Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-16-2013, 10:58 AM   #61
Moderator Emeritus
Bestwifeever's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 17,773
Quote:
Originally Posted by Danmar View Post
OK I'm leaving myself wide open for criticism here. We have 4 places with the following yearly costs: Canmore-$36k, Ontario lake house $40k (although much higher this year), Toronto condo-$24k, Arizona about $90k (although we are still getting this place into shape). This includes some travel to get between the places. Certainly not cheap. The value of our personal use real estate represents about 20% of our net worth. Really enjoy these places but certainly not a life style for everyone.
I am an excellent house sitter, just so you know. No criticism here either.
__________________
“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
Bestwifeever is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 11-16-2013, 11:13 AM   #62
Full time employment: Posting here.
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 969
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bestwifeever View Post
I am an excellent house sitter, just so you know. No criticism here either.
+1 here. Although, I am only a good house sitter in warm climates; so, I would be useless most of the year in at least 75% of your properties. AZ summers don't frighten me a bit though.

Seriously, it sounds like you are enjoying your choices and have the means to support them; so, please ignore any criticism you do get, here or elsewhere.
__________________
If there's one thing in my life that's missing; It's the time I spend alone
Sailing on the cool and bright clear waters; There's lots of those friendly people
Showin me ways to go; And I never want to lose your inspiration
CoolChange is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 11:19 AM   #63
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
NW-Bound's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 35,712
Should I count RV-related expenses as housing costs? After all, I lived in it for many weeks each year. Cheap class C motorhome as it is, the little beast is thirsty!

Nah. I will keep classifying its costs under travel.
NW-Bound is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 11:36 AM   #64
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
MRG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 11,078
I'm moving.

MRG
MRG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 12:00 PM   #65
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: St. Louis
Posts: 1,563
Quote:
Originally Posted by Danmar View Post
OK I'm leaving myself wide open for criticism here. We have 4 places with the following yearly costs: Canmore-$36k, Ontario lake house $40k (although much higher this year), Toronto condo-$24k, Arizona about $90k (although we are still getting this place into shape). This includes some travel to get between the places. Certainly not cheap. The value of our personal use real estate represents about 20% of our net worth. Really enjoy these places but certainly not a life style for everyone.
Danmar you win on the high side LOL
Looks like aaronc879 is the winner on the low side.

Good job guys you both sound like you are having fun. aaronc879 I admire you. You are one of my role models on this forum. It is very interesting to me what it cost to live in different parts of the country.
FANOFJESUS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 12:34 PM   #66
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,342
Quote:
Originally Posted by rec7 View Post
Danmar you win on the high side LOL
Looks like aaronc879 is the winner on the low side.

Good job guys you both sound like you are having fun. aaronc879 I admire you. You are one of my role models on this forum. It is interesting to me what it cost to live in different parts of the country.
I'd rather have his means but i'm better off than many. I will likely downsize in the not too distant future.
aaronc879 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 12:46 PM   #67
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: St. Louis
Posts: 1,563
Quote:
Originally Posted by aaronc879 View Post
I'd rather have his means but i'm better off than many. I will likely downsize in the not too distant future.
Do you think you can bring your housing cost down some more?
FANOFJESUS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 12:47 PM   #68
Moderator Emeritus
Ronstar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 16,543
My Az condo checks in at:

taxes 1500
HOA 2920
Utils 2427
Ins 500
Total 7347
Ronstar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 12:54 PM   #69
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: St. Louis
Posts: 1,563
aaronc879 we are living on 15k-16k here in MO for our overall budget. But our housing cost is about 2k higher that yours. Good job aaronc879
FANOFJESUS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 12:58 PM   #70
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Major Tom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SF East Bay
Posts: 4,324
Quote:
Originally Posted by Danmar View Post
OK I'm leaving myself wide open for criticism here.
Heavens no. No criticism here either. The only people I have difficulty dealing with are those who live beyond their means (however big or small those means are) and refuse to change their ways, even when impending crisis is staring them in the face. You are obviously not one of those people. Enjoy your homes!
__________________
Contentedly ER, with 3 furry friends (now, sadly, 1).
Planning my escape to the wide open spaces in my campervan (with my remaining kitty, of course!)
On a mission to become the world's second most boring man.

