patrick.net

New Renter says

How are the job prospects for newly minted Ph.D.s in economics vs where you are now?

Mouth the right propaganda and you'll do just fine.

taxee says

New Renter says

How are the job prospects for newly minted Ph.D.s in economics vs where you are now?

Mouth the right propaganda and you'll do just fine.

Shit you don't need a Ph.D. for THAT

We bought in Washington DC in late '95... turned out to be a perfect time as Mayor Marion 'Crackhead' Barry announced soon after buying he was leaving office - prices zoomed overnight. Our $255K house sold for $550K in late 2002.....and we probably didn't put $25,000 in updates in all that while. Net gain.

Moved to NorCal in late 2002. Weren't sure we were staying so we signed 2 year lease. We decided to stay, my business was so-so, so we leased for another 2 years. By 2006, housing prices were madness, so we signed on for another 2 years. By 2008, house prices came down a lot....but, I was too scared to commit scanning the carnage around...so we signed another 2 year lease. In 2010, we seriously looked at homes, but we didn't find anything that was priced reasonably....so we took another 2 year lease.

In mid-2012, we scouted and saw dozens of homes. One we loved back in 2010 was still on the market - at 20% less than in 2010. We have good credit and good income so we got a mortgage commitment from Union Bank and bid 10% less than asking and the owners gave in. It was just good timing - the owners had 2 teenage sons and couldn't afford college without ditching the house for something smaller (they built in 2000 so they had equity in it)

So, I don't know how to characterize myself: I've been a happy homeowner, a quasi-happy renter (except for saving money, it's hard for me to love the concept of renting) and a happy homeowner again.

A patient and lucky bastard might be the best description for me. Visiting Patrick.net every so often rounds out my knowledge level.