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Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2015 6:12 am
by Ironhidensh
While own a home is great, and I wouldn't trade it for anything, sometimes it sucks a bit. For example, last night we signed the contract to have our roof replaced. That would be 12 grand gone from our savings. :BANG_HEAD:

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy we are doing this, and got a great price from a good company (yeah, that's a very good price). It'll improve the house, and take care of a couple of issues that could have negative health effects for the kids down the road. It just makes you think.

Actually being an adult (and especially a parent) is often never like we imagined it would be as kids. At least for me. What things have made you all stop and think? After all, we can't always talk about toys and stuff. ;)

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2015 10:44 am
by Rodimus Prime
I don't really know how well I can relate, as I don't have children (that I know of) nor do I own my own home yet. Coincidentally, this is a decision I'm approaching and fast. I'm almost 33, and I live in (i.e. rent) a friend's house. She moved away and couldn't sell the place for nearly what it's worth, so instead let me house sit/rent. That way it's not empty and burglar bait.

Anyway, the decision I have to make is whether to buy it from her or not. The upside is, I've been here for nearly 6 years, so I know the house inside and out, know exactly what needs to be done to improve it, no surprises. It's kind of like buying a car I've been test driving for 5 years. The downside is, it would be a lot more money to pay for mortgage than rent. I live by myself, so that would mean I'd be broke all the time, or would have to get a 2nd job, if I can find one. Also, I live in South Georgia, otherwise known as right outside the gates of hell. Not sure if I want to stay here. But if I move away, the cycle starts all over again, and there will be no stability. Like I said, I'm going on 33, which isn't old, but it's about damn time I start making plans to settle down.

It's a hard decision, and I don't know what to do. Like I said, this doesn't really relate exactly to the OP, but there it is.

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2015 12:12 pm
by Ironhidensh
I'd say it relates perfect. That kind of decision-making is really what being adults all about. Making decisions I have serious consequence, good or bad. And while I can't tell you, and won't tell you, what to do I think you're approaching it in the right direction. You're thinking things out long-term versus short-term. That's one big aspect to being an adult, I think.

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2015 2:10 pm
by Burn
I'm paying my bank money to live in a place where people will eventually find my dead body.

yays.

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2015 4:14 pm
by fenrir72
I own one 150 square meter apartment/home in the urban area and one 200 square meter vacation home near a resort town overlooking an active volcano. House repair/maintenance is kind of a pain. Taxes? Well we got death so no escape.

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2015 11:21 pm
by Samsonator
I bought a place once, worst decision of my life.

I've been working minimum wage (or just slightly above) jobs my entire life, living mostly paycheque to paycheque. It hasn't afforded me a great deal of wiggle room to do things like replace a roof, or (in my case) get a brand new fuel tank for my furnace, then fill it with fuel. I have virtually no savings (I mean, like... aside from retirement savings gaining interest, but I have no immediate access to that, and pulling any of it out prematurely would incur massive taxation on it) so even a $500 tank and about $500 of fuel just about did me in. Never mind the debt I managed to rack up while paying for a place that was completely outside my means. Financially, I've f***ed myself.

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2015 6:37 pm
by It Is Him
Ha. Adult things. I just bought a Consumer Reports guide for getting a new car. I've never looked at buying cars before. I walk to work most days, so I don't have to have one right now, but there are issues with my current wheels, and I don't want to put more money into it to fix them.

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2015 11:01 pm
by Editor
5 years ago:
Lived with girlfriend, 3 cats, and rented.
Now:
Married, 3 cats (2 are the same, 1 died, new one rescued) 3 year old child, and 2 years into a mortgage we'll be paying off for the next 20 years.

Yep, livin' the dream.

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2015 10:35 pm
by shajaki
I bought a house 6 (?) years ago now. It's a long story, but I kinda got talked into it and wasn't really happy about it. But after seeing what rental prices are now, I can't image paying more than my mortgage to own nothing in the end.

I had a car (and loan) which was a majorly bad deal. I rolled two different car loans into a third which I could only afford by making the term of the loan 7 years. But hey, young and dumb right? Well seven years later, car was paid off, then bam. Accident. Written off. Back to square one.

So I bought a new car last year (2014 Lancer Ralliart, 5 year term) which I could afford no problem with my rampant overtime at work. Well new management + dry spell = zero overtime. Now I did the math when buying, for a zero overtime paycheque. So I'm not completely stupid. I can afford whatever life throws at me, but not much in terms of the hobby. So I kinda regret getting such an expensive car, but it's not forever. I can get by.

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 7:01 pm
by Ironhidensh
And so the yearly struggle of yard work begins again.


Ripping out some old shrubbery and gutter drain repair. Think we will wait till next year to take out the rocks and put in a new flower bed.
Image

Freshly de-thatcher side lawn.
Image

My tractor and de-thatcher. Image


This is the swing set I built for my boys earlier this year. Just wanted to share as I couldn't remember if I already had or not.

Image

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 10:19 pm
by Insidious
I just closed on my first house in January of this year. It was definitely a process.

