Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with purchase

How do I best purchase a wait-listed car?

rabidsegue — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:45:57 -0800

What is the protocol for buying a new car in seemingly high demand and non-existent supply? When is a wait list really a wait list, and how do I actually get this car? I am interested in buying a 2010 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI manual and am currently talking with 2 dealerships.

Dealership 1, referred by United Buying Services, took an "order" over the phone, supposedly entering it into their "order entry system" and provided a "Commission #," which I assume is specific to that dealership. The sales person did not request a deposit or any more information other than name, address, and phone #.

Dealership 2 took an "order," also over the phone, and requested all of the same information as dealer 1, but also requested car insurance policy #, stating that it's required by VW, and requested a deposit, stating that VW requires the deposit as evidence that I am a real buyer. I asked what happens to the $500 deposit if I don't buy the car due to unforeseeable circumstances and was told that it would not be refunded.

Neither dealer can provide a delivery date, and Dealership 2 went as far as to say that VW is not producing any manuals prior to the new year. I mentioned this to Dealer 1 who did not know anything about this.

Do any Mefites have advice on buying a wait-listed/pre-ordered car? Advice on VW/Sportwagen specifically? I am having trouble figuring out the best way to navigate these negotiations/choose a dealership so that I actually end up with a car in my parking spot as soon as possible.

Is my house seller trying to jerk me around?

bkhahn — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:53:35 -0800

Is my house seller trying to jerk me around? Specific liability legalese inside. I (the buyer) have an accepted offer on a house, and we've moved the closing date up 2 days in order to get a better interest rate. We're scheduled to close on a wednesday. We're renting the house back to the sellers until that friday at 5pm. We're in Wisconsin, so we're using the standard addendum O to handle the rent back agreement. The sellers want to add the following language.

"Occupant shall only be responsible for liability claims resulting directly from occupant's direct actions or negligence. All other liabilty claims resulting from anything other than the occupant's negligence shall be the responibility of the owner"

I know you are not my lawyer but:
It seems to me that this wording opens me up to a ton of liability issue. For instance, what if the movers damage something while moving the sellers out. What if they have their friends over the last night and trash the place?

Thanks for your opinions.

Am I buying a business from a guy who's trying to hoodwink me?

CommonSense — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:44:29 -0800

I'm about to purchase a business, but the profit on the tax return is a lot lower than the owner's internal financials. How can I make them rectify this discrepancy to my satisfaction? After all, I'm not into the whole "going bankrupt" thing. I'm about to purchase an existing retail business from a seller who's in his 70s and recently fell into poor health, to the point that doctors are testing him to determine if he's got ALS. This was given to me as the reason he's selling, and the internally-produced financial data they've provided me seems to bear that out. The store makes a good profit, and except for a bit of a dent in FY 2008 due to the recession, gets more profitable every year. (FY 2009 numbers so far already have them on track to return to the trend of increasing profit every year, so 2008 looks to have been a fluke.)

Here's where the problem arises. In 2008, their internally produced financials showed a net profit of about $93k, while their corporate tax return (they're a C corporation, which seems a bit much for one owner) shows about $11k. I am NOT a financial-head, so I initially missed this. One of the banks I was applying for financing from brought this to my attention. An $11k net profit at the end of the year is so low that if it were correct, I wouldn't be able to service the debt on the 10% seller financing, let ALONE the bank financing. (Of course, that's points in favor of "the seller is acting in good faith" -- if the $11k number were real, he would HAVE to know he couldn't afford to finance to me, since I wouldn't be able to pay him.)

I passed this along to the seller's broker, and he initially attributed it to differences between cash- and accrual-basis accounting, and that virtually all businesses try to make their income appear less than what it is, so as to ease their tax burden. He then took about a week to comb through financial data and prepare for me a relatively detailed Excel spreadsheet following, nearly line by line, the differences (a) the accrual-basis documents as received by the seller, (b) cash-basis as received by the seller, and (c) the actual tax return. He even put in a couple of questions/answers in the document:

"Is there significant difference in profitability between the accrual vs. cash way of constructing this company's financials? No."

and

"Is there significant difference in profitability between accrual and cash vs. tax return way of constructing this company's financials? Yes, and it is [due to] how certain expenses are accounted for between accrual and cash vs. tax return."

