I live in the USA and I am concerned about the future. I created this blog to share my thoughts on the economy and anything else that might catch my attention.
There's too much rent to extract. Houses can no longer be allowed to reside in small investor hands. Corporatization and commiditization are the new paradigm.
In the 1965 Doctor Who episode "The Web Planet", a creature called "the Animus", which has taken over the planet Vortis, displays Borg-like ambitions of universal domination: "What Vortis is, I have. What you are, I will become... Parasite? A power, absorbing territory, riches, energy, culture, you! Come to me... Do not fight against it... Your struggles are futile!"
I was born in America, and I have never owned a house or a car...not even a beater car in college. Never mattered much in NYC. But, I am looking to leave, but since I am looking for a small house (about 900 sq. ft) on a smallish lot (1/4 acre) and having no luck, I may have to build instead. I will be entirely contrarian...buying stead of renting, upsizing from my apartment, and acquiring a car and gas costs. It will be a huge change, but I'm looking forward to it. On the upside, I will be able to make trips to I Costco and stockpile dog food.
I rented until I was 33. I bought a house in 1997 and am still living in it. I may very well someday die in it.
There were times when I really enjoyed renting. I lived downtown Seattle for a few years. One day I woke up to a spectacular view of an aircraft carrier. It was so close it felt like I could just reach out and touch it.
On the other hand, as an introvert I do value peace and quiet. That same apartment was located on the 3rd floor next to an on ramp. That wasn't where most of the noise came from though. Let's just say my 4th floor neighbors liked 3am parties.
Overall, I have no regrets for moving to the burbs. Downtown was a nice adventure, but I wouldn't want to permanently live there.
That said, part of me always wanted to live on a boat someday. I recently discovered a niece I never knew I had. She lives on a boat in the very lake I once considered (in Seattle). How crazy is that? Keep in mind that I moved to Seattle. I wasn't born here, nor did my parents live here. Small world.
Mark, This is a link to a beautifully designed houseboat in Portland. I've kept the link because the design is so good, but living on a houseboat in upstate NY would be a little chilly. Take a look...that blog has a section on floating homes as well... All best,.
There was a $300k floating home in the running about the time I bought my house ($150k for the house, $150k for the slip). It was just outside my comfortable price range though.
I don't think I could do it now. We have a large piano and even the size of our bird's cage would be an issue.
One of the executives where I once worked owned a floating home. He had quite a few interesting stories.
He had a heck of a time getting his piano in his home. Many tried, many failed. He finally found someone would could lift half of it all by himself. He said it still looked amazingly painful. The piano moved a few inches at a time down the narrow walkway.
1. Lift 2. Grunt 3. Move an inch or two 4. Set it back down 5. Repeat
Long process!
Even moving the piano within his house is a huge undertaking. Should he wish it to be in a different spot, he has to hire a scuba diver to move the flotations under his home to keep his house balanced.
House has admitted to using anabolic steroid in the 1970s making him one of the earliest players to admit to using performance-enhancing drugs. In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, he described his use of steroids as "a failed experiment"...
House used performance-enhancing drugs. It was a failed experiment. It seems like there should be an analogy here.
Decades ago, Turkey hunting used to be very difficult in the NE. Turkeys were know to be very smart and very shy. It was rare to see a turkey, and hunters used to sit patiently for hours in camo trying to "call-in" a turkey. Male turkeys were called "toms".
Back then, pheasants were abundant. They were literally everywhere. The male pheasants were beautifully colored birds. Pheasants have all but disappeared, I can't remember the last time I saw one. Disease I've been told.
Strangely, Turkeys are everywhere now. Big groups of them walking across front yards, in parks, on golf courses, etc. They're no longer shy as they once were.
Disappearing pheasants???? Extroverted turkeys everywhere???? Yes, there must be a metaphor in there. Maybe an allegory!
"As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."
