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Is buying a house (ever) a good idea?


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2012 May 30, 7:52am   30,464 views  107 comments

by Patrick   ➕follow (59)   💰tip   ignore  

Posted for Patrick.net reader B.

Patrick --
Something I don't read about much is whether it's still a good idea to even
consider buying a house at all, at any price, ever.

Things have changed so much in the last 15 years or so. How many people have
real job security? Apart from federal employees, not that many people. Fifteen
years ago the economy was way more stable, you could pretty much bet on having
a job the next year so you could pay your mortgage.

Second, most existing houses were built for a world that no longer exists --a
world where energy was cheap (to heat and cool your house, to drive to and from
the house,etc), a world where the economy was almost always expanding, where
jobs were plentiful and well paid, for the most part. A world where property
taxes, repairs, insurance and utilities were usually reasonable. None of those
things are cheap anymore. Most houses are also poorly located too far from good
mass transit, shopping, jobs, etc, since city planning in most US cities has
been so poor. Not to mention that most US houses are at best of mediocre
construction quality, built with cheaper materials, requiring constant and
expensive maintenance.

Buying a house in an unstable economy with declining job prospects means that
it's unlikely you will be able to sell the house down the road in a few years
for what you paid, thus you won't be able to move to another area in case your
job evaporates and the local economy tanks. Federal loans can't prop up the
housing market forever, and the economy really no longer needs that many people
to function, with automation and outsourcing.

The single family home may be an artifact from an earlier time that served a
purpose for a time, but for the above reasons may just not work anymore for
most people. Times have changed, but people remain stuck in the thinking that
owning a house is wonderful, profitable, always a good idea, etc. Many houses
that sell for substantial amounts even now may be basically worthless in 10 or
15 more years, for the above reasons.

B.

#housing

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100   MoneySheep   2012 Jun 1, 12:00am  

edvard2 says

I would disagree with this for a number of reasons. Basically because if you compare real estate to overall stocks in the long run stocks outperform real estate by a fairly good margin. In many circles its suggested to take as long as possible to pay off a house. In doing so you're taking the money you're not spending on a mortgage payment and putting it into investments that will over the long run give you more return. Likewise if you pay for a house with cash, your cash is then tied up to again- an investment that isn't going to perform as well and in many ways puts the money at more of a risk come something awful- like if you lost the house for some reason.

edvard2 says

But besides the point, if you're about to buy a house, in my opinion you should already have a sizable amount of not only cash, but retirement savings as well.

I think we have some "similar thought". The idea is to have lots of savings first, then buy a house. When you have more than enough cash to pay for house, you can choose to pay a portion of the price in cash, the rest in loans. But you know you have enough cash available to wipe it clean if you choose to.

Eventually, a paid for house relieve you from financial stress, and you can go about your life peacefully.

101   KILLERJANE   2012 Jun 1, 2:51am  

@edvard and the like of savings, retirement funds

Cash? What? It is just paper! Fiat. The country has major problems. Cash is paper with only the value we and the rest of the planet value it at. Recently I have read of other countries trading for oil in a basket of other currencies.

I would rather have clean water, food, shelter.

Cash? Think about what that really is.

What happened to the retirement funds 3, 4 years ago cAn happen again. I talk to some retirees who work at home depot because of a loss of retirement funds.

102   freak80   2012 Jun 1, 2:56am  

KILLERJANE says

Cash? Think about what that really is.

It's what you must get AFTER money, but BEFORE ho's...

103   KILLERJANE   2012 Jun 1, 2:59am  

Ho's? They won't accept your cash if it only is worth the paper it's printed on, better head to mcDs for a BIG MAC barter, IMHO.

104   Bigsby   2012 Jun 1, 1:25pm  

Troll Hunter says

And you can continue to make misrepresentations. And we will be here to expose them and you.

Have you found yourself yet?

105   Bigsby   2012 Jun 2, 2:58am  

Troll Hunter says

Bigsby says

Troll Hunter says

And you can continue to make misrepresentations. And we will be here to expose them and you.

Have you found yourself yet?

Have you stopped lying yet?

Put your glasses on. It might help.

106   rufita11   2012 Jun 3, 8:03am  

Austin TX says

You can call me the King of England if you want, Scam. Show me the proof. What exactly am I lying about???

My wife is the cupcake. And only I get to call her that...

Thank you for the craving. One which will forever go unfulfilled. Well, unless I make the cupcake myself with honey and all organic, fair trade, gluten free, non-GMO, kosher ingredients.

107   David9   2012 Jun 3, 9:17am  

Fraud. Fraud. Fraud.

I just don't believe anyone would be this tear down property for $333,000, it was even first listed at $232,000. There is even a post on this site somewhere.

Well, the comps are higher. Multi Bids!

http://www.redfin.com/CA/Encino/17840-Collins-St-91316/home/4088644?utm_medium=email&utm_source=myredfin&utm_campaign=listings_update

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