15-06-2004 00:23									#91
	Got spare money?

I used to live in Orange County, Ca. My first apartment was $520/month in 1986. It was an ugly apartment, but all I could afford. There was only two washing machines. My car was broken into. There was a several arson fires in the dumpster. There was no hot water for 2 months. There were not enough parking spaces for everyone. The were bugs. My next door neighbor would pee out of his window every Saturday (but not Sunday) morning...

Later I lived in one other apartment building. Much nicer, but I was on a main road. I could hear traffic outside 24/7...($690 in 1990)

I moved to Tucson, AZ. For $520, I had a much bigger apartment then I ever had. Shade trees. It was quiet. There was a pool and a workout room. There was a club house. I had an actual parking space...

In 1994 we bought a house here. $120,000. We just sold it for $160,000. (1432sq ft) (in a nice area). We just bought a 2 story (4br, 2.5bath, 2700sq ft) for $175,000.

I'm glad I moved from CA.

	15-06-2004 01:40									#92
	Increase the size of your Attachments

If I moved out of California then I'd move to the Pacific North West.

	15-06-2004 04:01									#93
	Inflate your Upload Space

quote: Real estate should be more affordable in Iraq too - in case you want to go native (a la Lawrence).

but the cost of insurance and security would be insane.

	15-06-2004 04:03									#94
	Increase the size of your Attachments

I just found an apartment in Fargo to live in while I am going ti college. It's a studio apartemnt with rent of $275/month. Heat and CABLE are included.

	15-06-2004 05:10									#95
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

Yes, but then I'd have to live in Fargo.

	15-06-2004 05:25									#96
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

The same floor plan I'm bidding on only a few blocks away sold for $300,000 in December and was sold 60 days later for $360,000. Back in feburary my dad bid $351,000 on a forclosed example of the same house in this complex, which he won and is now in escrow, but as you can see it is already worth $40,000 more easily.

	15-06-2004 08:05									#97
	Inflate your Upload Space

Oerdin, there are plent of 100% loans out there without PMI. The interesting thing is that there are secondary market loans available for less cost than conforming loans. Wall Street tends to lag the bond market on secondary securitizations. One of the competitors that gives me a lot of problems id World Savings Bank. They have some really good rates if you push them.

The point is, that your financing is just as important as the home you select. Shop around...there are few businesses right now that are as competitive as mortgage lending.

	15-06-2004 20:19									#98
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

I want to live in a stone tower in a rich green field, surrounded by forest.

	16-06-2004 00:21									#99
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

He accepted my offer of $395,000! I'm going to put down 3% as a deposit and sign all of the forms before I leave. Happy days.

Plato: What sort of loan package do you recommend? I'm not real keen on a interest only loan but I would like a 5/1 more then an adjustable for obvious reasons.

	16-06-2004 00:24									#100
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

congratulations, Oerdin

	16-06-2004 00:37									#101
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

welcome to the real world of absurd property prices.

The current Average price for an Apartment in NYC is 1 million dollars. Obviously the extra expensive multimillion dollar apartment buildings in Manhattan make it so high.

Now if we could only build 500,000 units of affrodable housing four our masses of poor...but that ain't going to happen.

	16-06-2004 00:52									#102
	Put an end to popups!

quote: Originally posted by DanS Most homeowners have their own yard. California must be a great place, but I would evaluate how great it really is versus the cost to live there. There are some really nice places to live in the U.S. at very reasonable cost. In suburbia Columbus, Ohio where I grew up, $400,000 would buy quite a spread. Even today, after prices have gone up. The economy is doing well too.

Columbus also has too many fat white people that smoke...

	16-06-2004 00:54									#103
	Woo Hoo Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

Oerdin is on his way to home ownership. Now he just needs to rent out to babes he can hit on.

	16-06-2004 00:55									#104
	Increase Your PM Length

quote: Originally posted by Oerdin If I moved out of California then I'd move to the Pacific North West.

the northwest doesnt want you. they hate californians up here. they complain about how we steal their land and raise their costs.

You also have to think about what kind of job you can get up here.

	16-06-2004 00:58									#105
	Re: Woo Hoo Got spare money?

quote: Originally posted by pchang Oerdin is on his way to home ownership. Now he just needs to rent out to babes he can hit on.

Home ownership is one of the biggest finacial burdens of the middle class-people count their homes as an asset, but what kind of asset is it if they keep sinking money into it? The best it can be is leverage on new loans, but that is just added debt.

	16-06-2004 01:01									#106
	Tired of ads?

i think people should start buying homes in their mid 20s and then have a progressively larger debt payment year by year.