The big upside was definitely getting rid of that feeling that I'm just giving a chunk of my paycheck to some other person endlessly, month after month. Now I'll slowly have equity. And interest is tax deductible. It's a shame how much you really have to fight and claw to make any kind of headway in this world.

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 10:34 am
by wilcosu35
Know the feeling. It's Spring, so the yardwork starts again. Pull out the weeds, put some new plants in, and hopefully when it's dry and warm for a couple days, i can finally fix the leaks in my pond. If i ever have another pond, i'll get one of those pre-made plastic tubs instead of rubber foil so the bugs can't chew through it.
Meanwhile i'm not done inside yet. Hopefully that will be done this year.

And this first house won't be my last. I plan on moving to the eastern half of the country in the future (Netherlands), but i'll need to find a job there which i have no idea of how to accomplish both that and moving such a large distance.

In the meantime, like Burn said, i'll just pay off my house to the bank.

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 12:55 pm
by Counterpunch
After almost 10 years of school and moving around the east coast, we finally settled in and bought our first home.

(We also kicked our careers into overdrive and had a baby.)

Now, we skipped the starter home entirely and bought the house we always wanted. I have to say, it's changed the way I look at a lot of things. Between that and the baby, it's amazing to me how my attitude has shifted from getting "through things" to "getting things done."

I've never been the irresponsible type, but home ownership and having a child have definitely made me more proactive in life. I have all these things I want to do, but before I get into my hobbies, I'm always checking to make sure the things I have to do are taken care of.

I don't know how to explain it other than to say all my time is valuable. I literally weigh whether or not something is worth my time...all the time. I never just "kill time" by being idle. Video games, TV, slacking off...are all at a minimum or are at least scheduled events now.

I have too much going on. >:oP

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2016 6:55 pm
by 8 bit
My wife and I were doing okay in our apartment when we first moved in here. But one baby and a corgi later, it feels like we're bursting at the seams. We've got things lined up with a realtor this weekend, so it's time to start looking at buying a home.

We also chose an area that's bigger and has good schools, but it isn't the quiet, rural community that I grew up in. Compromise, it's what you do.

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 3:42 pm
by Haohmaru Man
i still live with my parents

in april ill move to mcallen to an apartment

then ill get a gf and a job

im 33

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Sat Sep 03, 2016 9:02 am
by Blast Cannon
I'm 29 and two years into a 25 year mortgage. My first child is due to be born early next year, the following March (2018) I'm getting married. This is all costing me a lot of money. Yay, adulthood.

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Sun Sep 04, 2016 7:51 pm
by Ballistic90
Living in a duplex house with my wife, newborn, toddler and corgi for about 5 years. Had the oil tank rupture in December, the water heater go in April, and now we need a new deck. My wife is an attorney, so she racked up a quarter million in loans. Not doing too badly i guess, but i need a better job that allows more flexibility and cash.

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 3:03 pm
by Ironhidensh
Work is really kicking the **** out of my ass the last couple if weeks. I hate this part of being an adult.

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 6:12 am
by It Is Him
Counterpunch wrote:After almost 10 years of school and moving around the east coast, we finally settled in and bought our first home.

(We also kicked our careers into overdrive and had a baby.)

Now, we skipped the starter home entirely and bought the house we always wanted. I have to say, it's changed the way I look at a lot of things. Between that and the baby, it's amazing to me how my attitude has shifted from getting "through things" to "getting things done."

I've never been the irresponsible type, but home ownership and having a child have definitely made me more proactive in life. I have all these things I want to do, but before I get into my hobbies, I'm always checking to make sure the things I have to do are taken care of.

I don't know how to explain it other than to say all my time is valuable. I literally weigh whether or not something is worth my time...all the time. I never just "kill time" by being idle. Video games, TV, slacking off...are all at a minimum or are at least scheduled events now.

I have too much going on. >:oP


That's exactly my life now. New house, new baby, significantly less free time. Last night I got to play video games for an hour uninterrupted, and it was glorious. Weekends are so much more crucial now.

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 7:58 am
by shajaki
I just had to drop a grand on my car for tires and an alignment. My lord, what I coulda bought 8-}

Re: Home Ownership and other Adulting things....

PostPosted: Fri Oct 07, 2016 11:34 pm
by Emerje
I bought my house just before Christmas in 2008. I missed out on the big Obama mortgage credit thing (whatever it was called) by a matter of a few days of the 1/1/2009 cut off. All thanks to the bank trying to rush things out before the new year. :roll:

At the time the house was only 10 years old (built in 1998), but the shingles looked a little rough, though not terrible. A year later they started disintegrating because the original owner bought "organic" shingles. WTF are organic shingles? Whatever they are they're terrible. Now I'm noticing some wet spots upstairs so I'm going to have to replace them soon. Some carpenters in my family tell me I'm looking at around $8,000 to replace them (it's a simple saltbox roof).

When people try to talk you into buying a house they'll say how great it is for your credit. Well your credit score might look good, but good luck getting a loan for repairs, your debt ratio will be destroyed. I learned that trying to buy a car a few years ago. Dealer had to set me up with a high interest special credit lender just so I could get something. But that just made my debt ratio worse so now I can't get the money to repair my roof. Yay adult stuff...

Emerje