The Swamp

sancarlos wrote: ↑Thu Mar 04, 2021 3:03 pm

mister d wrote: ↑Thu Mar 04, 2021 2:36 pm I think any kind of local public transportation is the worst because of the knowledge you could end it by leaving, but you also won't just leave because then your trip will take longer. And you'd know it could be over at any second if they left at the next stop, so when they don't, its additive. There's something about being trapped in an airplane that avoids the internal struggle which only compounds the pain.

I used to hate it on a plane when I was single. But then later, my daughter was three years old and it was HER that was crying. I was so embarrassed and so grateful for the kindness of a few others. Now, it doesn't bother me at all, because I feel nostalgic and grateful for kind people.

Yeah, unlike how it was before I had kids, my main reaction to a screaming baby on a plane is sympathy for the parents.

What kind of animal doesn't allow for screaming in the dentist chair

HaulCitgo wrote: ↑Thu Mar 04, 2021 7:07 pm What kind of animal doesn't allow for screaming in the dentist chair

I think it was holding a screaming baby while in the chair. Seems like an issue.

Screaming is always allowed at the dentist. Full stop.

Maybe I'm just fiending for more listings, but it seems like Tucson's inventory is even smaller all of a sudden.

I have to search all the way up to $450K to get an amount of hits equal to 4 plus months ago @ $320K.

Johnnie wrote: ↑Fri Mar 05, 2021 6:53 pm Maybe I'm just fiending for more listings, but it seems like Tucson's inventory is even smaller all of a sudden.

I have to search all the way up to $450K to get an amount of hits equal to 4 plus months ago @ $320K.

Same here. There's nothing on the market.

Rates creeping up too.

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Thu Mar 04, 2021 2:03 pm

BSF21 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 04, 2021 10:45 am

A_B wrote: ↑Wed Mar 03, 2021 7:25 pm

mister d wrote: ↑Wed Mar 03, 2021 7:17 pm

I miss moving.

You’re a monster.

Yea, that's psychotic. Moving is a top 5 worst human activity on a list that includes death and dismemberment, war crimes, and listening to a screaming baby in a restaurant that the parents are ignoring.

Oh, another good threadjack: Worst place to be trapped with a screaming baby!

Airplane is up there, as you really have no place to go.

(Also brings up the MASH scene where they are on the bus... The one with Hawkeye in the psych ward where he keeps saying it's a chicken making all the fuss while the N. Koreans are searching the area. That episode FUCKED ME UP as a kid.)

In the car stuck in traffic.

My roommate wants me out by September, which I kind of agreed with because we're sick of each other with him working from home since Covid started. Timing is horrendous since my salary has basically been halved and my career future is unknown. I should be making more by September, but who knows. Here are my problems; the rental market is crazy and I really want to live alone. I would probably be spending much more on rent than a potential mortgage payment, and I would need to tap into my savings which is supposed to go to my future down payment. On the other hand, the market sucks for buyers here, and I don't know what banks would even accept with my shitty salary (despite having a lot for a down payment). With interest rates low, would it make sense to just do a smaller down payment and have the savings available for payments until my job situation improves? Or am I better off with a bigger down payment, so I have lower payments and end up saving on interest? Or is it safer to waste money on rent for a year until things hopefully settle down.

I think a lot of it depends on how long-term you're thinking here. Buying into a high market at low interest only works if you're planning on staying long-term where you can wait out market ups and downs and (presumably) finish up.

EdRomero wrote: ↑Tue Mar 16, 2021 1:50 pmWith interest rates low, would it make sense to just do a smaller down payment and have the savings available for payments until my job situation improves?

I have no idea about whether it's better to buy or rent right now, but if you do buy, I would do a smaller down payment until the job situation improves, with the idea that once the job situation does improve, you can do a lump sum payment against principal at that time and possibly also increase your payments.

I'm very risk averse when it comes to debt, so I place a pretty high value on knowing I have several months of debt payments in the bank in case it takes a while to find the right job. Relatedly, that would make you less likely to feel forced to take a bad job out of the need to make payments right away.

Try to find a mortgage broker who can check with multiple banks for you. I had some trouble finding a banker for my refinance loan, since I’m retired and don’t have much income. But we found a couple who would do it. Just closed last Friday.

Closed on refinances for both of my mortgages yesterday. 2.5% and 15 years for my house and 2.65% and 15 years for my condo. Dropped something like 11 years off one mortgage and 8 on the other. My house payment goes up slightly and my condo payment actually goes down! Crazy rates.

Refi closes at 2.375 for 15 on Thursday. Gonna essentially end up getting paid to do this.

sancarlos wrote: ↑Tue Mar 16, 2021 4:09 pm Try to find a mortgage broker who can check with multiple banks for you. I had some trouble finding a banker for my refinance loan, since I’m retired and don’t have much income. But we found a couple who would do it. Just closed last Friday.

THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS

Got a seven-year new car loan for 2.5 percent. Ordinarily there's no way in hell that I would finance a car for that long, but at that interest rate I figured it'd be irresponsible not to.

mister d wrote: ↑Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:00 pm I think a lot of it depends on how long-term you're thinking here. Buying into a high market at low interest only works if you're planning on staying long-term where you can wait out market ups and downs and (presumably) finish up.

Thanks and that's the big question, which if I addressed years ago would have helped me not be in this situation now (or I could be dealing with a mortgage I couldn't afford right now). I still have the fantasy of moving away, but my mother and now my local running group is really making me want to stay where I am for now.

Steve, I am with you on not wanting to be in too much debt to the point where I have been way too conservative with my money (but saving has allowed me to be comfortable through my job turmoil). Is a good mortgage broker something I can just google?

Renting is still tempting because there are fewer surprise expenses and not as much commitment, but it feels like throwing away $20k a year without building any equity.

Make sure you run all the numbers regarding building equity.

When we bought our house (before the turn of the century), our payment went up by $200 over rent, but we were only building $100 per month in equity. Luckily we broke even because of the tax break, but that was when the standard deduction was a lot lower.

Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Tue Mar 16, 2021 7:19 pm Got a seven-year new car loan for 2.5 percent. Ordinarily there's no way in hell that I would finance a car for that long, but at that interest rate I figured it'd be irresponsible not to.

Haven't seen that, but I've seen 2% here for 48, 60, or 72 mo.

EdRomero wrote: ↑Tue Mar 16, 2021 8:27 pm

mister d wrote: ↑Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:00 pm I think a lot of it depends on how long-term you're thinking here. Buying into a high market at low interest only works if you're planning on staying long-term where you can wait out market ups and downs and (presumably) finish up.

Thanks and that's the big question, which if I addressed years ago would have helped me not be in this situation now (or I could be dealing with a mortgage I couldn't afford right now). I still have the fantasy of moving away, but my mother and now my local running group is really making me want to stay where I am for now.

Steve, I am with you on not wanting to be in too much debt to the point where I have been way too conservative with my money (but saving has allowed me to be comfortable through my job turmoil). Is a good mortgage broker something I can just google?

Renting is still tempting because there are fewer surprise expenses and not as much commitment, but it feels like throwing away $20k a year without building any equity.

Running groups are so great. I haven't really connected with the main one here, but we don't miss a session with the one in Black Mountain when we're up there.

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Tue Mar 16, 2021 8:38 pm

Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Tue Mar 16, 2021 7:19 pm Got a seven-year new car loan for 2.5 percent. Ordinarily there's no way in hell that I would finance a car for that long, but at that interest rate I figured it'd be irresponsible not to.

Haven't seen that, but I've seen 2% here for 48, 60, or 72 mo.

Shit, I meant 6 years. 72 months.

I’d you have the money no reason to not do that. Of course certain companies were offering zero percent on five emyears last summer I think. It’s nuts. Gotta move inventory.

Touchy subject. I had a Highlander for 12 or 13 years and then we went with a Rav4 and hated it, so December 2019 we decided to do a "last family car" purchase. Despite good deals for the time of year, things probably would have worked out much better if we'd known a pandemic was coming.

mister d wrote: ↑Wed Mar 17, 2021 8:37 am Touchy subject. I had a Highlander for 12 or 13 years and then we went with a Rav4 and hated it, so December 2019 we decided to do a "last family car" purchase. Despite good deals for the time of year, things probably would have worked out much better if we'd known a pandemic was coming.

Oof.

We've had a Highlander (hybrid) since 2013. The daughter turns 18 on Monday, so we're giving that to her - and we just bought a Rav 4 hybrid to replace it.

So far I'm absolutely loving it. I've been wanting Subaru to do a hybrid Outback for 10 years. They haven't done that, but the Rav 4 has evolved into basically the same thing.

Locked in 3.125 on a 30 last night, whole point less than my previous.

We did the whole point drop too. Essentially wiped out most of our car payment if you look at it that way.

Mine covers the rent drop I gave my tenant in Portland due to the pandemic :/. Someday it'll translate to money in my pocket though.

#notalllandlords

Im also in the one-point-drop club, too. We did get a 30 year and only had 21 left on the old one. But the plan is to throw extra principal payment each month to shorten the remaining years left.

Lotsa signing yesterday. Save dat money.

