Community Chat

[proudlyfromNJ]

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@FiddleDeeDee wrote:

For all the doom and gloom constantly spewed by the media, the fact is that 85% of the population is doing fine or better financially. Houses are selling with no issue no matter the person I ask (all over the US). My movers are booked daily through October. As per 2 young men I know who work for Amazon and UPS, LOTS of deliveries from Restoration Hardware, Wayfair, Pottery Barn-more than they've seen (some should be considered freight due to their weight). Contractors are BUSY. OMG, are they. People are gutting their bathrooms and kitchens ($15,000 average and $35,000 average in my area) plus new floors and paint in record numbers. This isn't chump change we're talking. The contractor doing my bathrooms informed me that kitchens are being designed in ways that remind him of the 50's: areas for canning, pantries for storing root vegis and staples, extra large fridges and freezers....people want room to cook and store. Usually they do "show me" kitchens...not now.

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@FiddleDeeDee  Wow. You are really in the know. Our Real Estate companies were closed for awhile and didn't open up till recently. What area of the country are you in? I'm not sure I have seen all this happening here. Still need the stock market to go back to normal to recoup what we lost so we aren't doing better financially.

[Porcelain]

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@SharkE wrote:

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@Porcelain wrote:

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@SharkE wrote:

I wouldn't live in a apartment for all of the world's gold.

JMO

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We are fortunate we have a choice.

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We lived in a mobille home for yrs till we could afford a home.

Saved our money.

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There are people who have similar disdain for mobile homes. Not me, though. I'm all for people doing the best they can with what they can afford and what is available to them. Some just live at home with parents until they save up a down payment. There are lots of different paths to a good place.

[FiddleDeeDee]

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@proudlyfromNJ wrote:

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@FiddleDeeDee wrote:

For all the doom and gloom constantly spewed by the media, the fact is that 85% of the population is doing fine or better financially. Houses are selling with no issue no matter the person I ask (all over the US). My movers are booked daily through October. As per 2 young men I know who work for Amazon and UPS, LOTS of deliveries from Restoration Hardware, Wayfair, Pottery Barn-more than they've seen (some should be considered freight due to their weight). Contractors are BUSY. OMG, are they. People are gutting their bathrooms and kitchens ($15,000 average and $35,000 average in my area) plus new floors and paint in record numbers. This isn't chump change we're talking. The contractor doing my bathrooms informed me that kitchens are being designed in ways that remind him of the 50's: areas for canning, pantries for storing root vegis and staples, extra large fridges and freezers....people want room to cook and store. Usually they do "show me" kitchens...not now.

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@FiddleDeeDee  Wow. You are really in the know. Our Real Estate companies were closed for awhile and didn't open up till recently. What area of the country are you in? I'm not sure I have seen all this happening here. Still need the stock market to go back to normal to recoup what we lost so we aren't doing better financially.

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@proudlyfromNJ  No, I'm really not. This past year has been horrible between both of us losing our jobs and my moms' death. We have been faced with having to deal with the housing market as it was forced upon us (like so many others). In the end, knowledge is power and you MUST research the facts so you can make the best choice for you and those you love. The amount of time we've put into moving, trends, finance reports, etc is extensive. Do we move or wait it out and see if a job comes along? Cost of living here vs there? How far will our money go here vs there? What do we think is going to happen going forward? We spoke to those in the same boat about moving, renting, buying and to those we trust who work in the industry. In the end, I pray that the choices we've made ARE the best for our family; that's all we can do.

We are on the East Coast. Moveing from Chevy Chase MD (just over the DC line) to Florida.

[lynnie61]

@FiddleDeeDee   oh my.  I hope it all works out for you.  Both jobs lost and your moms passing.  Many face issues during the pandemic, and some aren’t thankful enough.  I wish you the best in all you do and best of luck on your move.  Keep the faith.  Blessings!  

[Greeneyedlady21]

85% of the population is doing fine or better financially? What is the legitimate source for that claim? 

Lots of retired people here who make claims based upon their own secure living situations. This happens often here. There are real people truly struggling, beyond what you can see.

