Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

I have a 2BR with a little over 800 sq. ft., and I pay $900/mo, in a trendy suburb of Detroit (no, not Royal Oak). I can walk to a nice little downtown with good restaurants. My only issue, since I changed jobs back in February, is the commute time the airport - about an hour usually, but I do it quite a bit. I'm thinking it would be nice to be in Plymouth, or even Ann Arbor, instead to cut that airport commute.

 

[bostonewe]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

The rent/home-ownership dilemma is where tcbg and I are at. We have a 2bed/2bath (about 1200 sq). for 1605/month. Has carport, snow removal, pool, 24hour gym, hot tub. Issue is that rent keeps going up. Our first lease (Aug. 2013) was 1350. Trying to find a house in the stupid inflated New England housing market means we'd be paying the same or more for a mortgage for a reasonable place and still be about 45 minutes from work.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

The rent/home-ownership dilemma is where tcbg and I are at. We have a 2bed/2bath (about 1200 sq). for 1605/month. Has carport, snow removal, pool, 24hour gym, hot tub. Issue is that rent keeps going up. Our first lease (Aug. 2013) was 1350. Trying to find a house in the stupid inflated New England housing market means we'd be paying the same or more for a mortgage for a reasonable place and still be about 45 minutes from work.

So I've gone up $200 in 10 years, and you $250 in 3 years...that's not right. And of course the mortgage/rent argument, yes I could afford a house here, in the area I live in (or nearby). Don't want nor need that responsibility for only me. The maintenance would drive me nuts.

 

[bostonewe]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

So I've gone up $200 in 10 years, and you $250 in 3 years...that's not right. And of course the mortgage/rent argument, yes I could afford a house here, in the area I live in (or nearby). Don't want nor need that responsibility for only me. The maintenance would drive me nuts.

That is where we're at (cost of maintenance vs. rent). Of course, the other issue is that if we choose to stay in NH (we literally can't afford Mass.), we also get killed in property taxes since NH does not have sales tax or income tax. The thought of moving into another temporary place (a different rental) is unappealing at this point and we actually have a good price for the size of the place we rent (relative to other rental properties). If I didn't love my job so much, we'd probably leave the area altogether.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

That is where we're at (cost of maintenance vs. rent). Of course, the other issue is that if we choose to stay in NH (we literally can't afford Mass.), we also get killed in property taxes since NH does not have sales tax or income tax. The thought of moving into another temporary place (a different rental) is unappealing at this point and we actually have a good price for the size of the place we rent (relative to other rental properties). If I didn't love my job so much, we'd probably leave the area altogether.

That's just crazy.

 

[bostonewe]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

That's just crazy.

Yup. Having the student loans that I do doesn't help. If I wasn't paying 1100$ a month in loan payments, we'd be able to stay in the area without a problem.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

Good morning to tLodge!

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

Good Morning, MEUSA!


Good Morning to the rest of tLodge!

 

[JF_Gophers]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

Morning.

Only 1 long weekend left and then back to 5 day work weeks. The horror!

Plus side, it was 70 F out yesterday. Reconfirming why I chose to move further south.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

Maintenance isn't terrible for my house. Though, it was built in 1994 so problems are just starting to surface. I'll probably have to replace the garage floor soon since the cracks are getting worse from the frost heave. The deck needs to be refinished and I just paid a healthy sum to have my fence removed so I could save my back.

I'm guessing the next thing to go might be the dishwasher, furnace, or AC. I expect at least another 10-15 out of the latter two, but I have concerns about the dishwasher. I'm going to have to take it apart and see if I can figure out why it's making that horrible noise.

 

[Greyeagle]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

$2300/month....do people think what kind of house they can get with that in the 'burbs?! Jesus.

I can definitely see the lure of living downtown and the premium one pays to do so & wouldn't be surprised if it's in our future, either owning or renting. Personally I would definitely pay a premium to be downtown over living in some 'burb where the houses are various shades of Mississippi mud.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

Work was dead today after an initial rush. I have no clue what to expect for the rest of the week.

As for rent, I have about an 825 sq ft apt, vaulted ceilings, W/D in unit, and a real fireplace (don't use it, maintenance is a beech on those things) and I am paying just shy of $1000/mo. 10 years ago it was $825, and the policy that has been in place since I moved in is: live here 10 years, rent is frozen at that 10 year price. I am about 15 minutes from downtown MPLS, nice neighborhood, a rich city (although you go a mile in just about any direction, you're in a different suburb), and I love it. $2300/month....do people think what kind of house they can get with that in the 'burbs?! Jesus.

1K around here would get you a place in the worst part of town with no amenities

That's just crazy.

Yes it is

Yup. Having the student loans that I do doesn't help. If I wasn't paying 1100$ a month in loan payments, we'd be able to stay in the area without a problem.

That is a pretty decent price. Right now, our mortgage is half that. If you got a modest condo I wonder if it would be worth the changes.

Maintenance isn't terrible for my house. Though, it was built in 1994 so problems are just starting to surface. I'll probably have to replace the garage floor soon since the cracks are getting worse from the frost heave. The deck needs to be refinished and I just paid a healthy sum to have my fence removed so I could save my back.

