Dramatic Downsizing - Dafuq Do I Doit?

[MexicanYarisTK]

and like Rudy said for 400 sq ft studio that costs $2,600 in Manhattan. One of my friends who live in DC is now living in a “modern luxury” apt (meaning new and not basic like) with 600 sq ft studio has gotten it for $2,100. Also Troy, the reason why I stated earlier about willing to drive some distance is because well for my area, once you leave DC into VA, you will see the difference in pricing for pretty much the same for what you get. 10 miles further, even more bang for buck. While some people say traffic here is shit, i mean, what do you expect in a major city? First, NY, Boston and LA are definitely worse. But VA in particular is worse in a sense that you will encounter more passive and slow drivers. You’ll less likely to encounter assholes who won’t let you in in comparison

Edit: rudy correct me if im wrong w/ what you said.

not rudy, but apartments 5mi (so 15-30 min, depending on traffic) from my office in tyson's cost about $2.4k/month for a 1020sqft 2 bed 2 bath apartment. Dafuq your friend live that 2100 for a 600 sq ft studio?
For location, just north of U st. and it isn't the only place I've found for apt's in DC that matches the price, type of apt. and sq ft. this is the apartment to answer your question https://livejbgsmith.com/atlantic-plumbing/

As for traffic, it sucks but I find drivers here generally nicer than the entirety of Florida, and north Jersey (granted, from the week I was there). I did not say it is like heaven but the pros are high when you compare other areas that has similar issues due to population

I agree tho, you do get bang for buck further out, again it's an apartment but saw 2bed2bath apartments in centreville at around 1000sq ft w/ fireplace and utilities for ~$1600/month and right next to the beltway.
I'm pretty sure you know, but i've been living here since I was 12 but that does not mean I know the moment I've got here (duh), essentially farther from DC = cheaper, townhouses with garage in my neck of the woods is in the neighborhood of $550k - $600, another 20 miles, around $250k which doesn't even get any sort of house to begin with in my area

If you buy a house in what you can call the boonies and simply drive into the metro or into town you would get nice bang for your buck and a nice property to boot, VA is beautiful
also it is honestly not bad, basically moving to DC or arlington is just a typical living in NoVa mindset (oh i gotta move to arlington, traffic is soo bad omfg!!!, I would love them to experience istanbul traffic by sitting in the car an hour just for 6 miles ) where you live is fairly close where moving to DC or arlington just to have "easier" access it is silly, but that said, I only live just a few miles away from the loudoun county border, throughout recent years, rush hour gets worse and worse (not an issue for me right now as I technically don't have a work commute at this point). But that said, a lot of people move here for work, so it is pretty much the norm and just have to

my thoughts are in bolded.

[Tar]

Dang. Now I want a triple bay garage. Hope one day I can have a Haus like 's future place!

[troyguitar]

Dang. Now I want a triple bay garage. Hope one day I can have a Haus like 's future place!

Don't buy lake houses?

Here's the latest find from her mom:

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandho ... 73#photo18

Talk about the opposite of downsizing...

[Tar]

Dang. Now I want a triple bay garage. Hope one day I can have a Haus like 's future place!

Don't buy lake houses?

Here's the latest find from her mom:

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandho ... 73#photo18

Talk about the opposite of downsizing...

Big enough for you guys plus three CF!

[goIftdibrad]

Dang. Now I want a triple bay garage. Hope one day I can have a Haus like 's future place!

Don't buy lake houses?

Here's the latest find from her mom:

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandho ... 73#photo18

Talk about the opposite of downsizing...

isnt that like way expensive with taxes?

[troyguitar]

Don't buy lake houses?

Here's the latest find from her mom:

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandho ... 73#photo18

Talk about the opposite of downsizing...

isnt that like way expensive with taxes?

Yes. $10k per year in tax.

Her mom does not really understand money.

[razr390]

isnt that like way expensive with taxes?

Yes. $10k per year in tax.

Her mom does not really understand money.

Back in my day...

[goIftdibrad]

isnt that like way expensive with taxes?

Yes. $10k per year in tax.

Her mom does not really understand money.

So, just say

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Dang. Now I want a triple bay garage. Hope one day I can have a Haus like 's future place!

Don't buy lake houses?

Here's the latest find from her mom:

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandho ... 73#photo18

Talk about the opposite of downsizing...

This house is love the old details and dat garage.

But alas, the cost is

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Also, 3.3k sq ft is for 2 people. I think our 2.4k is too big. Our Detroit house was 3.2k and it was WAY too much.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Also, 3.3k sq ft is for 2 people. I think our 2.4k is too big. Our Detroit house was 3.2k and it was WAY too much.