[Greeneyedlady21]

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@FiddleDeeDee wrote:

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@proudlyfromNJ wrote:

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@FiddleDeeDee wrote:

For all the doom and gloom constantly spewed by the media, the fact is that 85% of the population is doing fine or better financially. Houses are selling with no issue no matter the person I ask (all over the US). My movers are booked daily through October. As per 2 young men I know who work for Amazon and UPS, LOTS of deliveries from Restoration Hardware, Wayfair, Pottery Barn-more than they've seen (some should be considered freight due to their weight). Contractors are BUSY. OMG, are they. People are gutting their bathrooms and kitchens ($15,000 average and $35,000 average in my area) plus new floors and paint in record numbers. This isn't chump change we're talking. The contractor doing my bathrooms informed me that kitchens are being designed in ways that remind him of the 50's: areas for canning, pantries for storing root vegis and staples, extra large fridges and freezers....people want room to cook and store. Usually they do "show me" kitchens...not now.

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@FiddleDeeDee  Wow. You are really in the know. Our Real Estate companies were closed for awhile and didn't open up till recently. What area of the country are you in? I'm not sure I have seen all this happening here. Still need the stock market to go back to normal to recoup what we lost so we aren't doing better financially.

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@proudlyfromNJ  No, I'm really not. This past year has been horrible between both of us losing our jobs and my moms' death. We have been faced with having to deal with the housing market as it was forced upon us (like so many others). In the end, knowledge is power and you MUST research the facts so you can make the best choice for you and those you love. The amount of time we've put into moving, trends, finance reports, etc is extensive. Do we move or wait it out and see if a job comes along? Cost of living here vs there? How far will our money go here vs there? What do we think is going to happen going forward? We spoke to those in the same boat about moving, renting, buying and to those we trust who work in the industry. In the end, I pray that the choices we've made ARE the best for our family; that's all we can do.

We are on the East Coast. Moveing from Chevy Chase MD (just over the DC line) to Florida.

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It's nice that things are working out for you. It's just not fair to state that 85% of people are doing as well or better, there's no basis for such a claim.

[suzyQ3]

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@SharkE wrote:

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@Porcelain wrote:

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@SharkE wrote:

I wouldn't live in a apartment for all of the world's gold.

JMO

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We are fortunate we have a choice.

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We lived in a mobille home for yrs till we could afford a home.

Saved our money.

---

Again, very fortunate for you that you were able to save enough money. But there are many, many people that scrape by every month without a dime to spare. They are hard-pressed to pay rent, let alone buy a home. Not everybody has a share of the American dream.

[ROMARY]

I'm only guessing that many of these buyers have very, very secure jobs...........that or cash purchases.

Of course, I'm talking from a very high priced (now-a-days)  market area.  

[Mindy D]

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@FiddleDeeDee wrote:

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@proudlyfromNJ wrote:

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@FiddleDeeDee wrote:

For all the doom and gloom constantly spewed by the media, the fact is that 85% of the population is doing fine or better financially. Houses are selling with no issue no matter the person I ask (all over the US). My movers are booked daily through October. As per 2 young men I know who work for Amazon and UPS, LOTS of deliveries from Restoration Hardware, Wayfair, Pottery Barn-more than they've seen (some should be considered freight due to their weight). Contractors are BUSY. OMG, are they. People are gutting their bathrooms and kitchens ($15,000 average and $35,000 average in my area) plus new floors and paint in record numbers. This isn't chump change we're talking. The contractor doing my bathrooms informed me that kitchens are being designed in ways that remind him of the 50's: areas for canning, pantries for storing root vegis and staples, extra large fridges and freezers....people want room to cook and store. Usually they do "show me" kitchens...not now.

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@FiddleDeeDee  Wow. You are really in the know. Our Real Estate companies were closed for awhile and didn't open up till recently. What area of the country are you in? I'm not sure I have seen all this happening here. Still need the stock market to go back to normal to recoup what we lost so we aren't doing better financially.

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@proudlyfromNJ  No, I'm really not. This past year has been horrible between both of us losing our jobs and my moms' death. We have been faced with having to deal with the housing market as it was forced upon us (like so many others). In the end, knowledge is power and you MUST research the facts so you can make the best choice for you and those you love. The amount of time we've put into moving, trends, finance reports, etc is extensive. Do we move or wait it out and see if a job comes along? Cost of living here vs there? How far will our money go here vs there? What do we think is going to happen going forward? We spoke to those in the same boat about moving, renting, buying and to those we trust who work in the industry. In the end, I pray that the choices we've made ARE the best for our family; that's all we can do.