And there's line after line of numbers, with three columns for each. Some highlights are that the tax return shows about $27k more expenses and about $29k less profit.

On their tax return, from what I can tell, they aren't reporting $12k in undeposited funds. They have $24k in A/R on their internals that they reclassify as bad debt on their tax return.

My eyes begin to glaze over all the detail, though I sorta feel like the sheer volume of all these numbers, complete with annotations, suggests that they really wanted to document the source of the discrepancy and demonstrate that they're above board. Throughout this whole process, they've always been forthcoming with documents, and have even taken the initiative to provide data on their own (e.g, as a month ends, sending along the numbers for that month so that I'm kept up to date).

And while I've not been in the retail business specifically before, I've been working for nearly a decade, as an independent consultant, in a field intimately tied to the main product line that this store sells, one which tends to center on one particular multi-national corporation which sells a lot of very cool products and services. As a real nerd when it comes to this particular company, I know that their market share has been climbing year after year, and that their own financials show them to be essentially recession-proof. So on that basis, at least, I have no reason to doubt the seller-provided numbers. I don't want to say you'd have to be a complete idiot to have a store like this and NOT make pretty respectable money, but . . . you kinda would have to be a complete idiot.

I got an OK for financing from one bank so far (would like to hear from others, but at least I have something solid); we already agreed on a selling price in the earlier, non-binding Letter of Intent phase, and according to the lawyer, the next steps now that I have a financing offer are a lien/title search, some due diligence on his part, etc. The bank did the financing only because I'm backing it with both mine and my father's stock portfolios (he's a guarantor but otherwise won't have any involvement in the business). This was the only way they could get past their reservations about the tax return, saying that while they understand most businesses play with the numbers a little, their policy is that they have to go by what's on the tax return. Thus, this transfers the risk to me.

I guess what I want to know is . . . what other documents can I request from the seller to back up his internal financials? (For instance, if I were a private citizen under-reporting my income to the IRS, and got a lot of money from an under-the-table contracting gig, but somebody wanted proof of this since it's not on my 1040, I could produced copies of the checks the contractor gave me throughout the year, or maybe have them sign a letter stating that they paid me X amount, etc.)

The seller's broker has said all along that he'd be more than happy to have a sit-down or conference call with me, the seller, and any bank(s) that would like clarification on these numbers (none have taken him up on this so far). I'm thinking I should take him up on this, but to go over it with me, specifically -- line by line, if necessary.

My gut tells me the seller's honest, not just because I've met him, but also from what I know of this market and the success of this product line. But gut isn't enough.

Other details: Located in Richmond, VA; only two competitors (it's kind of a high barrier-to-entry situation to sell this company's products), both of which are out in the 'burbs (while this place is next to downtown); store has been under this ownership since 2003, but originally founded around 1989; it's received recognition from the corporation whose products it primarily sells for being in the highest level of sales and customer satisfaction with service. Selling price is $145k (couldn't negotiate it down much from the $150k asking price), which seems kind of low given a 2008 seller-provided net profit of $93k (but insanely high if the $11k number is to be believed) . . . but I know that when using net profit to determine a valuation, the "multiplier" can be anywhere from 1-4 depending on the industry.

On the plus side, like I said, the seller and his broker have been nothing but cooperative all along, so I think that we can ask for damn near any document we desire.

Okiedoke. Thanks for reading all this. Many thanks in advance.

Best time to buy a MacBook Air?

mosk — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:19:42 -0800

Best time to buy a MacBook Air between now and mid November? Are there any speed bumps or price reductions on the horizon? Dad is turning 70 in mid November. Dad wants a base model MacBook Air. We (his kids) want to get him what he wants, since we love him and since he's turning 70 and all.

I'm not in touch with the Apple product cycle these days, and I don't remember if, historically, there will be another speed bump for laptops before the holiday buying season, so if anyone has an insight into either of those things, I would appreciate hearing it. I was hoping something would be announced yesterday, but no such luck.