Major Tom is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 12:59 PM   #71
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,342
Quote:
Originally Posted by rec7 View Post
Do you think you can bring your housing cost down some more?
With what i'm doing for work right now, i'm only going to be home around 100 days per year. I'm considering selling or renting my condo and buying a cargo van to live in. I'd invest some money into it to make it comfortable and efficient. I think it'd save me a lot of money in the long run with minimal sacrifice. I've had noise problems at my condo for years so I don't think it would decrease my quality of life living in a van. I can move my home to where the nice weather is and where the work is. I have a membership at 24 hour fitness so I can go to a gym anywhere in the country to exercise and take a shower. It's certainly not for everyone but I think it would be good for me. It's at least worth a try.
aaronc879 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 01:13 PM   #72
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: St. Louis
Posts: 1,563
Not a high risk idea and if it noisy you can move the van to a quiet place. On a side note I have also heard of people living in camping places at a reasonable price. Lots of work in North Dakota but you would have to have that van super insulated. You got me thinking a 100 days a year? Maybe even a cheap rental? But maybe you could get in a better area with the van.
FANOFJESUS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 01:24 PM   #73
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Alberta/Ontario/ Arizona
Posts: 3,393
Quote:
Originally Posted by HFWR View Post
How to make a million in real estate? Start with two million...
Actually, in total our real estate has appreciated by about 50% over cost. biggest winner is Paradise Valley, AZ. Don't own these places for capital appreciation though.
Danmar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 01:30 PM   #74
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Calico's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,911
1050 sf ranch, NC
Septic and community well; propane heat.

Monthly:

Insurance 50
Taxes 100
Electricity 80
Propane 85
Water 25
Trash service 30
Yard guys 90
Internet 40
Upkeep 100

Total: 600/month
__________________
"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus
Calico is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 01:36 PM   #75
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Reno
Posts: 1,331
Houston suburb (2400 sq ft & pool)

6000/yr taxes
800 insurance
1800 utilities (mostly AC)
1200 yard (until retired)
360 internet

Not bad for about 900/month. We're moving to Seattle & downsizing when we pull the plug in a few years, but I'm calculating it will be about the same.
RobLJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 01:43 PM   #76
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,342
Quote:
Originally Posted by rec7 View Post
Not a high risk idea and if it noisy you can move the van to a quiet place. On a side note I have also heard of people living in camping places at a reasonable price. Lots of work in North Dakota but you would have to have that van super insulated. You got me thinking a 100 days a year? Maybe even a cheap rental? But maybe you could get in a better area with the van.
Other than visiting family in Wisconsin during the holidays I wouldn't go to any cold weather states Nov-Feb so wouldn't have to insulate much if at all. I would go to camping places sometimes but not too often. I can pretty much work when and where I want at about a dozen different sites through out the country. So i'd go north in the summer and south in the winter. I can take time off anytime I want without affecting future jobs so that's a plus.
aaronc879 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 03:00 PM   #77
Administrator
Gumby's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 22,973
Quote:
Originally Posted by Enuff2Eat View Post
these number are frighteningly high. Just imaging adding says $14,000.00 for a mortgage, young people will work the first two week just to pay for housing only.
A mortgage to buy my house would run you roughly $36,000 per year (P&I), for a total operating cost of $60,000 per year. But young people just starting out typically are not the ones who would be buying it.
__________________
Living an analog life in the Digital Age.
Gumby is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 03:25 PM   #78
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Pittsburgh, PA suburbs
Posts: 1,796
2000 sq. foot single family home about 25 miles to the southeast of Pittsburgh, PA; built in 2004 as a spec home.

$3600 a year in property taxes
water: $200.00 a year
sewage: $240.00 a year
trash/recycling: about $160.00 a year
lawn care/snow removal: $1800 a year on average
electricity: $600 a year on average
gas: $600 a year on average
homeowners insurance/umbrella: approx. $1000.00 a year
repairs/systems maintenance: approx. $500.00 a year on average (so far)

I bought a new front-loader washing machine in 2010 for $900.00 but that has been about it for appliances (so far). I splurged on the stove and fridge in 2004 so I hope they last me for the duration in this home. I am nervous reading posts about hot water heaters. No problems so far but maybe next year after reading on this forum and Bogleheads, I will have mine checked. My AC/furnace/hot water heater are all builder's grade stuff.

I sold a second home in FL late last year and am happy to have that albatross removed from my neck. Anyplace else I reside in retirement during the winter months will be rented.

Edit: I forgot cable TV/internet/phone: $180.00 a month.

Gee, I live an expensive lifestyle, maybe I should rethink retiring in July 2014 (NOT!!!)
WhoDaresWins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 03:46 PM   #79
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
NW-Bound's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 35,712
Quote:
Originally Posted by aaronc879 View Post
Other than visiting family in Wisconsin during the holidays I wouldn't go to any cold weather states Nov-Feb so wouldn't have to insulate much if at all. I would go to camping places sometimes but not too often. I can pretty much work when and where I want at about a dozen different sites through out the country. So i'd go north in the summer and south in the winter. I can take time off anytime I want without affecting future jobs so that's a plus.
Aaron, do not rule out a small RV, either a small MH pulling a car, or a truck or van pulling a travel trailer. Bought used, these do not cost that much and give you much more comfort than a converted cargo van.
NW-Bound is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2013, 04:04 PM   #80
Full time employment: Posting here.
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 757
Small urban area in NW. Home value of $350K

Property Tax: $3158
Elec/Gas: 130/month
Water/Sewer/Waste: 130/month
Insurance: 542

Annual: $6820
NanoSour is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:26 AM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.