Quote:
Originally Posted by The Apex
There are some places in PA you can get condos for these prices in neighborhoods with low crime. Townhomes are six figures.
I'm staying away from shared housing moving forward. I've had enough bad experiences with it from both roommates and neighbors, and I just generally just prefer being alone and having my own space. People and their bullshit seems to have multiplied during these times and I don't want to drop half my net-worth to listen to domestic violence all day etc.
Definitely not looking for any shared long-term housing like a condo, really just looking for a small detached house. I've seen quite a few house listings that are well within my budget even near the larger cities. I actually prefer more rural areas that have a 'drive into town' and these are even lower.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigBadBabar
housing market is pretty high right now - maybe even a bubble - i think it's pretty likely that in 6 months or a year you'd be able to get a lot more for your money. i don't think it's the right time to sink most/all of your savings into a property
Yeah, I've been looking into this possibility as well especially given the unique climate we're in right now. I'm not as tuned into markets as I used to be but there's always the obvious argument that it could go either way for a myriad of reasons, even when all the traditional indicators say it shouldn't (see: the US stock market right now).
In other words I could be waiting for something that might not come while my sanity and rent vanishes into the abyss. If I were currently under more favorable living conditions I'd certainly lean towards waiting, but as it stands I'm a little more impulsive/impatient.
On top of that with it being a cheaper house at 50-70% of my net worth purchased to live in for the foreseeable future and not as a financial instrument, even something as drastic as +/- 20% in price isn't going to make or break me. Waiting even 6 months is going to cost me $8400 in rent alone with 100% certainty(love CA).
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigBadBabar
i'd recommend moving wherever you want and looking to rent a stand-alone/detached place. i bet a lot of places would take a month-to-month (or 3 months or 6 months lease) arrangement. after a few months, see if you like the area, and if not, you can move somewhere else + rent again
this way you gather info on diff areas and you maintain financial flexibility for the near/medium term
This is a good idea, I was thinking of doing something close to this on a shorter timescale with Airbnbs/Extended Stays or something of the sort. I don't think I like the idea of doing it longer term though. I know the kind of areas I like living in(rural/suburb/city etc.) and have already spent a lot of time in each, so I think I can assess it pretty quickly without going so far as renting for months to check it out.
Frankly, I'm really tired of moving and having every place be so damn temporary. I spent all my college years and the few years after moving a lot, at least once a year, only one of which wasn't out of necessity(worst neighbors I've ever had). I'm really aching to finally have a place that actually feels like home.
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback, this gave me some things to look into.
Last edited by Mike Haven; 08-17-2020 at 05:41 AM.
Reason: 2 posts merged