So...any Apple tea leaf readers out there? Any opinions on whether the MacBook Air lineup will get a bump or price cut in the next couple of months? Also, any personal experiences with the MacBook Air? I know it doesn't come with a built-in optical drive or Ethernet port, but those shouldn't be an issue for him. Dad was at the Apple store and fell in love with the MBA's form factor, which is perfect for his "needs." Now, his needs are squarely in netbook territory, so I know this is more computer than he will likely ever use, but this is a milestone birthday for him and we'll be splitting the cost multiple ways, so the difference between a $1200 MBP (his second choice) and the $1500 MBA isn't a big deal, at least in this instance.

Other data points: He's a dyed-in-the-wool Mac user with a fairly limited set of technical skills, so it's no use suggesting a Hackintosh or a Windows or Linus-based netbook. He wants a Mac laptop, and he specifically wants a new (NOT used, NOT refurbed) MacBook Air. We're happy to get him what he wants, but if the product line is getting nudged, I'd like to take that into account before we order something.

At least it's on the right side of the tracks

howrobotsaremade — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 10:18:52 -0800

What are the non-obvious drawbacks of buying a house near railroad tracks? I just looked at a very nice house that I really love. In fact, it has every single thing on my list of needs, plus everything on my "would be nice to have" list. It far exceeds everything else that I've seen so far. The catch? It's fairly close to the railroad tracks.

The street is actually perpendicular to the tracks. It doesn't have a crossing (so no whistling) so it dead-ends to the tracks. It is about a block and a half away from them.

You can see all this if you look directly down the street, and quite frankly, it's sort of overgrown and ugly looking. On the other hand, you can't really see it that well from the back yard or even sitting on the porch because there are other houses and trees that block it off. The neighborhood around it is nice and well-kept, so obviously this isn't a problem for quite a few other people.

Since this is my first solo home purchase, I don't want to get carried away with emotion over the decision, but I am realistically also not going to find a house nearly this nice for that price.

I can see maybe noise, dirt and structural problems because of the vibrations being an issue. If I made an offer, it would be contingent on the inspection.

I have two dogs and a school aged child. We are of the type who could basically sleep through WWIII and I am not very sensitive to ambient noise. I clean constantly because of the dogs/kid anyway, so I'm not sure how much I'd notice extra dirt. The structural issue concerns me most.

So then, aside from those things, am I missing a bunch of other obvious problems that could come from this?

Can I get Fed Tax Cred for Energy Efficiency on a home purchase?

dpollitt — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:18:45 -0800

Can I get the Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency if I am buying the house right now, and the current homeowner is replacing the furnace for me? I am in the process of buying a home, and during the inspection we found that the furnace needs to be replaced. The homeowner has agreed to put in a basic one, but has given us the option to 'upgrade' to a more efficient model at our cost.

The question is, if we are paying for part of the furnace, who would qualify(if they met all other conditions) for the tax credit? The credit could be as much as $700, and the extra cost of a more efficient furnace is around $900, so I think it makes sense to try to get it if we can.

If the seller is the one who qualifies, is it a bad idea to try and convince them to pay the extra and claim the tax credit? Maybe even if we include the difference?

Knife catching isn't just for real estate

MrMulan — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:59:04 -0800

How can I increase my chances of buying a new car below dealer cost? Would you get an additional discount if you paid cash in full? There are many articles on how to negotiate a good deal for a new car which usually involves offering slightly above dealer invoice.

I am trying to increase my chances of scoring a new car that has become a sunk cost to the dealer.

Some reasons I am choosing new over used:
-It is an apples to apples comparison once you have the configuration you want.
-It is easier to weed and screen dealers via email, as there is no reason to have to come in to the showroom
-There is a chance of getting a sunk cost car for about the same price of a used car.

I am looking for Hondas or Toyotas, preferrably top of the line Rav4s and CRV, but not opposed to sedans or other brands.
I had an offer of $27k for an Honda CRV EX-l w/Nav, and I wanted $25
I also had an offer for the above without Nav for $25k

These offers came two hours of very frustrating blah blah blah from the dealer.

I know the cash for clunkers program may have an effect.
I plan to have financing lined up with my own bank.
I plan on doing all negotiations through email.
I am in the New York area, so there are tons of dealers.

As always, thank you in advance.