	16-06-2004 03:00									#107
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

quote: Originally posted by MRT144 the northwest doesnt want you. they hate californians up here. they complain about how we steal their land and raise their costs. You also have to think about what kind of job you can get up here.

Same in Arizona...They complain about not enough high paying jobs. Then they complain if anyone wants to build anything out here.

	16-06-2004 03:26									#108
	Re: Woo Hoo Support Apolyton

quote: Originally posted by pchang Oerdin is on his way to home ownership. Now he just needs to rent out to babes he can hit on.

I filled out the paper work a few hours ago. There were dozens of forms to be completed on every subject from lead based paint disclaimers to legal certificates that the house has low flow toilets but everything is over now. Of course my checking account is now $10,000 lighter since I had to leave a deposit and in order to qualify for the 80/10/10 loan my father generously offered to give the remaining $30,000 needed to avoid PMI. I'm really lucky to have my family. I would never have been able to afford such and expensive property if it wasn't for my father's support. I'm lucky because if I didn't have him I'd probably have to move out of state.

The sucky thing is I leave tonight so I won't be here when the escrow closes. The house looks great with fresh paint and new carpet. The carpet is cheap but it's brand spanking new plus the lenolium floors will have to be ripped out and replaced with real tiles and I'll eventually need to pour a proper back patio but it is all mine. Well, mine and the banks. I plan to rent it out while I'm away in IRaq but don't tell the bank that. They'd want a bigger deposit if they knew I was doing that and I think $40k is more then enough already. I think I can get between $1650-$1850 per month for rent so I'll only have to reach into my own pocket for property taxes and part of the home owners associiation dues. I'm really happy folks.

	16-06-2004 03:34									#109
	Got spare money?

About 30 seconds ago we just had an earthquake in San Diego. It was a small one with just a bit of delay between the "P" and the "S" wave. That means the center was close by; as a geologist I get off on this sort of stuff. It may sound wierd but it's good to be home.

	16-06-2004 04:01									#110
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Have your dad check the new place for possible earthquake damage. Earthquake insurance is very expensive, but I think necessary in CA.

	16-06-2004 05:39									#111
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Yeah, I felt it at the Food Court at the exchange. At first I thought a 18-wheeler was going by. Or something 'sploded.

	16-06-2004 08:06									#112
	Put an end to popups!

Oerdin is going to go back to Iraq and when he comes back he is going to have a million dollar house.

	18-06-2004 17:53									#113
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

Man, oh man. My father sent me a NEWSPAPER ARTICLE about home prices in San Diego. The average price is up to $500,000 now while just 6 months ago the average price was slightly over $400,000. That means houses have appriciated 25% in the last 6 months!

They say the rate of increase will go down some what but even if it only does 10%-15% for the rest of the year that will still be an over all 30%-45% for one year. I wish I'd bought my house six months ago. I would have $100,000 by now though as it is I probably already have $25k.

	18-06-2004 18:44									#114
	Remove this text

290K just down from me 4 bdrm >3000sf

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	18-06-2004 18:47									#115
	Get a bigger avatar today!

"I wish I'd bought my house six months ago. I would have $100,000 by now though as it is I probably already have $25k."

Most of the problems housing markets get into are caused by that sort of thinking. It's typical inflation-beating thinking. "I'd better by now before prices go up". Once this thought is widespread it becomes self-fulfilling, until a critical point is reached and the predominant thought is "I'd better sell now before others do". Choosing your timing is like trying to bet on roulette, you'll either get lucky or you won't.

	18-06-2004 22:17									#116
	Remove this text

quote: 290K just down from me 4 bdrm >3000sf

niiiice.

Once the trees grow, it will look even nicer.

	19-06-2004 08:16									#117
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

quote: Originally posted by pchang Have your dad check the new place for possible earthquake damage. Earthquake insurance is very expensive, but I think necessary in CA.

He should also check for FIRE insurance as well. It's a total pain in the azz to get from everyone I know who has bought a house recently.

	19-06-2004 12:05									#118
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

I imagine I will have to get some sort of insurence but I'd rather not if I can help it. This place, unlike my parents' house, is well back from any canyon lands.

	19-06-2004 14:16									#119
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

What about home owner's insurence? What does it cover and what doesn't it cover? I'm sure the bank will want me to have it but I don't know the first thing about buying it.

	19-06-2004 17:10									#120
	Put an end to popups!

quote: Originally posted by DanS niiiice. Once the trees grow, it will look even nicer.

I have bigger house, more land (1/2 acre), lots of damn black walnut trees, and paid 240K (but its a little older and not brick).