Real estate-- calling the top.

[Martha]

Martha, have you been able to retrofit with hi-R insulation? I would imagine that insulation is very important where you are.

Ha

Nope. Our heating bill sucks.

 

[Martha]

. . . of which I'm sure have voided their gas, oil and antifreeze into the ground.

Sounds like you are married to a nurse.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Sounds like you are married to a nurse.

...With a purse!

 

[HFWR]

JG wannabe?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Not originally, it just sort of worked out that way. She'll quit working eventually, right now she enjoys it and only does it 2-3 days a week. I actually had a standalone ER plan that was self supporting. I do say that having a source of income is a nice plus.

If I was a JG wannabe, i'd tell everyone how great I was doing with no planning, while trying hard to not mention the working wife...

 

[uncledrz]

Nope.  Our heating bill sucks. 

I see a project for Greg in the future!

uncledrz

 

[greg]

I see a project for Greg in the future!

uncledrz

I don't! But I am working on some sort of DanTien plan for the near future.

Actually, if we decide to stay in this area there is a possibility of buying a little piece of land NEAR the city and putting up one of thos semi-fancy pre-built homes, about 900 sq.ft. with a wind mill and a 2000 sq.ft. Menards-type garage. With little birdies and bunnies and squirrels and growing veggies and flowers and a little pond, etc.--just like Walden Pond but with taxes and no regular chores.

--Greg

 

[Martha]

And I thought you were going to post about our attempt to try to insulate the kitchen by dropping little styrofoam balls into the half inch of dead space between the bricks and the plaster.

Foot thick brick walls. Lathe attached to brick. Plaster on top. No where to insulate but the roof. Which we did insulate.

 

[greg]

And I thought you were going to post about our attempt to try to insulate the kitchen by dropping little styrofoam balls into the half inch of dead space between the bricks and the plaster.

Foot thick brick walls. Lathe attached to brick. Plaster on top. No where to insulate but the roof. Which we did insulate.

And, of course, you realize you were eight feet away from me when you posted the above message. There's something wrong here.

BTW, when it's thirty degrees below zero, those little styrofoam balls dance in the walls. I can hear them--when the boiler isn't sucking up natuaral gas running.

--Greg

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Agree with this approach, but the
$50 per SF is too low. 
I use it sometimes,
but even out here in the sticks I think it is inadequate.

JG

DW has started to scan the real estate ads lately
(she either caught the bug from me or is thinking of moving out)

Anyway, she found a "fishing cabin" with 2 acres and river access
"remodeled" , about 600 SF, asking price.......35K. I told her to
look up the realtor's website. She did and I know right where
it is. It's in the flood plain (could be why it's been remodeled).
Anyway, I'm going to look at it just for grins. It's a lousy neighborhood, outside the city but convenient. The other day she spotted a 2BR ranch in decent shape for 20K asking. Again the
neighborhood was iffy, but outside the city and convenient.
She called. It sold for 18K, and this was NOT a fixer-upper.
We wouldn't live in either of these, but you could hardly lose
buying and holding (or flipping) at those prices.

JG.

 

[Honkie]

DW has started to scan the real estate ads lately
(she either caught the bug from me or is thinking of moving out) 

Anyway, she found a "fishing cabin" with 2 acres and river access
"remodeled" , about 600 SF, asking price.......35K.  I told her to
look up the realtor's website.  She did and I know right where
it is.  It's in the flood plain (could be why it's been remodeled).
Anyway, I'm going to look at it just for grins.  It's a lousy neighborhood, outside the city but convenient.  The other day she spotted a 2BR ranch in decent shape for 20K asking.  Again the
neighborhood was iffy, but outside the city and convenient.
She called.  It sold for 18K, and this was NOT a fixer-upper.
We wouldn't live in either of these, but you could hardly lose
buying and holding (or flipping) at those prices.

JG. 

In September 04, I paid $53,500 for a parking space in the lower basement parking level of my building.       

As we don't own a car, the space rents for $360 a month.

 

[Nords]

As we don't own a car, the space rents for $360 a month.

No maintenance, tenants can't trash it-- the perfect rental property!

 

[Honkie]

No maintenance, tenants can't trash it-- the perfect rental property!

Correct.

And if they don't pay the rent I have them towed.

 

[Michael Moore]

A friend who is a real estate agent was bringing some motorcycle parts over to me a couple of days ago, and I asked him what our 1100 sq foot 3bf/1ba house on a 25x120' lot was going for these days, and he said $650-700K.

That's so stupid.

We're 3 blocks from the ocean and 2 blocks from Golden Gate park, but it is far from being a ritzy neighborhood. But I suspect that San Francisco properties are likely to stay highly valued (even if they slump a bit) just due to the scarcity. In a 7x7 mile city, there just isn't much space, and no where to expand into.

Has anyone noticed how tortured the styling is on so many of the McMansions? How can people stand to live in such ugly places?

We wouldn't mind having more space in the house, but 2000-2500 sq ft would probably be just fine. If I could double the garage space to then I could get out of my rented warehouse space and have everything handy to me here at home.

Comparing real estate prices/values/properties in different parts of the country is an amusing pastime.

cheers,
Michael

 

[dougdo]

I sold in Seattle in mid-October. I think I got about as close to (this) top as I could get!

Of course the next timing bit of magic would be to know when to get back in...

 

[Mr._johngalt]

A friend who is a real estate agent was bringing some motorcycle parts over to me a couple of days ago, and I asked him what our 1100 sq foot 3bf/1ba house on a 25x120' lot was going for these days, and he said $650-700K.

