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Our price range is 275K. The nutty thing is we are willing to settle for a much smaller house, so we've been looking at 2/1 houses. We don't need anything like stainless steel appliances, granite counters, hardwood floors, etc- all that can be put in by us later on. We just want to be SAFE and not be in the ghetto- and, not have my husband have a 3 hour commute everyday, as he already spends about 2 hours a day getting home.
The strange thing is I feel like I've been missing something, like there is something that I have not been able to uncover and figure out to help us buy a house. It's a nagging feeling and I can't really explain it other than my gut is telling me to keep thinking and be as creative as possible.
Well, it doesn't hurt to explore your options. I'm sure you are aware that there are homes in this price range 'in' CA with good schools. The commute is another issue entirely, though obviously must be factored in. Since I don't know where your husband currently works nor do I know if he is allowed any remote work I'll show you a couple ideas.
This is one of the most affordable areas in SoCal with good schools. No need to move out of state to find these prices in a safe, family friendly neighborhood. We have friends with kids who live here and like it very much:
If the commute is too far any chance he could negotiate partial telecommute options or perhaps find something closer? While that may sound like a lot it would probably be less difficult than pulling up your tent stakes and moving to another state entirely. Trust me, that's a lot of work with a family, not to mention being further away from extended family and friends. Been there, done that. Just something to think about. Something like this 'within' California may not be a bad compromise.
Derek
Last edited by MtnSurfer; 02-17-2015 at 12:31 AM..
Our price range is 275K. The nutty thing is we are willing to settle for a much smaller house, so we've been looking at 2/1 houses. We don't need anything like stainless steel appliances, granite counters, hardwood floors, etc- all that can be put in by us later on. We just want to be SAFE and not be in the ghetto- and, not have my husband have a 3 hour commute everyday, as he already spends about 2 hours a day getting home.
What about a condo? I know some people have started with a condo and eventually ended up in a house.
The other option would be to look at foreclosures or houses being sold at tax lien auctions.
I don't think its an entitlement. Its the fact that people are working hard and increasing the profits and productivity of the people at the top who can afford homes. Big homes. Big giant mansions overlooking the sea. The American working family lost the battle over the American dream.
There has never been a time in America when all Americans could afford mansions. There have always been rich people and poor people who work for them.
If you want things to be equal for everyone, you could try socialism, communism. But, even in those systems there are the haves and the have nots.
There were never any good old days when anyone could afford to buy a home wherever they wanted - who was not wealthy enough to do so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by radiolibre99
Its not that simple and quit making it seem like it is. I don't see how this mindset you have is so different from the redneck in Texas who simplifies it even further by saying, if ya don't like it, git out.
.
It's not different at all. If you don't like it, fix it, put up with it or get out.
Listening to you, is like listening to a woman complain about her husband who beats her, and yet won't leave him. I cared the first time I heard it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by radiolibre99
Again you guys keep assuming that any complaints about CA equal to not liking any bit of life here and that the simple solutions are to put up and shut up, or move. .
Add "fix it" to the above and yep, you got it.
And to your ranting about wages needing to go higher, it's simple math, if you haven't taken any economy courses. Pretend you're a businessman and you have your budget. Now, you are told you have to raise your workers' salaries by 50%. Hmmm, there went his profit. What does he do? Raises prices! So, now everything costs more, and your wages don't go any further.
And then the employees start complaining that the wages aren't high enough. Again.
There has never been a time in America when all Americans could afford mansions. There have always been rich people and poor people who work for them.
If you want things to be equal for everyone, you could try socialism, communism. But, even in those systems there are the haves and the have nots.
There were never any good old days when anyone could afford to buy a home wherever they wanted - who was not wealthy enough to do so.
I disagree with you, things have changed a great deal; I don't recall a time when middle class wage earners were basically locked out of buying a home near any major metropolitan area in California as they are now. 15 years ago an accountant working for the City that I worked for made around 58k a year. My son is an accountant and works for county government in Northern California and makes around 60k a year. Fifteen years ago I sold a house in Solano County for 150k and that house recently sold for 340k. So basically for my son to buy a home he has to come up with a huge down payment or make payments of about twice what he would have 15 years ago for the same house. It has NOT always been this way.
There has never been a time in America when all Americans could afford mansions. There have always been rich people and poor people who work for them.
If you want things to be equal for everyone, you could try socialism, communism. But, even in those systems there are the haves and the have nots.
There were never any good old days when anyone could afford to buy a home wherever they wanted - who was not wealthy enough to do so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2sleepy
I disagree with you, things have changed a great deal; I don't recall a time when middle class wage earners were basically locked out of buying a home near any major metropolitan area in California as they are now. 15 years ago an accountant working for the City that I worked for made around 58k a year. My son is an accountant and works for county government in Northern California and makes around 60k a year. Fifteen years ago I sold a house in Solano County for 150k and that house recently sold for 340k. So basically for my son to buy a home he has to come up with a huge down payment or make payments of about twice what he would have 15 years ago for the same house. It has NOT always been this way.
I'm quite sure NoSnow's meaning isn't that housing was always out of reach as it is today for many. But rather that there's never been a time when all people could buy just any place they set their desires to be. In other words: Joe Blow working as a diesel mechanic could never have bought a home in Beverly Hills. So he'd have to buy elsewhere that prices were lower.
I'm quite sure NoSnow's meaning isn't that housing was always out of reach as it is today for many. But rather that there's never been a time when all people could buy just any place they set their desires to be. In other words: Joe Blow working as a diesel mechanic could never have bought a home in Beverly Hills. So he'd have to buy elsewhere that prices were lower.
I may have read more into it than she had intended.
