Community Chat

[RedTop]

Our home was built right size to begin with; downsizing does not exist in our world.  In most instances, my family lived in their house until they died, some reluctantly moved in with family or family moved in with them, or by medical assessment they had to go into assisted living / nursing home care.   That's just how it's always been with my family; I am not aware of anyone in my family ever, "downsizing" from a large house to a smaller one.   

[Deanie]

---

@hopi wrote:

Media propaganda continuting to pit old against the young, classes against each other to avoid the real issues at hand. 

None of the other facts are ever pointed out.

The market is flooded with homes that have been foreclosed on.

---

Very bright lady

[Tinkrbl44]

---

@stevieb wrote:

---

@JAXS Mom wrote:

Stupid article and I'm not a baby boomer. He seems to be forgetting that many areas had a massive housing boom in the 90's-early 2000s before the real estate crash and the crash glutted the market with REOs. Plus birth rates have been down for a very long time only recently starting to rise from about a seven year low. I have no idea where he gets the idea we have a housing shortage and rising prices. Many areas of the country have very stagnant housing prices right now. But what do I know? He's the so called economist. 

---

Really...  This entire article increasingly strikes me as some sort of spin, (at best), or a pipe dream. I'd like to know more about these rising prices, because where I live, too, prices seem rather stagnant, and if they're rising at all, it's gradual and isn't any huge jump. I didn't buy during the bubble and I'd have trouble selling today and getting what I paid. It could probably be done but I surely wouldn't be looking for any quick sale.

---

No kidding ........   What the author of this article skims right over is that the real estate market ain't what it used to be, and everyone is adjusting accordingly.    

For my parents and grandparents homes, the prices all eventually went up, never down, even in depressed areas.    Real estate (only) rising was a sure thing for those generations.

[millieshops]

@Puzzle Piece--  Why do you assume all low income poeple are low lifes or worse that eveyone with money isn't one?  Plenty of the monied are people I would not care to live near.

[novamc1]

There's no point in feeling "offended" by the tone or the facts in that article.   What the author was saying is exactly what Realtors all over the country (maybe not in every area but in many) are reporting.

Having been a licensed member of that industry for several decades, I can unequivocably state that the "clogged up" market for first-time buyers and starter homes of modest size and price does exist.

A perfect example of that is what happened when I put my father's house on the market in the same zip code where I live now.  He bought the house when it was newly built in the 1950s.  He would never have turned loose of it if he had not been forced to do so.....he was in an assisted living facility and his insurance company would no longer insure the vacant house.

Well....... the .house went on the market and, within 48 hours, received 15 offers, many of them from first-time buyers and others from builders who were going to tear it down, just as other old homes all over town are being torn down.  I was not willing to foist this very flawed  house on a first-timer who naively thought all it needed was a "little fixing up" and sold it "as is" to the first bidder, a builder who wrote a contract for more than the list price, sight unseen, the minute he saw it in the multiple listings online.  

  Anything in our market priced under $1 million flies off the market in no time, because that is a price range which many younger households can afford in our area.

There is a distinct shortage of these lower priced homes around here.  Not only are the older folks not selling, but the builders are snapping up the ones that are for sale and replacing them with larger, more expensive ones. 

The  minute an older person decides to downsize and move out, he'll have no trouble finding a buyer (or a dozen of 'em).  However, not enough affordable housing for these seniors exists around here either, so they benefit financially by staying put.

I personally receive letters and phone calls from builders, buyers and Realtors asking if we're interested in selling our home.  Nope.......not in a position to do that  yet, but do want to move far away in the not-too-distant future.  If I even wanted to move to a smaller  place in our area, it would cost as much or more as I would get from selling, so what would be the point?  Many older people here are experiencing the same thing.

[jubilant]

My wish is to hopefully leave our home to the kids and help them out a little if we can when we are gone.  

[Nancy Drew]

---

@biancardi wrote:

---

@Jackaranda wrote:

---

@biancardi wrote:

apartment rents are going up the roof because of this.  What needs to be done should be to create more apartments for those who want or need to live in one.  Housing prices are obsence and out of control. 

Not everyone wants to own a home and yet apartment dwelling is considered a 2nd class living in the states.  In europe, apartment dwelling is normal and nothing to worry about.

---

------------

Good for Europe but we don't live there.

---

---

@Jackaranda wrote:

---

@biancardi wrote:

apartment rents are going up the roof because of this.  What needs to be done should be to create more apartments for those who want or need to live in one.  Housing prices are obsence and out of control. 

Not everyone wants to own a home and yet apartment dwelling is considered a 2nd class living in the states.  In europe, apartment dwelling is normal and nothing to worry about.

---

------------

Good for Europe but we don't live there.

---

Wow.  people are hostile over this.  Look, more americans rent than own now in this country, and they shouldn't be treated like it is abnormal

In fact, rental increases cause people to pay more than 30% of their paycheck which is quite high, for their rents.

housing is scarce where new jobs are being created, so people do have to rent, unless they want really long commutes, which take away from family time, not to mention if you live in the north, you are dealing with horrible weather during the winter months.

I am not saying people should be booted out of their homes- please stay there!  What I am saying is that apartment dwelling should not be looked down at and we need to have more buildings that are span all incomes - the new ones being created out here are for those who make a lot of money - 300K and up, as a 2 bedroom in those communities goes for at least $3000 to 3500 a month

---

-----------

Hostel? Umnnn if you say so.