Please help me find the make/model I want, so I can focus on the next steps. Thanks!

iamkimiam — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:56:05 -0800

I need to buy a new, used or certified used car real quickly. I could use some help deciding on a make and model that meets some specific criteria. I have ~$4000 I could put down on either a brand new or certified used car (not to exceed $25k). I could manage about $6000 for a direct-from-seller used car.

I want something fuel efficient and/or hybrid, but I am not currently not keen on buying a hybrid from a individual seller (hybrids are more expensive and if I am going to invest in one for environmental and economic reasons, I would prefer the extra up-front cost to count toward the public financial record of support of this type of innovation – an individual seller has already paid for the car and I might as well buy a fuel-efficient used car for less from them).
It'd be great if I could put >$4k down on a car that is also less than ~$12k. That's a most comfortable loan amount for me.
The newer the better.
I would prefer a hybrid.
Must be able to transport bikes and surfboards (shortboards inside with seats folded down) and longboards (at least three) up top. Cars like Prius's are NOT designed for this...curved roof and significant drag make it not practical.
The smaller the better. I like finding parking and not being a big bohemoth on the road.
Good track record, reliable. I tend to sell cars when I suspect they are going to start causing problems a year or two down the road, and so I don't want to take on something with a short life span, known problems, or high repair cost.

I currently have a Mazda Protege5 wagon, which is a pretty great all around car, minus the fact that mine is almost done for, its no longer made, and the gas mileage is 'meh'. I used to have a Mini Cooper, but that thing was too small.

Any suggestions, both car-wise and perspective-wise?

iMac now, or later?

Camofrog — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:34:12 -0800

Is there any reason for me NOT to go buy a new iMac today? My current one is slowly asploding on me, and it's time for an upgrade. Last time I bought a Mac, Apple switched to Intel processors about 2 weeks later. I don't follow Apple news, but I'm sure some of you do. Are there any planned price reductions/new features/etc. coming in the bext few weeks (I will hold out another month at the most) that I should wait for? Or should I just go get me one?

Should I buy a car right now?

LolaGeek — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:07:31 -0800

Weighing the pros and cons of buying a car in the near future. Should I? (And if so, what should I get?) I have a 2002 Ford Focus with about 85,000 miles which was purchased used in 2003 and and paid off last year. My mom bought the car and the loan was in her name because I was in college at the time, but as soon as I graduated I started making the payments myself (still in her name). When it was paid off she transferred the title to me. On the way to the auto tag place, the car started doing this weird shaking thing and stalled out. I had that issue fixed, but it seems like ever since that day, little problems have cropped up every few months that involved replacing a worn out or broken something-or-other. If I'm going to trade in the car, I'd rather do it while it's still in relatively good shape, before something major happens to it.

Arguments for buying a car:
- It's probably an awesome time (economically) to buy a car.
- The end of the model year is coming up.
- Kelley Blue Book says I can expect to get a trade-in value of $2000+.
- I have a bit of money saved up, and could make a decent down-payment.
- My credit score is over 720.
- I can get a vehicle loan from my credit union at 3.99% APR for 1-24 months or 4.99% APR for 25-60 months.

Arguments against buying a car:
- My current car isn't really that old or in too bad shape.
- It sure is nice not having that $200 payment every month.
- Even though my credit score is good, I have very little history. My current car was paid in my mother's name, and my husband's name is the only one on the mortgage for our house. The only credit things I have in my name are a credit card (paid in full every month) and my student loan (small).
- My company is getting bought by another company, and even though nobody knows what's going to happen in the future, I could possibly be laid off in the next 3 months-2 years.

Sub-question: For years I've been saying my next car would be a hybrid, but now that I'm really looking into them, I don't know if the increase in price is worth the potential savings in gas. Then again, I'm all for saving the environment. But I hate losing trunk space to a battery. Any opinions on getting a hybrid vs. just getting a newer Focus? (Also, Ford is currently offering a $1500 rebate of some sort, but it looks like that deal is ending August 3...)

How does a land contract work?

howrobotsaremade — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:53:38 -0800

Is buying a home on land contract or as a lease option ever a good idea? For the last couple years I have been working diligently to clear up my formerly terrible credit. However, it will probably be a year or possibly two before it's in good enough shape to qualify for a mortgage, even with a cosigner.

