: What are the problems in the e-commerce space? A: The two key challenges are payments and logistics. Similar to China, Cash-on-Delivery still seems to be the preferred payment method in India and that presents some logistical challenges, including high returns. In China, we saw payment models emerge such as Alipay, a subsidiary of Alibaba, which is an escrow system to hold the payment until each transaction is finalized and confirmed by both the buyer and the seller. The other challenge in e-commerce is logistics. We have already seen Chinese e-commerce companies spend a lot on building their own logistics infrastructure and now we witness independent logistics companies as a new addition to the e-commerce ecosystem. This has started to happen in India too.
Q: The US has a market cap of about $500 billion, while in India it is at approximately $3 billion. Though it is still early days for Indian internet, can this huge disparity be bridged? A: The big disparity exists mainly because the Internet market in India is still at an early stage. In time we will see the creation of big businesses through e-commerce?selling products and services online, and advertising. The talent is tremendous and the opportunity is not only for Indian internet companies to cater to the domestic market but also global consumers.
China?s internet space is a somewhat protected environment for local players and the competition is low from global internet giants. That is not the case with India. India?s internet space reflects the fact that the Internet world is without borders. Indian companies face tough competition from global players. Surviving brutal competition means that as and when you win in India, you are ready to compete anywhere else in the world. This will be particularly true in the mobile space.
Q: The recent Facebook IPO produced lackluster results. Where do you see markets panning out? A: There is a lot of liquidity out there and investors need to put money to work. Through this crisis, the risk factor for technology investments in Asia has increased and investors have allocated more capital to cash. They have preferred to park cash aside because if they do not know which way the markets are going to go, it is very difficult to make directional investment decisions, whether long or short. As the macro picture becomes clearer, the capital will get back to investments.
As interest rates continue to remain low, equity investments will be more attractive. Equity returns are driven by growth, and growth is still higher in the emerging markets at the moment. I think the fundamental thesis of technology equity in countries like India and China remains solid. We need to get past macro concerns. In the longer term, there is a lot of shareholder value to be created in the sector.
A website could make or break your business. How you design and maintain your website can easily determine the success of your online business to a great extent. There are so many elements inside a website, which when transformed, can completely change the visibility of your site. When you launch your personal website, you must make sure it ranks around the first page associated with popular search engines. Effectively, let us face it; for many people, if it is not on the very first page, it does not can be found. So, you need to have a few tricks up your sleeve to improve your website traffic.
Spend utmost attention to webdesign. You should have the money required to purchase a new website design. If you don?t have sufficient fund attempt working with free web design programs. Having a little bit of knowledge about HTML is important if you are designing your own website. This too gives you the power over the content of your internet site. Do not compromise for the customer privacy whilst designing a website. Your clients must be assured that the site they are going to is 100% safe. Talk with your web hosting company regarding the security features it provides. If all of these seem like an excessive amount work, turn to an experienced web design company. You will be provided with plenty of webpage design options one which just choose the style and also layout of your internet site. But, picking the right designer or company is important. The company should have some experience in the field. Setting up a site is not a very easy job; especially if it is a large company. Simply put, the web design firm you choose should be done keeping in mind the type of website you want. Candidate some of the best professional web site design firms. You need to pay a lot of attention to your reputation a certain company holds. Consumer studies will be available online. You will see client comments and also details about the services supplied. On the website of the design firm you will get details on their past jobs and other associated information. This will help you make a decision about which company to hire to design your website. Once you brief your webdesign specifications to the designer, be sure you have certain things planned. The product and the industry you are targeting should be considered. The website should appeal to the prospective audience. Clients need to find it extremely an easy task to navigate your website. The consumer should not be confused about wherever or how to get your products or services. They should easily be in a position to reach the page with their choice. Add prior client testimonials on the website. And do not neglect to add a ?contact us? site. That adds credibility on your business and divides your website from hundreds of hoax websites. When your website is designed, make sure you make the most out of it. Final but not the least; be sure you deliver what you promise.
For more information about webdesigner visit our website.
All Critics (204) | Top Critics (43) | Fresh (195) | Rotten (9)
'Argo' is one of the best movies of the year.
Argo has that solid, kick-the-tires feel of those studio films from the 70s that were about something but also entertained. Only it's as laugh outright amusing as it is sobering.
The movieland satire is laid on thick, but it's also deadly accurate. Schlock has never seemed so patriotic, and Arkin and Goodman have rarely been so good.