I mean, we've got 1400 and it's... pretty much perfect.

I think the ideal size for 2 people is in the 1k to 1.5k sq ft range.

We entertain a lot, so we do use more of our house, but most of the time we have multiple rooms going unused.

[rockchops]

I mean, we've got 1400 and it's... pretty much perfect.

I think the ideal size for 2 people is in the 1k to 1.5k sq ft range.

We entertain a lot, so we do use more of our house, but most of the time we have multiple rooms going unused.

I can barely keep my 1400 ft house clean, I cant imagine 3k+

[rockchops]

Change the plan. In all seriousness I understand funds are not unlimited so I get it. One stall in the garage could be for a riding mower, snow blower and a decent used snowmobile.

I have wondered if having a pair of cars like my old Vibe/MR2 combo - worth basically combined what my is worth alone - would be more enjoyable there since I'd actually have space to store and work on them. Maybe even go with a snow/tow vehicle and some kind of ghettokart on a trailer. That would certainly be more fun in the short term... and probably mean that I never make more than $30k a year while wasting all of my free time on car shit instead of building a career. God damn it life is hard.

what languages do you know

[troyguitar]

Also, 3.3k sq ft is for 2 people. I think our 2.4k is too big. Our Detroit house was 3.2k and it was WAY too much.

I mean, we've got 1400 and it's... pretty much perfect.

Perfect when you basically don't do anything in your besides sleep/eat/fap though right? You guys seem to spend as much of your free time outside as possible, whereas we basically don't go outside at all.

I could easily use 2000 by myself setting up various projects vs having to use one or two tables for everything, re-setting the space for each activity. The wife could do the same with her various arts/crafts stuff, she always has at least 2 long-ish term projects going which would be WAY easier to make progress on if they could have a permanent space to be worked on vs having to set up and tear down before and after doing anything on them.

Whether it's worth actually paying for that much space is a different question, but if costs (both money and time to maintain it) were equal I'd rather have more space - especially if it's in the form of a handful of bigger rooms vs a ton of tiny ones.

[troyguitar]

Perfect when you basically don't do anything in your besides sleep/eat/fap though right? You guys seem to spend as much of your free time outside as possible, whereas we basically don't go outside at all.

I could easily use 2000 by myself setting up various projects vs having to use one or two tables for everything, re-setting the space for each activity. The wife could do the same with her various arts/crafts stuff, she always has at least 2 long-ish term projects going which would be WAY easier to make progress on if they could have a permanent space to be worked on vs having to set up and tear down before and after doing anything on them.

Whether it's worth actually paying for that much space is a different question, but if costs (both money and time to maintain it) were equal I'd rather have more space - especially if it's in the form of a handful of bigger rooms vs a ton of tiny ones.

I mean, I'm not including the basement or garage in that, since it's unfinished space. Laundry, workouts, home projects, and car stuff happen in those spaces.

My wife spends the vast majority of her time at home in her office. I spend it at work. And when I'm home, I'm either outside, in my office, in the garage, or on the couch.

That being said, it sounds like you have a distinct idea of what you want... so just get what you want and stop hating yourself so much.

The problem of finite resources is always in the allocation. I only know what I'd do with infinite resources.

For example: Spending so much money on having a great space for activities results in having no money remaining to actually partake in said activities - and working more to make more money results in having no time remaining.

Even with infinite money I'd be torn between spending time on guitar/piano/violin/cars/games/languages/travel. Doing more than one of those at a satisfying level really takes more time than is available.

So I've no clue what I really want given that both money and time are heavily restricted...

[Desertbreh]

Dang. Now I want a triple bay garage. Hope one day I can have a Haus like 's future place!

Don't buy lake houses?

Here's the latest find from her mom:

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandho ... 73#photo18

Talk about the opposite of downsizing...

Is mom kicking in?

[Desertbreh]

So far the Garage Mahal and a case of caulk is the DFD front runner.

[troyguitar]

The problem of finite resources is always in the allocation. I only know what I'd do with infinite resources.

For example: Spending so much money on having a great space for activities results in having no money remaining to actually partake in said activities - and working more to make more money results in having no time remaining.

Even with infinite money I'd be torn between spending time on guitar/piano/violin/cars/games/languages/travel. Doing more than one of those at a satisfying level really takes more time than is available.

So I've no clue what I really want given that both money and time are heavily restricted...

Life is always about balance. Find it.

[troyguitar]

Don't buy lake houses?

Here's the latest find from her mom:

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandho ... 73#photo18

Talk about the opposite of downsizing...