We are on the East Coast. Moveing from Chevy Chase MD (just over the DC line) to Florida.

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@proudlyfromNJHi. I live in S. Florida. I sincerely hope you thought checked into what your homeowners insurance will cost for your new place. Prices have skyrocket. I just got an unexpected $4000 increase over last year's premium. Our friend owns two homes near the water. We haven't discussed this in five years, but five years ago, he was paying approximately 12k in homeowners insurance for each Home. That's 24k for just the insurance on the two homes. I haven't asked him what he's paying now with the big increases we've had. The other thing to check is what your property taxes will be. Mine have jumped. I own my own home and it should have been easy to afford to live here in retirement but these costs are prohibitive. You should also consider how fast exteriors of properties deteriorate here due to the climate. Then there's health ins. Coverage. If you are both Medicare eligible or have some type of coverage, you'll be OK, but the ACA Plans for people in their 50s and 60s is out of control. If you buy a home in S. Florida, buy one with every hurricane proof improvement you can get. Newer roof with hurricane tie downs and hip roof, not flat, Hurricane improved doors and garage doors, impact glass or accordion shutters. Concrete block construction. You will save thousands if you are buying a single family home with these improvements. Check to see if your new place is in an evacuation zone.

[proudlyfromNJ]

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@Mindy D wrote:

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@FiddleDeeDee wrote:

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@proudlyfromNJ wrote:

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@FiddleDeeDee wrote:

For all the doom and gloom constantly spewed by the media, the fact is that 85% of the population is doing fine or better financially. Houses are selling with no issue no matter the person I ask (all over the US). My movers are booked daily through October. As per 2 young men I know who work for Amazon and UPS, LOTS of deliveries from Restoration Hardware, Wayfair, Pottery Barn-more than they've seen (some should be considered freight due to their weight). Contractors are BUSY. OMG, are they. People are gutting their bathrooms and kitchens ($15,000 average and $35,000 average in my area) plus new floors and paint in record numbers. This isn't chump change we're talking. The contractor doing my bathrooms informed me that kitchens are being designed in ways that remind him of the 50's: areas for canning, pantries for storing root vegis and staples, extra large fridges and freezers....people want room to cook and store. Usually they do "show me" kitchens...not now.

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@FiddleDeeDee  Wow. You are really in the know. Our Real Estate companies were closed for awhile and didn't open up till recently. What area of the country are you in? I'm not sure I have seen all this happening here. Still need the stock market to go back to normal to recoup what we lost so we aren't doing better financially.

---

@proudlyfromNJ  No, I'm really not. This past year has been horrible between both of us losing our jobs and my moms' death. We have been faced with having to deal with the housing market as it was forced upon us (like so many others). In the end, knowledge is power and you MUST research the facts so you can make the best choice for you and those you love. The amount of time we've put into moving, trends, finance reports, etc is extensive. Do we move or wait it out and see if a job comes along? Cost of living here vs there? How far will our money go here vs there? What do we think is going to happen going forward? We spoke to those in the same boat about moving, renting, buying and to those we trust who work in the industry. In the end, I pray that the choices we've made ARE the best for our family; that's all we can do.

We are on the East Coast. Moveing from Chevy Chase MD (just over the DC line) to Florida.

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@proudlyfromNJHi. I live in S. Florida. I sincerely hope you thought checked into what your homeowners insurance will cost for your new place. Prices have skyrocket. I just got an unexpected $4000 increase over last year's premium. Our friend owns two homes near the water. We haven't discussed this in five years, but five years ago, he was paying approximately 12k in homeowners insurance for each Home. That's 24k for just the insurance on the two homes. I haven't asked him what he's paying now with the big increases we've had. The other thing to check is what your property taxes will be. Mine have jumped. I own my own home and it should have been easy to afford to live here in retirement but these costs are prohibitive. You should also consider how fast exteriors of properties deteriorate here due to the climate. 

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@Mindy D  Hi Mindy. I'm not moving anywhere. I think you mean @FiddleDeeDee .