Argo is a rollicking yarn, easily the most cohesive and technically accomplished of Affleck's three films so far, but a part of me wishes the director hadn't cast himself in the lead role.
If nothing else, it proves that every so often, the CIA can pull something off - and that yes, Canadians are just about the nicest people on the planet.
The film is a whopper of a tale, one designed for Oscar nominations, Best Picture and Best Director among them.
Argo will make you say "wow" not because of anything big and flashy but purely for its well-told story.
It's a reminder of what the movies can offer when they're at their best: an escape into another world and a pertinent look at our own.
As a director, Ben Affleck is getting into Alan Pakula territory.
Even when it embellishes certain details leading up to its climax, Affleck and his actors by that time have sold the audience on its authenticity. How appropriate.
I found it hard for me to get into at first, but the final act more than makes up for it. Ben Affleck sure has come a long way since his days with Kevin Smith.
It's exciting, it's funny, it's suspenseful. The ending is nail-biting.
This is a classy heist movie with a bizarre set-up; it's entertaining as well as thrilling.
A tense political thriller with a dash of Hollywood satire thrown in to sweeten the deal, this is a gripping crowd pleaser that is sure to take home some statuettes come Oscar season. Your move, Matt Damon.
The real Argo that's landing in cinemas now shouldn't be mistaken as anything other than a spellbinding, old-fashioned thriller. I've got sweaty palms and an elevated pulse to prove that it's one of the year's very best films.
A suspenseful, topical and surprisingly humorous film that's deserving of the Oscar buzz surrounding it.
The only real criticism, surprisingly, is Affleck. Perhaps the time has come to think about spending more time behind the camera rather than in front of it.
...incredibly entertaining, lucid crowd pleaser. I'm [annoyed] that people may hear the synopsis and go 'Oh, that's not my thing', because Argo is everyone's thing: it's one of the year's best films.
Its politics are subtle, its performances are good, and its script is amazing.
There's "creating an intense, claustrophobic situation in a foreign locale" and there's "inciting unquestioning fear of 'the other'," and Argo pulls off the former far more often than it accidentally achieves the latter.
An ingeniously conceived thriller that's almost as much about our collective love of cinema as it is a tricky international incident.
Suspenseful movie based on a true incident; Ben Affleck's stock rises as an actor and director.
It not only confirms Affleck as one of the few A-listers to have made a credible transition to behind the camera, but that he's one of the most exciting mainstream directors around, full stop.
Affleck's seamless melding of intense thrills in Tehran and biting humour in California makes for a wholly satisfying movie.
The use of dramatic licence in the finale is too obvious but aside, Argo is a solid dramatic thriller that is informative, entertaining and gripping.
The film has heart and brains as well as balls, the screenplay delivering a clear and strong story without sacrificing either political or personal context
NBC's Lester Holt reports from Norfolk, Va., where nearly 60 million people are on severe storm watch as Hurricane Sandy threatens more than 800 miles of the Eastern Seaboard from Maine to South Carolina.
By NBC News staff and wire services
Updated at 4:30 p.m. ET -- Hurricane Sandy strengthened Monday as it bore down on the East Coast, shutting down public transportation and leading to the first weather-related closure of U.S. stock market in 27 years.
Watch now: Multiple live video streams of Sandy coverage
Forecasters say the massive storm has the potential to be one of the most damaging ever to hit the United States. Here is a look at the figures that make up the storm. We'll be updating these numbers throughout the day.
Number of people affected: Expected to affect between 50 million and 60 million;
Tides are forecasted to be more than 11 feet in New York City, higher than the city has ever seen. As a result, Wall Street could be closed for several more days. NBC's Harry Smith reports.
Number of deaths blamed on Sandy: 65 in the Caribbean.
Size of storm: Nearly 1,000 miles wide;
States impacted: Nine states, Washington, D.C., and a coastal county in North Carolina have declared states of emergency;
Ground speed of storm: 28 miles per hour as of 2 p.m. ET Monday;
Speed of winds: 90 mph. Tropical storm-force winds extended 485?miles from the center;
Number of flights canceled: More than 10,000 flights were canceled through Tuesday, according to FlightAware.com, and that number is expected to grow into Wednesday;
Number of people told to evacuate: 375,000 in NYC; 50,000 in Delaware; 30,000 in Atlantic City, N.J.;
TODAY's Al Roker reports from Point Pleasant, N.J., where water is starting to come over the dunes as Hurricane Sandy strengthens. Due to the full moon, high tides are expected to add to the storm surge, which could rise to 11 feet.