A little bit more than a month in.. making it ours. Contractors are almost done putting it back together.. and i finally put my office/library/bar together.. have quite a few bottles of unopened liquor that will need to be opened!

the house next door had remained empty duirng the winter.. the owners are snowbirds.. came back two weeks ago, nice older couple.. told us they are selling their house and moving to florida full time. Last weekend saw at least 20 couples or families go in, know of at least one offer (well above what we paid) which was not accepted. Also i've jokingly told the selling agent (same one that sold us ours) i'll sit on the deck where they can see me as they walk the driveway, and depending on who it is, will keep or remove items of clothing. Only half kidding.
Waiting on the town to approve the fence permit (fence will be expensive.. thanks Covid!)

elflaco2 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 10:51 am A little bit more than a month in.. making it ours. Contractors are almost done putting it back together.. and i finally put my office/library/bar together.. have quite a few bottles of unopened liquor that will need to be opened!

the house next door had remained empty duirng the winter.. the owners are snowbirds.. came back two weeks ago, nice older couple.. told us they are selling their house and moving to florida full time. Last weekend saw at least 20 couples or families go in, know of at least one offer (well above what we paid) which was not accepted. Also i've jokingly told the selling agent (same one that sold us ours) i'll sit on the deck where they can see me as they walk the driveway, and depending on who it is, will keep or remove items of clothing. Only half kidding.
Waiting on the town to approve the fence permit (fence will be expensive.. thanks Covid!)

If you need any help opening those liquor bottles, let me know.

I don't see any action on the house next door with the horrible neighbors, and everything in my town is selling within weeks way over what it should be going for. They are being so stupid in selling. They listed $300,000 higher than the list price they failed to sell at last summer, they rehired the realtor who failed to get an offer for a year prior, and they did get an offer with a new realtor, it just fell through during the 6 month closing period. Realtor only works in a town 20 minutes away selling commercial property and multiple family homes in the $300,000 range, while this is listed at $1.1 million. They took down all of the extremely good photos (from the same broker) and replaced them with terrible iPhone pics with very dark lighting, and the pics are really small on sites. They still haven't taken the long dead balloons off the mailbox or back of the house from a raging party they threw in July or August, there are beer cans strewn in the yard. They still haven't covered or cleaned their pool (and the listing specifies no pool), they have numerous news papers left in the driveway that look like giant piles of cat puke because they are so decomposed. I was comparing this house to one around the corner that went up for $990,000. The other house is new construction, but the yard is 1/3 the size, and the house is 2,000 sq ft smaller. The other house had 10 times as many people viewing the Zillow listing, and had 400 saves compared to 15 on the one next door. I wish they let me handle the listing, I need to get that thing sold!

I assume some of these conditions could warrant calls to the town(ship), no?

house is coming together. expect we'll have folks over soon enough. my hammock stand came today. shopping for a fire pit (gas) for the deck.
most unopened bottles are whiskey/scotch/bourbon from my 50th a few months back.

mister d wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 12:36 pm I assume some of these conditions could warrant calls to the town(ship), no?

I looked up the permits, they never submitted permits for the pool. I spoke with the permit office to see if they could require them to clean or cover the pool before mosquito season. She told me to email a picture of the pool, and she would pressure them to remove the pool. The house went on the market before I emailed, and I don’t want to raise permit flags for potential buyers. When the house listing specifically said no pool, I was hoping they were removing it.

elflaco2 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 12:36 pm house is coming together. expect we'll have folks over soon enough. my hammock stand came today. shopping for a fire pit (gas) for the deck.
most unopened bottles are whiskey/scotch/bourbon from my 50th a few months back.

You know who loves new houses, hot sauce, fire pits, and whiskey? People who coach NJ HS XC along with people who have children who run NJ HS XC. And Mr. D. (I think that’s every swamper in NJ).

as soon as the permit is in, the fence will go in.
i spent my post easter lunch nap on the hammock on the deck.
already mentioned to the mrs about the need for the spit... and we went to the butcher saturday to inquire as to a whole lamb..

just saying.

elflaco2 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 04, 2021 7:26 pm as soon as the permit is in, the fence will go in.
i spent my post easter lunch nap on the hammock on the deck.
already mentioned to the mrs about the need for the spit... and we went to the butcher saturday to inquire as to a whole lamb..

just saying.

You are going to need some help with that lamb...

the people that bought my house are putting it up for sale 14 months after purchasing it

I'm intrigued to see how much home prices have increased in KC in that time because of the pandemic and how many of the improvements that I made to the house are listed as attributes. I don't think they did much other than paint -- the yard was pretty damn perfect and it already looks terrible.

Brontoburglar wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 1:54 pm the people that bought my house are putting it up for sale 14 months after purchasing it

I'm intrigued to see how much home prices have increased in KC in that time because of the pandemic and how many of the improvements that I made to the house are listed as attributes. I don't think they did much other than paint -- the yard was pretty damn perfect and it already looks terrible.

Mine did that. Painted it, put a fence up, changed the gutters +40K