Consumer Focused Carnival of Real Estate

The guidelines for this carnival. Frankly, the submissions this time were (as a group) pathetic.

As always, I arranged the entries that met guidelines into three levels, based upon originality, usefulness to the consumer, and how much thought and effort and research went into an entry.

STRONGLY RECOMMENDED

There were no strongly recommended posts this time

RECOMMENDED

Frankly, I'm embarrassed to be part of this carnival, but there's got to be one entry worth reading, so I'm submitting A Good Listing Agent's Most Important Responsibility

MET GUIDELINES

"Demystifying" The Subprime Mortgage Crisis And Other Questions; An Interview With Dan Crittenden is one of the largest whitewashes that I've read in recent memory - but it meets guidelines. Anybody selling mortgage accelerators isn't exactly some kind of uber-analyzer looking out for the best interests of the public.

Buy a House for $100 a Month falls short of being recommended for several reasons. It doesn't make a case as to what the benefit - or potential benefit, anyway - will be. Not to mention that there is no such thing as a no down payment purchase for investment property. I never did have a single lender willing to do 100% of value on an investment property. You also have to consider alternative uses for the money, and make an allowance for repairs. It certainly doesn't consider the risk involved. Landlording is not a simple business, and focusing on cash flow only is an invitation to disaster. But with all of that said, there are many areas of the country where investment property makes sense in ways that it has not for several years.

Minimizing Risk & Reducing Stress While Buying a Foreclosure in the Poconos might have made the recommended category if not for the direct solicitations in the article.

SPAM AND OTHER RIDICULOUS SUBMISSIONS

"Community Disaster Preparedness Tips - Plan Ahead of Time" wasn't prepared for the disaster of not meeting guidelines. Not that it's not a good idea, just that it's not appropriate for this carnival.

"What I like about Credit Cards" was even worse. Spam spam spam spam spamity spam. Couldn't be bothered to read guidelines or submit something that was even vaguely on topic. Somewhere there's got to be an empty oubliette that can be used for this sort of "author"

"Micropayments Make Cents" was generic garbage. Strike One. I've probably seen fifty thousand better articles with more specific, more useful advice on paying off debt. Strike Two. Nor was it even close to the guidelines. Strike Three, and they're out of here. Loser.

Dang. And I was so happy not to have any of those last time.

For those who might object to the treatment their submission received, the relevant information has been in the guidelines since before submissions were being accepted for this carnival. Having been told to read the guidelines, you willingly submitted these posts. Live with it.

Consumer Focused Carnival of Real Estate will return in two weeks (June 4th, 2008), here at Searchlight Crusade, unless someone else wants to host. Deadline for submissions will be June 2nd.