The problem is, I have recently found out that I will probably need to move out of the house I'm renting in the next 6 months. I live in a very tight rental market. I am not finding any suitable rentals within my price range that are kid/pet friendly in this school district.

As I've been looking, I keep seeing listings for companies who are offering homes as a lease with option to buy, or on land contract. On the surface, this sounds like a good idea for someone like me. But if it was that easy, why don't most people buy homes this way instead of going through a regular bank?

Is this fundamentally a bad idea? Will I end up paying much more for the home, even if I buy it out with a bank mortgage in a couple years' time when my credit has recovered? Does buying a home this way remove any of the legal protections that one would normally get in a conventional home purchase? From what I understand, the biggest concern is that often the contract is written in a way that makes it very easy to lose the home and any money invested into it, for a multitude of reasons. But does this work well for people if the payments are always made on time?

I have not had much luck finding straight answers on the pitfalls of doing one of these deals. Google turns up a lot of real estate seminars and make money schemes, which makes me believe that maybe this isn't the greatest idea after all.

I know the answer to this question is probably "lawyer up beforehand", which is a stellar idea no matter what. But first, I'd like to know is if it's a waste of time to pursue looking for one of these homes in the first place. If it's feasible, I really need some good, legitimate resources to understand how a land contract (or lease with option to buy) should be structured and how it works and what I should be asking if I decide to go this route.

Any good or bad personal experiences are welcome, too. Also, if it matters, the state is Indiana.

location, location, location!

evadery — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:31:41 -0800

Am considering buying a house both on a bus route/busyish street and a few houses down from a school. What should I be aware of before I make this purchase? Found a very reasonably priced house in downtown toronto - almost TOO reasonable. One of the reasons is that it right next to the pretty tree lined streets, but it is itself on a decently-busy street. Not afraid to cross the road busy, but one lane each way, wait for a couple cars to pass busy. On that road is a bus. While I know this drops the price, I actually think this is convenient and will help in my commute to work, but I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts both positive or negative about living on a busy-ish street with a bus route.

As well, another positive (or negative) is that the house is a couple doors down from a school, kindergarden to grade 6. While this would be very convenient when we have kids, is there anything we should worry about due to the proximity, or is there any way to effectively check out if this is brings bad elements out in the neighbourhood?

A third question - any idea how much these factors above would influence price (either percentage-wise, or something like 'greatly', 'hardly at all' would be helpful).

Other than those issues, we like everything about the place. So, should we be nervous about them? Thanks!

Where to buy tires in DFW?

flipmiester99 — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:40:34 -0800

DFWTirePurchaseFilter: I have to buy to sets of tires for my cars, one mazda 3 and a chevy tahoe. Where are the best deals right now in the DFW area?

Please help me find a laptop

billysumday — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:10:54 -0800

I'd like to purchase a cheap (~$400-$500) laptop with certain requirements. The more I look, the more confused I get. Please help me. I just want a cheap but relatively fast laptop to do some occasional out-of-the-house work in a coffee shop or library. I'll most likely only be using internet (wifi), Word, Excel, and iTunes. That's it. I do want a webcam so that I can Skype. I'll be doing a lot of typing so I don't want a netbook - the keyboard needs to big enough to comfortably type on, and the screen should be anywhere from 12"-15". I want it to be relatively fast and have a reasonable amount of space, but I don't need to do anything fancy like game playing or video editing. At the same time, I also don't want it to operate slowly and I don't want to have to plug in an external drive. Battery life would preferably be decent.

I've checked out the Dell Outlet, but they don't really seem to have the great deals that people say they do - e.g., in an old AskMe post someone said they recently purchased a 15" Inspiron with 3GB RAM and 250GB hard drive with webcam and other accessories for a little over $400. But now, you can't get anything under $500 that has more than 1GB RAM and 80GB hard drive. Am I missing something?

Also, I've gone to Best Buy and checked out their computers and some of them are nice. I come home and check out the computers online and they seem to be more expensive than in Best Buy. Again, I feel like I'm doing something wrong.

Please help this laptop noob. I've always just bought Macs but this time I just want to go the el cheapo route while still getting a good deal. So, anybody have good recommendations? Any models or brands to stay away from? And where should I look to get the best deal? Thanks to all.