Number of customers without power: As of 2:59 p.m. ET, more than a half-million customers were without power in Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and several other states.
Get the latest news on Hurricane Sandy on NBCNews.com
Heaviest rainfall: Up to 12 inches in isolated regions of Mid-Atlantic states;
Inches of snow: Up to 12 inches in some areas expected. In addition, up to three feet of snow expected in the Appalachian Mountains from West Virginia to Kentucky;
Size of storm surge: 4 to 11 feet across much of the affected area;
BreakingNews.com's coverage of Sandy
Number of NYC students affected by Monday and Tuesday's school closure: 1.1 million;
Number of public transport riders without service Monday in NYC, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and New Jersey: More than 10 million;
Gerry Broome / AP
After strong winds and heavy rain washed out bridges and damaged homes in multiple countries, the hurricane looks toward the northeastern U.S.
Miles of subway track closed in New York City alone: Nearly 660;
FEMA?s estimate for potential wind damage alone: $2.5 to $3 billion;
Residential properties at risk of damage: Nearly 284,000, valued at $88 billion;
Number of Atlantic City casinos shut down: 12.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
An online poll taken by millions of American students that has picked four presidential elections correctly says Barack Obama will defeat Mitt Romney on Election Day.
obamaromneyOneVote project is maintained by Channel One, the education media service, and its polls in 1992, 2000, 2004, and 2008 correctly picked each election?s winner.
We don?t have the state-by-state details, but Channel One tells us that President Obama won the matchup with Romney by a 50 percent to 44 percent margin.
Middle- and high-school students across the country filled out ballots last week, which were inspected in the classroom by their teachers.
The final results are listed at onevote.channelone.com.
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The OneVote project mimics other institutions in the mainstream voting world. Teams of students work on videos throughout the fall, which classes watch as students prepare to research issues.
The candidates have student ?surrogates? who write about their parties, and there will be a post-election spin room where the results are argued about and analyzed.
The results from past elections, though, varied greatly from this year?s election.
For example, in 2000, Bush won the student election with 58.9 percent of the 877,497 middle- and high-school students who voted. The biggest issue to students then was crime and violence.
In 2004, Bush won again with 55 percent out of 1.4 million student votes. He even won Pennsylvania and had a near sweep of the swing states.
In 2008, Obama won with 58.5 percent of the student vote, according to OneVote?s press release. The economy was the biggest issue, followed by the war in Iraq.
Currently, the economy is the biggest issue on students? minds, based on survey data from OneVote.
An elusive thick-furred feline has been caught on camera for the first time in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan.
A camera trap captured images of the fluffy Pallas's cat, also known as the manul, in the country's sprawling Wangchuck Centennial Park (WCP), which is also home to the snow leopard and Himalayan black bear. Pallas's cats had never been documented in the region before, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
"This is an exciting and remarkable discovery that proves that the Pallas's cat exists in the Eastern Himalayas," Rinjan Shrestha, a conservation scientist with WWF, said in a statement. "This probably indicates a relatively undisturbed habitat, which gives us hope, not only for the Pallas's cat, but also the snow leopard, Tibetan wolf and other threatened species that inhabit the region."
The cat is a primitive species that has evolved little in the past 5 million years. It's about the size of a house cat and slightly resembles a Persian cat with its flat face, high-set eyes and thick coat, which keeps it warm at high altitudes. The Pallas's cat's distinct gray fur with dark spots on its head also helps it blend in with mountainous habitats across Central Asia.
Bhutan's park service and a WWF team surveying snow leopards in the region set up the camera traps, which first snapped a photo of a manul in January, then in February and April. In one shot, the cat appears to be sneaking right up to camera in for a close-up, staring right into the lens from the bottom-right corner of the frame.
The Pallas's cats are vanishing from some parts of Central Asia, including the Caspian Sea region and Pakistan's Baluchistan province, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed it as a near threatened species.
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Poachers target Pallas's cats for their fur, as well as their fat and organs, which are used in traditional medicines in Mongolia and China, according to conservationists.
Bhutan might be a good place for the cats to take shelter.
More than 60 percent of the country is under forest cover, and a quarter of its territory has been designated as national parks or protected areas, with its rugged mountains and valleys considered hotspots for biodiversity.
