I don't care for size of the house. My 2k square feet where I am currently residing are completely fine. The fuck am I going to do with 6k square feet? Store a bunch of trash/junk I don't need? nah .. I am looking for 2000-2800sq feet tops. And I am acutely aware that I don't need to be spending 15k a month to live... so hence the search for something more reasonablegolftdibrad1 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 01, 2024 10:18 amfrom the pics / description of your home, you could pick a plethora of nice places medium size cities in 'flyover country' of the midwest / south in a similar size home and easily live on 8k a month. Hell, even with inflated home prices my area has faced, its hella doable. We are able to cover bills on my income alone (~7k month after taxes but not including health insurance). I did get my home before prices really took of tho, but its also triple the size of your CA suburbia paradise. Ideally with interest rates as they are at the moment you would own your housing outright to 'retire' on a fixed income; otherwise you are pissing money away.max225 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 01, 2024 8:56 am
That is the frustration though… most places that are comparable cost the same or more.
Yes I’m aware I can go and buy a 200k track home in BFE Texas but I got a kid to raise and I don’t want to die within 5 min of being outside for 100 days of “ summer “ so that ain’t happening.
I wouldn't be purchasing a home with a mortgage if I am in BFE so interest rates are pretty irrelevant to me at this point. Here are my priorities.
1. Prop Taxes, as you don't own anything in this country and you're renting from the gov this needs to be kept in check. My current $1500 a month for that is just lunacy.
2. Utility/Power/Insurance at reasonable rates
3. Access to a major airport within 1 hr drive. No not a regional airport. Something with direct flights to NY/Florida/International
4. Decent climate, I am ok with winter but I am not ok with Texas summers
5. Good education facilities accessible
6. Some sort of nature/something geologically interesting
7. Low crime/no homeless
8. Some cultural diversity.