I'm quite sure NoSnow's meaning isn't that housing was always out of reach as it is today for many. But rather that there's never been a time when all people could buy just any place they set their desires to be. In other words: Joe Blow working as a diesel mechanic could never have bought a home in Beverly Hills. So he'd have to buy elsewhere that prices were lower.
The rant by NoSnow was ridiculous. It's been debated already that profits are up, productivity is up yet wages remain stagnant. The bit about rising prices because of higher wage hikes is also a myth that's been busted several times. So most of his or her post was the typical right wing hooey.
The world has changed and the best people say us fix it or shut up. My point is that I'm fixing what I can for myself. People like NoSnow have this silly impression that I'm just complaining without improving my lot. I'm just recognizing the short end of the stick workers are getting in this era. It wasn't like this thirty years ago when wages were at their peak. Homeownership was never so out of reach. Yes there was always rich and poor but the ratio between the highest and lowest was never this huge.
NoSnow lost all credibility when he or she started ranting about communism. Right then there I thought great another typical baby boomer, pull yourself up by your bootstrap, moral superiority clap trap.
I disagree with you, things have changed a great deal; I don't recall a time when middle class wage earners were basically locked out of buying a home near any major metropolitan area in California as they are now. 15 years ago an accountant working for the City that I worked for made around 58k a year. My son is an accountant and works for county government in Northern California and makes around 60k a year. Fifteen years ago I sold a house in Solano County for 150k and that house recently sold for 340k. So basically for my son to buy a home he has to come up with a huge down payment or make payments of about twice what he would have 15 years ago for the same house. It has NOT always been this way.
I completely disagree. My daughter bought a house, on her own, with a salary of $80,000 in South Salinas, when the market crashed, for $190,000. She got an FHA loan with 3.5% down, which wrapped the closing costs into the mortgage. She was working in Monterey, and could only afford Salinas. Her friends were too good for a Salinas address, but she saw the sense in buying instead of renting.
Several year later, she got a job in the Bay Area, and rented out the Salinas house, and bought another house in Oakland in the hills, but on the edge of a sketchy neighborhood, but she has a view. Bought it for $315,000. She was by then making $110,000/year. Again, she got an FHA loan with 3.5% down. FHA let her get another loan, and keep the rental, because it was so far from her last employer.
So, yes, it can be done. But, you don't get to work in Monterey and live n Carmel. You don't get to work in Berkeley and live in the Berkeley Hills.
And this was just a few years ago. Don't even think about saying, Oh things have changed since 3 years ago. So, move to Tracy. It can be done.
Quote:
Originally Posted by radiolibre99
The rant by NoSnow was ridiculous. It's been debated already that profits are up, productivity is up yet wages remain stagnant. The bit about rising prices because of higher wage hikes is also a myth that's been busted several times. So most of his or her post was the typical right wing hooey.
The world has changed and the best people say us fix it or shut up. My point is that I'm fixing what I can for myself. People like NoSnow have this silly impression that I'm just complaining without improving my lot. I'm just recognizing the short end of the stick workers are getting in this era. It wasn't like this thirty years ago when wages were at their peak. Homeownership was never so out of reach. Yes there was always rich and poor but the ratio between the highest and lowest was never this huge.
NoSnow lost all credibility when he or she started ranting about communism. Right then there I thought great another typical baby boomer, pull yourself up by your bootstrap, moral superiority clap trap.
Well, first of all, I'm a "she."
30 years ago, okay that would be 1985. You're saying in 1985, anybody could afford to buy whatever they wanted, wherever they wanted, because the wages were so great.
In 1980, I was working in Bellingham, WA, as a single mother. I could only afford to buy a home in Sumas, WA. This was a 45 minute drive to Bellingham, on a good day. Of course, half the year, I would be dealing with ice and snow, so 45 minutes would turn into a lot longer, and a lot more stressful. And I did this with a sleeping child wrapped up in blankets in the back seat, because I was working a swing shift at a radio station, where I had to work 6 days a week. And for a woman, I was making a decent salary at the time.
There has never been a Shangri-La period in the U.S. You're using that as an excuse to sit on your butt and not do anything about it. So, sit on your butt and pay rent out the nose to live where you want to live.
Or, accept reality and move to somewhere you can afford.
You are the one defining the options here. If you are adamant that everyone in American should be able to afford the same piece of property, etc., then you are talking socialism and communism. That's not my answer. That's the option you have boxed yourself into.
We live in a capitalistic society. Supply and demand. If you can't play with the people who can afford to pay the going price, you have to move somewhere you can afford.
You figure out how to become someone with enough money to play, or you move somewhere cheaper.
Or you sit on your Mom's couch and eat her food and continue trying to convince her that she has to support you, because you have absolutely no other option on this earth.
I ain't buying your hard luck story. You get absolutely no sympathy from me.
Right then there I thought great another typical baby boomer, pull yourself up by your bootstrap, moral superiority clap trap.
Ok. You really just hit a point that I am tired of hearing from my own generation. What is so bad about the "pull yourself up from your bootstrap" mentality? That same mentality has led me from making $7.25 at Wal-Mart in Texas (five years ago) to where I am now about to finish my Ph.D. Why on earth would we want that type of mentality limited to just the baby-boomers?! Maybe it's the fact that we associate that mentality more with baby-boomers than us millennials that is the problem? Maybe it's because I work in schools where I see people my age every day that have little prospects, but also have no interest in EARNING prospects. My dad was a hippie. He dropped out of high school when he was 16 to go "live life." He had no prospects, and seemingly no future. It wasn't until he was 30 that he realized he could do better for himself, and started taking classes. He raised me to believe that this world will give me NOTHING, and if I just want to sit there accepting what I don't have then I will never have anything. Is California expensive? Yes. Is it worth it to live in California? That's up to you. How is it that we have become so demanding for what he have not earned for ourselves?!
Sorry. I'll get off my soapbox now.
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