Follow LiveScience on Twitter @livescience. We're also on Facebook? and Google+.
AUGUSTA, Maine ? The Affordable Care Act set a Nov. 16 deadline for states to declare whether they intend to establish their own health insurance exchange. It?s a key provision of the act, one that is intended to provide affordable insurance to uninsured individuals and small-business employees starting Jan. 1, 2014.
While Maine has not formally announced its intention, it is so far behind in preparing its own exchange that the federal model will likely be adopted by default.
When asked for confirmation that Gov. Paul LePage won?t be pursuing a state-run exchange, his press secretary, Adrienne Bennett, told Mainebiz she had nothing to report on the subject and that the state ?is currently assessing options.?
But Mitchell Stein, policy director for the Augusta-based Consumers for Affordable Health Care, says even if LePage declares in the next month that Maine intends to create a state-run exchange, that?s only one step in the process.
The federal government has a 27-page checklist of steps that must be followed in order for a state to be certified as being on track to meet the ACA?s October 2013 enrollment period and the Jan. 1, 2014, opening of the exchange. And on that front, Stein says, Maine will have a tough job convincing the federal government it will be ready to open its own exchange a little more than a year from now ? given that LePage, in an April 18 letter, informed the federal Department of Health and Human Services he was turning back a $5.8 million grant that was to help pay for many of the federal government?s set-up requirements.
?There?s a tremendous amount of work to be done,? Stein says, citing as one example the required integration of the exchange?s eligibility systems with existing Medicaid eligibility systems to ensure a low-income enrollee who?s eligible for Medicaid gets referred to that program instead.
Other requirements include:
? Making sure the exchange has a seamless enrollment system that?s able to handle in-person, phone or online applications with equity.
? Having the ability to interface with the Internal Revenue Service to ensure that applicants meet the ACA?s income guidelines for enrolling in a health insurance exchange.
? Providing ?apples-to-apples? comparisons between different insurance policies available through the exchange so that consumers can make informed choices.
Stein acknowledges meeting all the requirements of setting up a state-run health insurance exchange involves costs that in a tough economy might be regarded as unaffordable. ?Much of it would have been paid by federal grants? included in the ACA?s enabling legislation, he says.
Getting ready, or not
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, 125,600 Mainers are uninsured, or roughly 10 percent of the population.
Exchanges are expected to provide competitive marketplaces in which the uninsured can directly compare and purchase private health insurance options that meet their needs. The idea is that, pooled together, their numbers will be large enough to gain coverage that individually would be too expensive to buy. For certain low- and moderate-income uninsured people, the federal government will provide subsidies to make such coverage more affordable, or in some cases, they could be referred to Medicaid for coverage.
In a Sept. 27 status report, the Kaiser Family Foundation identifies Maine as one of eight states already serving notice to the federal government that they won?t be pursuing a state-based health insurance exchange ? the others being Alaska, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, Texas, South Dakota and New Hampshire. Kaiser says that number could grow, since 16 states are still studying their options and eight others have not shown any significant activity moving in the direction of creating a state-run exchange.
As CAHC?s policy director, Stein says he attended hearings in the last legislative session on two competing bills to create a state-run exchange. In their initial versions, he says, both LD 1498, favored by Democrats, and the Republicans? LD 1497, agreed on having Maine establish and operate its own exchange. In the end, a watered-down version of LD 1497 was adopted, stating that only licensed insurance brokers can enroll people in health plans through an exchange.
Even if Maine opts out and the state ends up with a federally run exchange on Jan. 1, 2014, Stein says the state will have yearly opportunities to apply for approval of a state-run exchange down the road. Likewise, he says, the next Legislature could very well resurrect elements of the two failed bills calling for a state-run exchange.
Stein says the obvious downside of having the federal government run Maine?s exchange is that it removes local control and flexibility over how the program is set up and run. A potential plus, he says, is that it would likely fall somewhere in the middle of what he characterizes as the ?passive? pro-insurance industry focus of the initial version of the GOP?s LD 1497 and the ?active? pro-consumer emphasis of the Democrats? LD 1498.
?There are a lot of moving pieces here and some of the moving pieces haven?t been determined yet,? he says.
