I'm not really sure if this post belongs here, but I didn't know where else to put it. Anyway, you all know how the latest get-rich-quick schemes invovle real estate, buying up property and then renting it out or selling it at a high price? Every fucking ramshackle house for rent here recently has a rental price of 600-700 bucks a month! The MAJORITY of people in this town are mill workers, meaning that the average worker is getting between 6-8 dollars an hour, unless you've been working there a few years and then you might be getting between 10-12 $ an hour. And there are tons of people who work in convienence stores, grocery store, fast food places, and so on. How the fuck are people supposed to afford that shit? I'm not even talking about nice, air-conditioned 3-4 bedroom homes, i'm talking about $700 a month for 2 bed, 1 bathroom, "needs work" type of homes. I hate arguing about shit like fucking welfare and the spoiled little brats that think only lazy crackheads get it, and anyone who needs assisstance is a lazy bum. How the fuck are people supposed to afford that shit? Not everyone is born into a wealthy home, not everyone can be a fucking doctor or lawyer, not everyone can live off of mumsy and dadsy forever, but yet they're still expected to pay like they do? Alot of times these houses aren't even properly insulated, so even the electric bills are double what they should normally be (ours was $400 this month alone). I'm just pissed that someone has to go bust ass for a min. wage job supplying burgers or fabric or car parts for some snot nosed brats, and yet still barely be able to put a roof over their heads, much less pay the bills. I guess I should stop looking at the newspaper classified ads. </rant>
You know those low interest rates that everyone thinks are so great? Well, we are on the brink of a foreclosure epidemic in this country as millions of americans have taken on loans that they can't truly afford in a stable economic environment. The banks took advantage of the low interest rates by feasting on people who truly didn't qualify for these loans in the longterm. It was a short term benefit for the banking industry that will come back and bite them in the ass. Real Estate values historically outpace inflation, however expect this too change drastically, especially ten years from now when baby boomers retire. The values of real estate in retiree communitees will sky rocket due to the demand there, but in many other parts of the nation they will plummet.
So all we have to if we want to buy a house or rent at a decent price is wait until all the baby boomers start getting pensioned off?
Rent does suck, but it's better than being homeless. I 'm in PA and there are plenty apts. around four hundred.
Yea, Pennsylvania isn't bad at all, I rented a condo in Enola, about 10 minutes from Harrisburg or Carlisle, with washer & dryer, dishwasher, large open spaces, kitchen, dining, large living room, 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, balcony, and storage space for $600. The master bedroom was pretty awesome, and the walk in closet was a nice experience. But rent is still rent, and those dirtbags don't need anymore money than they already have. Not all of them are dirtbags either, just most of them. Now I live with my family again on a nice 110 acre property. We've got a barn and plently of woods to relax in, as well as a mile of creek frontage to fish in. I am truly lucky, because I realized that my family is something I can always count on, so if I am going to put my dollars into anything, I might as well settle for investing back in to the well being of my family and friends. We've got a large farmhouse here and a few of my closest friends from the last 10-15 years stay here as well. Collectively, we all make this happen, for a lot less than it would take to be on our own somewhere. And it's really beautiful seeing how much you can accomplish when everyone is on the same page. There are some drawbacks, because you have to deal with everyone everyday, and not everyone is pleasant on a day to day basis. But I am truly thankful for what we've created here, because it has been far better than any other living experience I have ever had elsewhere. I'm lucky for the family I have, as well as the friends I have, because we all work together so well, and if it wasn't for the people involved, it might be much more difficult.
Hah ! try living in california, you'll have plenty to rant about. 700 for a studio. That is why i bought a ratty old trailer. My rent ,with water and trash included is 270 a month. and we own the trailer so the landlord cannot snoop when we are not home. I been ranting about rent for decades- it does not help the prices keep skyrocketing. Buy a trailer and some land it would be cheaper.