Best way to improve credit with car loan?

willy_dilly — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 06:48:59 -0800

Best way to improve credit with car loan? My current credit score is sub-par due to carelessness with credit cards when I was in college. I'm about to purchase a car for the very first time and is looking into financing it to help improve my credit score. The car costs $37k and I plan on putting down $15k, finance the rest off a 60 month term, and then paying everything off by the end of the 12th month to minimize interest.

As I mention earlier my credit is bad and I got approved for 9.5%, which is completely fine since I'll be paying the entire thing off after the 12 month. What I want to know is if 12 months is long enough to have a positive effect on my credit. I was told that 10 months is enough but I want to do a whole year to be safe. Another thing I would like to ask is whether it will help improve my credit if I increase my loan amount by decreasing the down payment to $10k only.

My current score is 660, after I pay off the car loan, can I expect a significant bump in my credit score? After I pay off my car loan and hopefully increase my credit score, I plan on getting a personal loan to mix up my loan portfolio. Will that improve my credit also?

Where to obtain a small amount of liquid nitrogen in north Seattle?

Riemann — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:51:10 -0800

Where to obtain a small amount of liquid nitrogen in north Seattle? First off, yes I am aware that this stuff can be extremely dangerous if not handled properly. And no this is not going to be used for anything illegal or blatently stupid.

That said, I need a small amount (preferably less than a liter) of liquid nitrogen. It would be great if I could pick it up in north Seattle (U-District for preference). I do not have any university or student access.

Anyone know if this is possible? And if so, roughly how much it will cost?

Short on closing costs

carter — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:56:58 -0800

Short on closing costs. We're bidding on a house, have the 20% deposit, but are short on closing costs (by about 10k). Some options are out; for example I cannot take another loan until we have signed. A friend has suggested that we ask the seller to pay the costs and then we pay more for the house. Has anyone done this? Thanks! I guess we're then paying interest on the closing costs, but it's probably worth it. Any other creative (but legit) ideas very welcome.

Buying a house soon: is it better to pay down my credit card partially, or pay off a small personal loan?

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:24:37 -0800

Buying a house soon: is it better to pay down my credit card partially, or pay off a small personal loan? I'm buying a house in the U.S. and will be looking to get pre-approved for a mortgage soon. My credit score is currently in the 700s, and I make appx. $65,000 per year. I'd like to get pre-approved for a mortgage in the $130k-$150k range. I have about $8,000 in credit card debt (with $18,000 available) and a small personal loan (not a car) of $4,500. Before I buy the house, I'll have that $4,500 personal loan completely paid off -- unless it would make sense to knock $4,500 off of my credit card balance. Or does it matter?

Buying a home?

blue_beetle — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:28:58 -0800

What is the legal definition of "first-time home-buyer" in Canada? For the purposes of Government of Canada tax credits, and/or to qualify for various "First-time home-buyer" bank programs, what are the criteria? Must you never have owned a home? Is there a time-limit (eg: not owned a home in the past ten years)? What qualifies (condo/house/apt?) What if you co-signed someone else's mortgage but never lived in or technically owned the home?

House Purchase Ceremony?

u2604ab — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 15:36:30 -0800

Do house purchase ceremonies exist? I'm searching for a ceremony to perform just before entering a house for the first time after signing the closing papers. This would be analogous to breaking a bottle of wine on a newly commissioned ship, or jumping over the broom at a wedding. We're closing on our first ever house this Friday. The house is a 1906 Edwardian, in substantially original condition. (i.e., original kitchen cabinets, original bathroom sink and tub, original windows, trim, etc). The house has been exceptionally well cared for; The previous owners lived there for over 50 years.

I'm looking for some ceremony -- perhaps even ceremonial words -- to execute before entering the house the first time as its owner/caretaker, with 4-year-old son and pregnant wife in tow. I'd like something that reflects upon the unknowable history of a 100-year-old structure, and the promise of our future lives there.

This purchase *feels* like such a milestone, on par with a marriage, birth, or death. Certainly the cliche rings true that it's the biggest purchase I will ever make. And Google-fu is failing me for finding any mention of a ceremony or ceremonial words that might be said, just before entering your first house for the first time.