We already know veggies are good for us. First, vegetables are packed with fiber, which helps us stay regular and shuttle cholesterol out of our system. Secondly, veggies offer an array of essential vitamins and minerals; sweet potatoes have potassium, necessary for electrolyte balance while beets are rich in antioxidants, hence their purple color. Thirdly, eating vegetables is associated with decreased risk for chronic diseases. For example, increased intake of cruciferous veggies, like brussel sprouts and cauliflower, may be inversely related to the risk for lung cancer (Lam, et al 2009).
Okay, so what about frozen veggies- are they better than fresh? Ask Michael Pollan, author of the popular Omnivore?s Dilemma, and he?ll tell you that: ?Frozen vegetables and fruits are a terrific and economical option when fresh is unavailable or too expensive. The nutritional quality is just as good ? and sometimes even better, because the produce is often picked and frozen at its peak of quality.? (Pollan, 2011)
Eating veggies in college is hard. Those of us who live on campus only have a microwave or access to campus eateries. Sometimes, we don?t have options we enjoy, or we get tired of the offerings on campus. That is why learning to cook veggies in the microwave is a great idea. If you get one trip to the grocery store each month, you can stock up on some frozen veggies. Steam, and then enjoy with hummus or white bean dip for a snack. And, if you have a kitchen in an off-campus apartment, you still may not have the time to steam veggies on the stove or have adequate pots and pans. By using the microwave method for steaming, you can save time, money, and lock in the nutrients available from the veggies!
Spice up your vegetables with these easy tips:
Add cinnamon, cloves and ginger to vegetables. While these spices are? typically reserved for sweet foods, these spices can enhance the flavor of carrots, squash and sweet potatoes.
Spice up steamed broccoli with lemon, olive? oil and a pinch of salt. If you prefer eating broccoli raw, add paprika, yogurt,? garlic and chives to enhance its flavor.
Add a little olive oil, garlic powder and lemon to asparagus, peas or spinach to add some flavor.
Looking for some real spice? Try adding hot sauce or cayenne pepper to the mix!
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By: Kate Sweeney
Editor: Toby Beckelman
Sources:
Lam, T.K., Gallachio, L., Lindsley, K., Sheils, M., Hammond, E., Tao, X., Chen, L., Robinson, K., Caulfield, L., Herman, J., Guallar, E., and Alberg, A. 2009. Cruciferous Vegetable Consumption and Lung Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review. 2009. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 18; 184
Pollan, Michael. Oct 2, 2011. The Food and Drink Issue: Mysteries Solved, Riddles Explained and Readers? Questions Answered. New York Times. New York, NY.
Market Trends and Why Republican Realtors & Mortgage Professionals Are Screaming ? ?Yes We Can,? This Election.
Keeping Rates Low & Why Buying a Home Is Still Better than Renting in Today?s Market
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Housing Analysis
Conflicted Loyalties
We all know we generally live in a state of contradiction.? We want to be environmentally conscious while we drive our SUVs; we want to conserve electricity, but we leave our AC units on throughout the day; we want to conserve water, but we water our lawns ? we live in a constant state where there are certain beliefs and principles we either embrace fully or do so with certain limits, understanding that there will be times when we simply cannot comply with our principles. Politics is the worst or best (depending upon your perspective) illustration of this behavior.
We wince at terms such as ?redistribution? of wealth; however, we expect our roads to be in good condition, our schools to be the best in the world, and public services such as police, fire, medical services to be responsive, and have the latest technology and best talent available.? We are a conflicted populous struggling to reconcile the role of elected governance with the role of personal freedoms, especially financial freedoms. ?The Republican response to 9-11 was the largest expansion of the Federal government in a generation in order to elevate our nation?s readiness in light of the war on terror.? The Democratic Party?s response to the collapse of the housing market was yet another expansion of the federal government in the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the passing and application of the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010.? The former controlled the personal security of Americans, and the latter is intended to protect the financial security of Americans.
Bankers are generally resistant to government regulation, yet applaud when the Federal Reserve keeps rates low.? Real estate agents want to have their financial potential and practices largely unscathed (therefore resisting government regulation in the transaction of purchasing or selling homes), but they applaud government intervention if it keeps units moving, homes selling and consumers buying.? When will we realize that we can?t have it both ways?? If the government can intervene in favor of a specific industry (banking), the government can equally intervene against it (ask mortgage lenders).