That's so stupid.

We're 3 blocks from the ocean and 2 blocks from Golden Gate park, but it is far from being a ritzy neighborhood.  But I suspect that San Francisco properties are likely to stay highly valued (even if they slump a bit) just due to the scarcity.  In a 7x7 mile city, there just isn't much space, and no where to expand into.

Has anyone noticed how tortured the styling is on so many of the McMansions?  How can people stand to live in such ugly places?

We wouldn't mind having more space in the house, but 2000-2500 sq ft would probably be just fine.  If I could double the garage space to then I could get out of my rented warehouse space and have everything handy to me here at home.

Comparing real estate prices/values/properties in different parts of the country is an amusing pastime.

cheers,
Michael

Yep, it's amusing. In our area, unless you were on the water or the house was unusually fancy, it could go for under 100K.

JG

 

[ESRBob]

A friend who is a real estate agent was bringing some motorcycle parts over to me a couple of days ago, and I asked him what our 1100 sq foot 3bf/1ba house on a 25x120' lot was going for these days, and he said $650-700K.

Other Michael,
Unless you can bear living anywhere else, then you just have to be part of the insane SF prices.

My brother and his wife rent out their SF properties and live now in Mt Shasta. Apparently a lot of Bay Area types have made the move, too, but it's pickup and chainsaw country, so it won't be a fit for every San Franciscan. What about Portland? I doubt you could move into a bigger house anywhere in the Bay Area and save money, though. Can you add square footage where you are through a remodelling job?

I have been noodling around an idea that certain cities will 'demographically specialize' during the decades ahead. Sure young families won't necessarily find SF or NYC congenial, but these cities will specialize in being places where creative class professionals love to be and will pay top dollar to live in them. Other places will seek a more rounded approach and work hard to keep prices under control, schools strong, zoning congenial and so forth. But if a place like SF stays true to its liberal/creative roots, and preserve that feeling, there will alway be people willing to move from all over the world and pay up to live there.

 

[haha]

But if a place like SF stays true to its liberal/creative roots, and preserve that feeling, there will alway be people willing to move from all over the world and pay up to live there.

At least until the quake comes.

ha

 

[Mr._johngalt]

DW has started to scan the real estate ads lately
(she either caught the bug from me or is thinking of moving out) 

Anyway, she found a "fishing cabin" with 2 acres and river access
"remodeled" , about 600 SF, asking price.......35K.  I told her to
look up the realtor's website.  She did and I know right where
it is.  It's in the flood plain (could be why it's been remodeled).
Anyway, I'm going to look at it just for grins.  It's a lousy neighborhood, outside the city but convenient.  The other day she spotted a 2BR ranch in decent shape for 20K asking.  Again the
neighborhood was iffy, but outside the city and convenient.
She called.  It sold for 18K, and this was NOT a fixer-upper.
We wouldn't live in either of these, but you could hardly lose
buying and holding (or flipping) at those prices.

JG. 

I checked the "fishing cabin". Now, that neighborhood is REALLY
scary! Way worse than I expected. There should be a sign by
the entrance. ABANDON HOPE, ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE
Location, location, location.............

JG

 

[Sheryl]

Has anyone noticed how tortured the styling is on so many of the McMansions?  How can people stand to live in such ugly places?

Do NOT get me started. I could rant on this for pages. But I won't.

 

[Martha]

Do NOT get me started. I could rant on this for pages. But I won't.

It seems to be all about the square feet. Big ugly cavernous places with no character.

 

[boont]

"At least until the quake comes.

ha"


The quake already came and went. Mostly little damage as always now days. It is not 1906 anymore.

How do you like those hurricanes. They will be coming like clock work unlike earthquakes.

b.

 

[haha]

"At least until the quake comes.

ha"


The quake already came and went. Mostly little damage as always now days. It is not 1906 anymore.

How do you like those hurricanes. They will be coming like clock work unlike earthquakes.

b.

Loma Prieta? Surely you jest. 

Ha

 

[Helen]

I just paid my house off this summer. It's 1230 sqft on 3 acres with a trout stream in the back yard. I paid $100k for it 13 years ago. It's about 30 miles to Portland, OR where my partner and I both work.

After living in Boston for eight years this place is like heaven.

I would really hate to be a first time buyer right now. I would much rather wait for the blue light specials that will be occurring before too long.

A pending recession (check out that yield curve !), over leveraged society, ARMs and interest only mortgages - it's a train wreck waiting to happen.

-helen

 

[Spanky]

If you think rental property in SF is expensive, check out some of the hot rental properities in Hong Kong:

http://www.sallmannsres.com/hot/

Reference # 23940
Property Name Hillsborough Court
Mid-levels
Bedrooms 3
Bathrooms 2
Size 1369 sq feet
Price Rent: HK$45,000 inclusive (per month) USD = $5,700
An elegant 3-bed apartment in this sought-after and beautiful maintained development in upper Mid-Levels. Peaceful mountain views. Pool & Gym.

Reference # 26303
Property Name Broadwood Road,
Happy Valley
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 3.5
Size 4396 sq feet
Price Rent: HK$230,000 exclusive (USD $30,000) per month!!!
Stunning penthouse duplex in this prestigious new complex in Happy Valley. Separate family room, balcony, 2 covered carparks. Amazing views over the racecourse and city. Superb fittings throughout. Great clubhouse.

I wonder how do people afford this kind of rental given the income per capita of $26,810 in Hong Kong, China (it ranks 22nd while US ranks 4th)

http://www.finfacts.com/biz10/globalworldincomepercapita.htm