Comments on: Gas Price Pain – Media Hype and Consumer Illusion?

By: ABC News

ABC News — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:06:55 +0000

What do gas prices look like in your hometown? Snap a photo of the prices at your local gas station and tell us how rising costs are affecting your daily commute, summer travel plans and lifestyle. We want to see the prices our viewers are experiencing across the country. Your photos and comments may be used on “World News With Charles Gibson.” Get your videos or pictures in asap and they may be used on ABC News!

http://ugv.abcnews.go.com/player.aspx?id=4199016&tb=1

By: Michael @ The Stage Coach

Michael @ The Stage Coach — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:53:24 +0000

“I dont get your point that having a truck is useful to carry your clients in comfort. By any standards — noise, ride quality, seats etc…”
Realtors – please correct me if I am wrong, but as I see it, the reason I see so many Realtors driving large vehicles is they try to consolidate clients into one vehicle for ease of travel. And not only do they have to Fit inside the vehicle, but they have to be able to get in and out of the vehicle. If Steve tried to cram my family of four into a Prius or Camry to drive around and look for a home for a few hours, I would pass. So we’d drive 2x cars (consuming more fuel) or we’d find another Realtor.

And kudos for clarifying the Must vs the must. Not many people are that honest.

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:45:19 +0000

For RE agents, the vehicle is the office.

What is a shame is that there isn’t something that would fill the needs you have. Ford is even canceling the Ranger, which means there are basically no small trucks left. I suppose you could have looked at a 4 door Chevy Colorado or the smallish 4 door Nissan truck. But lets be honest, fully loaded they aren’t much cheaper, nor much more efficient, and not even much smaller, than a big 4 door F150. I think a lot of people would like the utility of 4 doors and a small truck bed, without the weight and large engine needed to tow heavy things. Something light a lighter more efficient SportTrac. The subaru baja is an option, but loaded up they can be more expensive than a larger truck that will do a lot more. Honestly, subaru engines don’t do that well for gas anyway. As often as not I use my truck for Home Depot trips to bring very bulky things home, that are not particularly heavy. Same with my ranch. It is not your fault that nobody is making a vehicle that would make the most sense for a big chunk of people, yourself included.

I think an interesting topic would be whether gas prices will effect real estate values in a meaningful way. I work downtown, so my suburban home near 183 and Oak Knoll makes biking & mass transit a real option (the Pavilion Park & Ride). Perhaps homes near the Leander rail route will be desirable. If MoPac ever became a commuter rail, then the area near Duval & MoPac might boom (already its close to shopping with the Domain). If gas creeped even higher, than anything past the Y in Oak Hill seems utterly unsustainable. But homes along South First or along Slaughter might have a workable mass transit and community shopping that a family could live with one car. Lots of new subdivisions wouldn’t make sense if gas were $10/gal, but some older ones might. Pflugerville still has a downtown, for example, it would just be a matter of working nearby.

So Steve, are you hearing from clients anything about the price of gas effecting the purchase of residential property?

By: Ellie

Ellie — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:16:29 +0000

You do have a good point. It is easy to panic. When I was growing up in the UK, I remember thinking one of the perks of moving to the US would be the price of gas. What I had not thought much about was that by living in the States, one gives up cheap train travel and public transportation and needs a car to really get around (if you live in the move rural areas).

Still, as you said, do the math and it is not so bad. Thanks for the optimistic turn on this idea.

Ellie

P.S. Thanks for dropping by my blog and commenting.

By: Barry

Barry — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:38:29 +0000

Drive what you want and don’t feel guilty about it. The market sets the price for gas and if you are willing to pay for your consumption level then so be it. Al Gore consumes more fuel on a private plane to a global warming speech then you will in years driving your pickup.

By: Nate

Nate — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:57:32 +0000

OMG – whats with all the righteous folks crashing this very informative blog!!!
Steve i really enjoy your blog regardless of the truck you drive.

By: arz

arz — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:42:23 +0000

Peter, all human are selfish, not just Americans. So, please don’t bash on Steve for some honest statements he made. At least he’s trying to generate a discussion that will enlighten everyone.

By: Steve Crossland

Steve Crossland — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:31:32 +0000

Wow. Opened a can of worms on this one. Maybe I should stick to posting real estate stats.

Peter, thanks for your views. Now we’re straying into social/political issues which probably don’t belong on this blog.

Steve

By: peter

peter — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:39:22 +0000

The main point is your selfish American way of thinking – regardless of the cost. You are driving a low mileage truck because it is “nice to have” and the extra “cost” as you calculate it, is something you can afford. The point is your way of thinking is why we consume so much more energy per person as an American than anyone else in the world – and with oil reserves likely to have hit their peak, oil will likely only get more expensive, not less. This means your calculations based on today’s $4 gas – flatlining that into the future – is flawed. What is gas prices go to $6-7 / gallon as it is in Europe? Then do your numbers work? What about the fact that we as a country have to spend Billions of dollars on our military and in foreign aid to support countries in the Middle East and places like Algeria and Venezuela to keep sending us the oil we crave. We go to war in Iraq to, in part., secure that the oil keeps pumping. So kids die. But at least you have your big McMansion, your hot tub, your oil sucking big ass car, and can keep shuttling clients around so you can take your monopoly 6% commission. Damn the rest of the world. If they can’t afford it, too bad for them. If those in the Middle East take your dollars and turn them into weapons they can use to knock us off our pedestal, so be it. Good luck in your myopic, selfish world. I would think if you have kids, you would care more to not straddle them with the consequences in the future of what makes you comfortable today.

By: Tim

Tim — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:47:28 +0000

Steve,

I dont get your point that having a truck is useful to carry your clients in comfort. By any standards — noise, ride quality, seats etc – a Toyota Camry Hybrid (for e.g.) will be better than any truck today, unless you are towing your client in an RV behind you.

Also, how many times a month do you have to dump trash from tenants moving out of your property? The last time I dumped trash from a house my tenants vacated, it costed me $25+gas+dump fee. So you are only saving $25 at most probably 4 times a year?

We can we start to make rational arguments?