Which is the best buy?

crewshell — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:20:31 -0800

Should I buy a 1 bedroom or 2 bedroom condo? Specifics after the break... Option 1
Asking 149k, down from 239k 8 months ago. 1 Bedroom condo. Great floor plan, brand new renovation. So So area. Nothing really on the horizon to make it jump up. I can afford the payment by myself. Semi Close to a metro

Option 2
Asking 219k, down from 305 a year ago. 2 Bedroom condo. Brand new renovation. So so floor plan (small 2nd bedroom, small living / dinning combo) Great set up for roommates (2 seperate entrances (front and back door) 2 full baths. Just not a ton of living "space". Very close to current job (hopefully be gone soon though!) and closer to the metro. Area is ok, but has more up swing potential. Need a roommate to make the payment comfortable.

Goal - Live in until I either A) can afford somethign better, B) move to a different city. I'd own / rent it for at least 3 years to get the 8k from the gov and possibly hold onto it to start building my property portfolio...

Thoughts? Both of these are in DC. Option 1 is in Brentwood, Option 2 is off consitution over by RFK / Armory Stadium.

Whither Pacifica?

Mr. Anthropomorphism — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 18:16:48 -0800

Does anyone have anything to say about the Chrysler Pacifica? It seems to be a really good fit for our growing family's needs, but searching online for reviews has turned up polarized opinions. It seems they either last forever or fall apart as you drive off the lot.

We're looking at 2006 AWD Touring models with low miles.

I am aware there was a recall on some during this model year, and also see a lot of complaints about ABS sensors breaking.

What have been the experiences of the hivemind?

Japan or bust: recommend a camera

doctor.dan — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:25:26 -0800

I'm planning on going to Japan later on in the year, and I need a new camera. I don't know much about digital cameras, so I figured I'd use my weekly askMeFi question to get some help.

Basically, I want a camera that isn't too expensive (I was thinking up to about AU$500), takes a decent photo when I point and click, and isn't too chunky. I'll want to be able to lug it around to a lot of places.

I'm liking the look of the geotagging feature in iPhoto 09, so something that incorporates GPS in some way would be awesome.

Credit card number stolen! How do I protect others?

attercoppe — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:33:47 -0800

My credit card number was stolen! How do I determine the most likely culprit (or at least how they did it) and try to ensure it doesn't happen again either to me or to someone else? I have a relatively new credit card. It lives in my pocket, I have never handed it to anyone else or given out the number except as described below. I've used it twice at the grocery store, swiped it myself. On 10 January I placed an order through a website, on 12 January they ran my card, and early this morning (14 January) I got a call from the fraud department of my credit card company. Someone had made three small (>$10) purchases with my card. The purchases were dated today, 14 January. (Capital One was right on top of it!) Classic fraud flag, the thief checking the card works with small purchases before using it for something big. I confirmed I did not make those purchases, I won't be liable, that number is cancelled and they're sending a new card. No problem there. The question is, how did someone get my card number? The only answers that make sense to me are (in order of likelihood):

1) The website I ordered through has been hacked;
2) Someone at the company I ordered from stole it;
3) Someone in my building, no more than two apartments away, has been sniffing my as-yet-unsecured wireless router (dumb, I know) and got it.

I rate #3 as pretty unlikely given my neighbors. I'm on the third floor, far from the street and parking lot, and it's cold here - a random wardriver/walker is even more unlikely.

I let the company I ordered from know about this. Of course I was speaking to a lowest-level CS rep, and she seemed pretty sure that couldn't ever happen - "We've never had a problem with that before." Then again, she seemed to think I was implying a #2 scenario, that an employee there was responsible.

Am I reasonable in thinking this was a failure of security either with the company website, or within the company? Should I call back and ask to speak to someone as high up as I can get? How likely is it that their website is compromised, and that they don't know, or haven't told the majority of their employees?

Where can I buy Ojen liqueur?

justrobin — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 07:48:34 -0800

My father asked me. Figured I could find it, quick. I've used google et al and can't seem to lock down anything but a likely country of origin, Spain(?)... Still, the question is: Where can Ojen liqueur be purchased in the US? But any details regarding its origin/production (/existence?) would probably be useful.