Depending upon your political persuasion, there are very different views in this election regarding how to grow the U.S. economy.? It is equally understood that President Obama?s approach favors a ?public? society that expands local, state and federal government offices and ?public? companies whose commitments aren?t to consumers who have invested in them, but to companies who are represented by unions and have ?public? contracts.? In this view, the public entity is to be the lead catalyst in the recovery.? While many real estate and banking professionals may balk at this approach to our economic recovery, they are silently relying upon the Federal government?s support of the housing markets and hoping for a second term for President Obama.
It is commonly asserted that it is more likely for interest rate deductions to be modified and least likely the Federal Reserve would intervene under a Republican administration.? And in this case, what may be good for our economic recovery just may be challenging to the housing industry.?? But will the Federal Reserve?s policies really change with the change of administrations?? Who really knows?? President Obama didn?t close Guantanamo; Bernanke worked for President Bush and his policies have been advanced under the current administration; and President Obama has been more of a hawk than his predecessor in his use of drones while pursuing our security interests behind the borders of sovereign nations. This is the political paradox of American democratic politics today.? We live with a daily list of contradictions; we, as a result, have conflicted loyalties.
So, it is bittersweet when Chairman Bernanke announced on September 13th a third round of what is called ?quantitative easing,? an unconventional monetary policy tool to designed to stimulate the economy.?? Well, what really is it?? Is it good for our economy? What should every Realtor understand about the impact of this on their business?? As much as this feels academic, every real estate professional should be prepared to answer questions from consumers, even on a high level regarding how such actions affect a buyer or seller?s decision whether or not to move forward on their home.
Whether you are a loan officer or a real estate broker, you need to be thinking middle to long term for your business.? The best way to serve your customers in the short term is to have an understanding of the long term.? If you can?t provide that level of reassurance to your clients that now is the right time to refinance your home, or it is the right time to invest in a short sale, or it is the right time to purchase a home as a first-time home-buyer, then you are essentially undermining your own capacity for growth and success in today?s market.? In a market where there are many successful real estate agents, you will be one of those agents wondering why the deals or the referrals don?t come your way.? The way to gain traction fast is to stay on top of the market and where it is headed. The more you see the future, the more successful you will be in the present.
Quantitative Easing:? The third time is a charm
To put it not so simply, quantitative easing (QE) is an unconventional monetary tool used by central banks to stimulate the economy.? It is a defibrillator?of sorts, in place to regulate the pace of economic growth.? During a recession or if the economy lacks ?stimulative? growth, the Federal Reserve elects to reduce short-term interest rates in order to motivate lending and spending.? You have to remember that our economy revolves around spending money, not saving money.? So low interest rates don?t encourage money to sit still; they inspire one to borrow and spend.? But at this point, the Federal Reserve has cut interest rates essentially as far as they can go, and yet the economy is still struggling and banks aren?t lending.
This is the principal reason why we see capital reserves of corporations and banks at historic highs.? They are able to borrow money, increase margins, and replace lost assets from the market crash while increasing the borrowing criteria in order to lend.? This in turn enables broader trade margins when securitizing mortgages or other lending products because the risk has been so far minimized by lending to the consumer cream of the crop that investors are willing to pay handsomely for such security pools.
As a result, the cycle is repetitive: banks collect historic net income levels while lending to the most qualified borrowers while borrowing money at historic lows for mergers and acquisitions.? This is why we are seeing a consolidation across all industries where larger corporations are becoming larger, and the small and family-owned businesses can?t get loans and are competitively squeezed out of their markets.? There is a disappearing middle class all right, but it is the small to midsize businesses that are disappearing at an alarming rate.
So the federal government is in a bind; it is left with quantitative easing, which enables the Federal Reserve to print money and purchase long-term treasuries or mortgage-backed securities from commercial banks and other institutions.? This continues the monetary flow while reducing long-term interest rates.? In theory, when this happens, investors are incentivized to spend money they have.
Been There, Done That
This is the third round of quantitative easing.? In 2008, after the financial crisis occurred, the Fed started buying mortgage-backed securities and T-bills in order to boost the economy.? Roughly $2.1 trillion was purchased by summer of 2010.? QE-2 was put in place after the economy began to weaken in 2010.? It is hotly debated whether or not such actions help or hinder the economy.? Sometimes short-term gains can only lead to longer-term losses (mortgage crisis anyone?).