I'm guessing the next thing to go might be the dishwasher, furnace, or AC. I expect at least another 10-15 out of the latter two, but I have concerns about the dishwasher. I'm going to have to take it apart and see if I can figure out why it's making that horrible noise.

Our house was born in 1994- we have already had to replace roof, driveway, deck, kitchen cabinets (particle board garbage- when lil was lil'er he bowed out the fronts by pulling on the doors when they had baby locks). We just had it sided because we already had it painted X1 and it was a mess.

Happy Birthday FadeToBlack&Gold!!

Good Morning Lodge!

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

Oh ****. I forgot about the roof. I think mine just passed 15 years or so.

The biggest problem with newer homes is that they use crap materials compared to what they used to just to save a few bucks. My cabinets look to be fairly decent, but I don't have a toddler to conduct exhaustive quality testing. I'm glad I have maintenance-free siding. I would never have the time to paint and many, not all, painters suck for the price they charge.

I probably need to have the driveway re coated as well.

 

[Twitch Boy]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

3 bed, 3 bath condo. 2130(!) SF, cavernous living room and kitchen, yooge master bedroom, previous owner installed a bar in the basement, underground keypad garage with 2 spots, complex has a pool and nice green space. Built in 1974, will likely need some new appliances and a new water heater at some point but I have savings lined up for those. Might spring for a beefier furnace as well. Coat of paint wouldn't hurt either. Asking price was $229K, I offered $220K and the owner took it, no counter. I paid under asking price. IN DENVER. Don't ask me how. I don't know if I'm the luckiest person in Denver or the stupidest.

Dead nuts center of the Denver metro. Can walk to a King Soopers (Kroger,) as well as to a passable sports bar if I want to watch a game. 5 minute drive to a fairly ritzy outdoor bar district with restaurants that deliver to said bar. 5 minute drive to Old Chicago. 5 minute drive to Target. Can be on I-25 in under 10 minutes. Sub-10 minute drive to a Park and Ride if I want to take the light rail downtown. Can finesse the side streets and dodge most of the traffic.

Neighborhood is clearly older, but not too bad. Large ethnic population, particularly Jewish and Greek (the aforementioned King Soopers has a large kosher section.)

 

[mookie1995]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

s'upp y'all

here living in town (boston) is stupid, but i suppose when you compare to "saving" on gas and parking (mookie uses a garage that is quite "cheap" at only $17/day) it somewhat equals out in the give/take comparison.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

Oh ****. I forgot about the roof. I think mine just passed 15 years or so.

The biggest problem with newer homes is that they use crap materials compared to what they used to just to save a few bucks. My cabinets look to be fairly decent, but I don't have a toddler to conduct exhaustive quality testing. I'm glad I have maintenance-free siding. I would never have the time to paint and many, not all, painters suck for the price they charge.

I probably need to have the driveway re coated as well.

s'upp y'all

here living in town (boston) is stupid, but i suppose when you compare to "saving" on gas and parking (mookie uses a garage that is quite "cheap" at only $17/day) it somewhat equals out in the give/take comparison.

30 yrs ago I had a friend on the back of Beacon Hill paying 1600 for what amounted to a matchbox. Can't imagine what it is now.

 

[St. Clown]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

3 bed, 3 bath condo. 2130(!) SF, cavernous living room and kitchen, yooge master bedroom, previous owner installed a bar in the basement, underground keypad garage with 2 spots, complex has a pool and nice green space. Built in 1974, will likely need some new appliances and a new water heater at some point but I have savings lined up for those. Might spring for a beefier furnace as well. Coat of paint wouldn't hurt either. Asking price was $229K, I offered $220K and the owner took it, no counter. I paid under asking price. IN DENVER. Don't ask me how. I don't know if I'm the luckiest person in Denver or the stupidest.

I'm in a similar situation, except out in the 'burbs. 2700sq ft, living alone. The house is 12.5 years old now, so I've been doing some maintenance. My water heater had to be repaired, likely replaced in the next year or two, and I just replaced my water softener after it flooded out my basement three months ago. I also have to do some work on the drywall joints as the tape started to peel from the drywall boards, and I've noticed some drywalls nails that need to be reset into their studs. Resetting the nails is easy, but I don't want to deal with the wall patching and re-painting that goes with the fix.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

I wish there was a reliable way to have a primary shutoff valve on your water supply paired with a water sensor.

I know these exist but most have been discontinued or don't look terribly reliable. I could probably piece one together with a decent ASCO solenoid valve and a water switch coupled to a raspberry pi.

 

[JF_Gophers]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

2700 sq ft? Geezus. That's a ridiculous amount of space, even for 2 people.

We have 1900 sq ft (2 floors), and no basement and it feels like a giant space.

 

[St. Clown]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #188: Hockey Is The Real Politics

2700 sq ft? Geezus. That's a ridiculous amount of space, even for 2 people.

We have 1900 sq ft (2 floors), and no basement and it feels like a giant space.

It is a lot of space, much more than I need, in a rambler with a walkout basement. The design is such that there are only a few rooms, but they're all quite large compared the house where I was raised. Even with the low room count, there are two rooms I don't enter except to maintain them, and a third that I enter only because it's where I keep my modem, router and network printer.