[mstyrion 1]

---

@Jackaranda wrote:

---

@biancardi wrote:

---

@Jackaranda wrote:

---

@biancardi wrote:

apartment rents are going up the roof because of this.  What needs to be done should be to create more apartments for those who want or need to live in one.  Housing prices are obsence and out of control. 

Not everyone wants to own a home and yet apartment dwelling is considered a 2nd class living in the states.  In europe, apartment dwelling is normal and nothing to worry about.

---

------------

Good for Europe but we don't live there.

---

---

@Jackaranda wrote:

---

@biancardi wrote:

apartment rents are going up the roof because of this.  What needs to be done should be to create more apartments for those who want or need to live in one.  Housing prices are obsence and out of control. 

Not everyone wants to own a home and yet apartment dwelling is considered a 2nd class living in the states.  In europe, apartment dwelling is normal and nothing to worry about.

---

------------

Good for Europe but we don't live there.

---

Wow.  people are hostile over this.  Look, more americans rent than own now in this country, and they shouldn't be treated like it is abnormal

In fact, rental increases cause people to pay more than 30% of their paycheck which is quite high, for their rents.

housing is scarce where new jobs are being created, so people do have to rent, unless they want really long commutes, which take away from family time, not to mention if you live in the north, you are dealing with horrible weather during the winter months.

I am not saying people should be booted out of their homes- please stay there!  What I am saying is that apartment dwelling should not be looked down at and we need to have more buildings that are span all incomes - the new ones being created out here are for those who make a lot of money - 300K and up, as a 2 bedroom in those communities goes for at least $3000 to 3500 a month

---

-----------

Hostel? Umnnn if you say so.

---

____________________________________________

I see some if not hostility, than downright bigotry coming through loud and clear.

So, yeah.  She says so and I will agree.

I had to giggle at "hostel" when it followed the European comment.  That would take the discussion off in a whole new direction!   

[Tinkrbl44]

---

@Jackaranda wrote:

---

@biancardi wrote:

---

@Jackaranda wrote:

---

@biancardi wrote:

apartment rents are going up the roof because of this.  What needs to be done should be to create more apartments for those who want or need to live in one.  Housing prices are obsence and out of control. 

Not everyone wants to own a home and yet apartment dwelling is considered a 2nd class living in the states.  In europe, apartment dwelling is normal and nothing to worry about.

---

------------

Good for Europe but we don't live there.

---

---

@Jackaranda wrote:

---

@biancardi wrote:

apartment rents are going up the roof because of this.  What needs to be done should be to create more apartments for those who want or need to live in one.  Housing prices are obsence and out of control. 

Not everyone wants to own a home and yet apartment dwelling is considered a 2nd class living in the states.  In europe, apartment dwelling is normal and nothing to worry about.

---

------------

Good for Europe but we don't live there.

---

Wow.  people are hostile over this.  Look, more americans rent than own now in this country, and they shouldn't be treated like it is abnormal

In fact, rental increases cause people to pay more than 30% of their paycheck which is quite high, for their rents.

housing is scarce where new jobs are being created, so people do have to rent, unless they want really long commutes, which take away from family time, not to mention if you live in the north, you are dealing with horrible weather during the winter months.

I am not saying people should be booted out of their homes- please stay there!  What I am saying is that apartment dwelling should not be looked down at and we need to have more buildings that are span all incomes - the new ones being created out here are for those who make a lot of money - 300K and up, as a 2 bedroom in those communities goes for at least $3000 to 3500 a month

---

-----------

Hostel? Umnnn if you say so.

---

  What??    No, not hostel ..... it's hostile.

[biancardi]

---

@Jackaranda wrote:

---

@biancardi wrote:

---

@Jackaranda wrote:

---

@biancardi wrote:

apartment rents are going up the roof because of this.  What needs to be done should be to create more apartments for those who want or need to live in one.  Housing prices are obsence and out of control. 

Not everyone wants to own a home and yet apartment dwelling is considered a 2nd class living in the states.  In europe, apartment dwelling is normal and nothing to worry about.

---

------------

Good for Europe but we don't live there.

---

---

@Jackaranda wrote:

---

@biancardi wrote:

apartment rents are going up the roof because of this.  What needs to be done should be to create more apartments for those who want or need to live in one.  Housing prices are obsence and out of control. 

Not everyone wants to own a home and yet apartment dwelling is considered a 2nd class living in the states.  In europe, apartment dwelling is normal and nothing to worry about.

---

------------

Good for Europe but we don't live there.

---

Wow.  people are hostile over this.  Look, more americans rent than own now in this country, and they shouldn't be treated like it is abnormal

In fact, rental increases cause people to pay more than 30% of their paycheck which is quite high, for their rents.

housing is scarce where new jobs are being created, so people do have to rent, unless they want really long commutes, which take away from family time, not to mention if you live in the north, you are dealing with horrible weather during the winter months.

I am not saying people should be booted out of their homes- please stay there!  What I am saying is that apartment dwelling should not be looked down at and we need to have more buildings that are span all incomes - the new ones being created out here are for those who make a lot of money - 300K and up, as a 2 bedroom in those communities goes for at least $3000 to 3500 a month

---

-----------

Hostel? Umnnn if you say so.

---

actually, I didn't - you did.  I never mentioned hostel, which is are low priced hotels/dorms very popular with tourists in europe.