Wednesday, Jan 16, 2008

UK BTL locusts take note

New York Times: New Troubles for Apartment Mogul in South

"A few years ago, Mr. Smuck, 59, began making a comeback. Outbidding other investors, his MBS Companies, based in the New Orleans suburb of Metairie, quickly amassed a portfolio of 65 garden apartment complexes throughout Texas with 17,000 units.

But now, Mr. Smuck’s real estate empire is coming apart for the second time. Most of his $900 million in loans are delinquent, some are in foreclosure, and his management company filed for bankruptcy protection on Nov. 5."

Posted by happyrenterz @ 05:14 PM (542 views) Add Comment

7 Comments

1. mark said...

at least he gave it a go...lol

most of us can only dream about ever getting that far... Even if only to say I was mega wealthy once...lol

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 06:25PM Report Comment
 

2. the reaper said...

'smuck',this article can't be for real

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 07:01PM Report Comment
 

3. bystander said...

I agree reaper - this has got to be a joke article, but what a sick sense of humour.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 07:52PM Report Comment
 

4. lvmreader said...

Smuck or Schmuck?

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 08:10PM Report Comment
 

5. drewster said...

It's real indeed. BTL just gave amateurs the same power that the professionals and the big-boys have always had: the ability to leverage themselves up to the eye-balls to make speculative purchases. This guy is just like the private equity buccaneers who borrow billions from the bank and use it to buy up a big company. The rules are different for the rich!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 08:16PM Report Comment
 

6. dohousescrashinthewoods said...

When the market is rising that fast, it doesn't prune out amateurs, and the pros get sloppy.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 09:04PM Report Comment
 

7. Landedgentry said...

"one of the 17 apartment buildings carries the spray-painted message “Death to All.” But the complex is nearly empty."

I know how you feel brother, I know how you feel LOL

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 09:40PM Report Comment
 

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