It is argued that the first round of easing helped prevent the slide into a great depression; if anything it increased investor confidence that the government would function as a safety net for investors.? It was effective in slowing down the skid and helping promote some price appreciation on goods.? QE-2 is hotly debated, and in the years to come QE-3 will only be even more so as to its impact, positive or negative on the housing economy.? While this is keeping rates low for mortgage borrowers, it isn?t actually boosting ?lending? or broadening access to mortgages for consumers.? If anything, it is simply ?wrenching the rag? further by enabling borrowers ?who quality? to refinance or purchase a home, leaving out the majority of borrowers who are tenuous at their place of employment at best, and have a marginal credit score (a FICO of 640-690 is considered marginal).
QE-3 will keep mortgage interest rates low through 2015, which will settle investors and instill confidence, and by the time this article was written there have been considerable gains in the stock markets.? But the unintended but real consequences are more consolidation in the banking segment, larger profits, fewer borrowers, and for those who do qualify, the cost of their loans will only increase in light of further known and unknown regulatory requirements on banks (forms and more forms) due to the passing of Dodd-Frank in 2010.? This is a vicious cycle, but there is nothing in place to break it unless provisions on the rates are put in place to establish various lending benchmarks with certain types of borrowers.? This however will only lead to greater government intervention.? The subprime product was largely created with minority and lower income borrowers in mind to inspire home ownership.? We know where that government-induced bubble ended up.? As stated in the beginning of this article, be careful what you wish for.
More and more voices are dissenting on the efficacy of easing practices.
Economic Outlook:? Low Rates, Steady Deal Flow.? 2013 Will Look a Lot Like 2012.
Questions around inflation, the timing of interest rate hikes and regulatory changes are paralyzing the private sector, leading to an already confusing economic outlook.? Try running a business, forecasting production or revenue, staging purchasing decisions or hiring new employees. Remember:? you can?t buy a house if you don?t have a job, or if your job is at risk.? Unemployment is just over 8% and many economists are pessimistically stating this is the ?new normal?.? It is a lowering of the American expectation, and this is deeply saddening to see from a sociological perspective.? With most economies in Europe over 11% (averaged across 17 countries) and a trend that is suggesting it will get worse, not better, the outlook is very grim for economies with governments deeply involved in monetary and economic policy.
Message for 2013:? Buying Is Still Better than Renting
With price increases in all 100 metropolitan markets, it is still cheaper to own a home than to rent, because of climbing rent pricing and, of course, the aforementioned low mortgage rents.? This is important for real estate agents to highlight in your marketing messaging and seminars with consumers.? The tax breaks for homeowners also are a vital component to the benefit of buying a home.? Remember:? buying a home is still a solid investment in the future of every consumer, especially as it pertains to income that could be realized from selling their home later in life.? If a borrower is under the age of 50, there is no question they should buy a home ? and if they can afford it, with prices and interest rates so low, they should buy two!? It is no surprise that the most affordable metropolitan markets are Detroit, Gary (IN) and Oklahoma City (OK), with the costs of homeownership 64% cheaper than renting according to Trulia.
The top 10 metros with the highest homeownership affordability are listed below.? For real estate agents, in your advisory capacity with clients, I suggest discussing this list for investment purposes.? In many cases, homeowners have children going to college, and they have the financial capacity to purchase a home in lieu of having their child/student live in college dormitories.
U.S. Metropolitan Area
Monthly Cost of Homeownership
Detroit, MI
$349
Gary, IN
$616
Oklahoma City, OK
$590
Lakeland, FL
$495
Toledo, OH
$476
Memphis, TN
$548
Warren, Troy, Farmington, MI
$588
Cleveland, OH
$585
West Palm, FL
$723
Birmingham, AL
$515
Source: Trulia
With the ?new normal? holding so much uncertainty, it is difficult to manage a Real Estate Agency or make marketing decisions if you are an agent.? ?From a micro-industry perspective, QE-3 is very good news for mortgage banks and Realtors as it provides a federal commitment to maintaining rates at the lowest in over 100 years, and will maintain modest levels ? $1T to $1.3T worth of mortgage originations across the U.S. ? which equates to moving units if you are a Realtor.? This will enable adequate deal flow for real estate agencies and agents and will sustain the profitable growth of stable banks.? Overall, we are looking at much of the same for 2013.? What that means for you will depend on how well your year went, size of your business, capitalization, market share and overall expenses as you prepare for 2013.
Any questions or feedback on this article, email Rick Roque, Managing Editor of TheNicheReport Real Estate Edition, at rroque@thenichereport.com or call him at 408.914.5895.?
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Public release date: 31-Oct-2012
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