Is mom kicking in?

So there's no way to say it without sounding like a but - yes.

Her parents pretty much said last night "We want to give you some of our money now when it'll be more helpful to you vs after we die when you should have already become financially independent anyway" which is kind of but also really complicates things further since none of the homes in the area appear to be good investments - and they are specifically saying DO NOT SAVE IT but spend it on crap whether that's renovations on an old place or buying a nicer place to start. What we're wondering, then, is whether stepping up to a higher price and size bracket will actually turn out to be a better investment than a cheaper place due to the bimodal distribution of wealth in the area. There are many homes over $300k and many under $120k with relatively few in between. It's maybe possible that a more expensive place would turn out to cost less in the long run? Like this kind of thing:

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3592 ... lpage=true

Sold for $219k in 2005, $289k in 2012, now asking $330k.

Basically like buying a 911 GT3 vs a base Carrera. The GT3 costs twice as much up front but depreciates so much less that it might cost less to own overall, plus you get to enjoy it more in the meantime.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Is mom kicking in?

So there's no way to say it without sounding like a but - yes.

Her parents pretty much said last night "We want to give you some of our money now when it'll be more helpful to you vs after we die when you should have already become financially independent anyway" which is kind of but also really complicates things further since none of the homes in the area appear to be good investments - and they are specifically saying DO NOT SAVE IT but spend it on crap whether that's renovations on an old place or buying a nicer place to start. What we're wondering, then, is whether stepping up to a higher price and size bracket will actually turn out to be a better investment than a cheaper place due to the bimodal distribution of wealth in the area. There are many homes over $300k and many under $120k with relatively few in between. It's maybe possible that a more expensive place would turn out to cost less in the long run? Like this kind of thing:

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3592 ... lpage=true

Sold for $219k in 2005, $289k in 212, now asking $330k.

Well shit, get the one she liked with the 3 car garage and call it.

I do think there's more upside with homes in a nicer area. Especially since Corning isn't going anywhere, there will always be managers that want to live close to work, but not in poverty palaces.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Well shit, get the one she liked with the 3 car garage and call it.

I do think there's more upside with homes in a nicer area. Especially since Corning isn't going anywhere, there will always be managers that want to live close to work, but not in poverty palaces.

If you're looking to flip in a few years - you're going to want to buy a house that isn't what you want, but rather, what the masses desire.

So, McMansiony (but not too McMansiony), newer construction, nicer kitchen, and whatever other tasteless things the average sheeple live, laugh, and love.

I still vote for the 3 car garage haus.

Exactly.

But man, this has reasonable upside IMO:

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandho ... 73#photo18

[troyguitar]

If you're looking to flip in a few years - you're going to want to buy a house that isn't what you want, but rather, what the masses desire.

So, McMansiony (but not too McMansiony), newer construction, nicer kitchen, and whatever other tasteless things the average sheeple live, laugh, and love.

I still vote for the 3 car garage haus.

Exactly.

But man, this has reasonable upside IMO:

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandho ... 73#photo18

I'm with both of you on both of those, however there seems to be a lot to be said for the $330k place. It's new-ish and is one of the cheapest places in one of the nicest neighborhoods, with quite a bit lower tax rate than the 19th century place - such that the tax bill is the same in absolute dollars ($10-11k a fucking year...) for both.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Exactly.

But man, this has reasonable upside IMO:

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandho ... 73#photo18

That old garage doe. Pretty neat.

I'd be curious to see inside the garage. Could be solid and with space for 4 cars,

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Exactly.

But man, this has reasonable upside IMO:

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandho ... 73#photo18

I'm with both of you on both of those, however there seems to be a lot to be said for the $330k place. It's new-ish and is one of the cheapest places in one of the nicest neighborhoods, with quite a bit lower tax rate than the 19th century place - such that the tax bill is the same in absolute dollars ($10-11k a fucking year...) for both.

Talking about this one?

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3592 ... lpage=true

If the neighborhood is in demand and it's priced below the neighborhoods market value, it seems like it's probably the right move. Especially when you factor in taxes.

But with the cost of entry, the 19th century place COULD have more upside potential. Look at the neighborhood values.

[troyguitar]

That old garage doe. Pretty neat.

I'd be curious to see inside the garage. Could be solid and with space for 4 cars,

The garage situation on that one is kind of questionable despite the glory of "980 sq ft garage!" in theory, it looks like the floor as at 3 different levels and this is the alley you use to access it - walk down the street view here until you see the garage on the left:

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1388234 ... 312!8i6656

I'm assuming that those alleys also don't get salted/plowed.