ReplyDeleteThose single unit houses in suburbia can require a lot of gasoline to get to work. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteUS Regular All Formulations Gas Price / Average Hourly Earnings of Production and Nonsupervisory Employees: Total Private
There's too much rent to extract. Houses can no longer be allowed to reside in small investor hands. Corporatization and commiditization are the new paradigm.
ReplyDeleteTo me all this "yield chasing" could be better characterized as "money looking for places to die".
ReplyDeleteRob Dawg,
ReplyDeleteBorg (Star Trek)
In the 1965 Doctor Who episode "The Web Planet", a creature called "the Animus", which has taken over the planet Vortis, displays Borg-like ambitions of universal domination: "What Vortis is, I have. What you are, I will become... Parasite? A power, absorbing territory, riches, energy, culture, you! Come to me... Do not fight against it... Your struggles are futile!"
TJandTheBear,
ReplyDeleteYield Chasing! ;)
I was born in America, and I have never owned a house or a car...not even a beater car in college. Never mattered much in NYC. But, I am looking to leave, but since I am looking for a small house (about 900 sq. ft) on a smallish lot (1/4 acre) and having no luck, I may have to build instead.
ReplyDeleteI will be entirely contrarian...buying stead of renting, upsizing from my apartment, and acquiring a car and gas costs.
It will be a huge change, but I'm looking forward to it. On the upside, I will be able to make trips to
I Costco and stockpile dog food.
fried,
ReplyDeleteI rented until I was 33. I bought a house in 1997 and am still living in it. I may very well someday die in it.
There were times when I really enjoyed renting. I lived downtown Seattle for a few years. One day I woke up to a spectacular view of an aircraft carrier. It was so close it felt like I could just reach out and touch it.
On the other hand, as an introvert I do value peace and quiet. That same apartment was located on the 3rd floor next to an on ramp. That wasn't where most of the noise came from though. Let's just say my 4th floor neighbors liked 3am parties.
Overall, I have no regrets for moving to the burbs. Downtown was a nice adventure, but I wouldn't want to permanently live there.
That said, part of me always wanted to live on a boat someday. I recently discovered a niece I never knew I had. She lives on a boat in the very lake I once considered (in Seattle). How crazy is that? Keep in mind that I moved to Seattle. I wasn't born here, nor did my parents live here. Small world.
Mark,
ReplyDeleteThis is a link to a beautifully designed houseboat in Portland. I've kept the link because the design is so good, but living on a houseboat in upstate NY would be a little chilly.
Take a look...that blog has a section on floating homes as well...
All best,.
http://tinyhouseblog.com/floating-homes/floating-guest-house/
Housing "tom"foolery!
ReplyDeletefried,
ReplyDeleteThere was a $300k floating home in the running about the time I bought my house ($150k for the house, $150k for the slip). It was just outside my comfortable price range though.
I don't think I could do it now. We have a large piano and even the size of our bird's cage would be an issue.
One of the executives where I once worked owned a floating home. He had quite a few interesting stories.
He had a heck of a time getting his piano in his home. Many tried, many failed. He finally found someone would could lift half of it all by himself. He said it still looked amazingly painful. The piano moved a few inches at a time down the narrow walkway.
1. Lift
2. Grunt
3. Move an inch or two
4. Set it back down
5. Repeat
Long process!
Even moving the piano within his house is a huge undertaking. Should he wish it to be in a different spot, he has to hire a scuba diver to move the flotations under his home to keep his house balanced.
mab,
ReplyDeleteTom House
House has admitted to using anabolic steroid in the 1970s making him one of the earliest players to admit to using performance-enhancing drugs. In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, he described his use of steroids as "a failed experiment"...
House used performance-enhancing drugs. It was a failed experiment. It seems like there should be an analogy here.
Mark,
ReplyDeleteDecades ago, Turkey hunting used to be very difficult in the NE. Turkeys were know to be very smart and very shy. It was rare to see a turkey, and hunters used to sit patiently for hours in camo trying to "call-in" a turkey. Male turkeys were called "toms".
Back then, pheasants were abundant. They were literally everywhere. The male pheasants were beautifully colored birds. Pheasants have all but disappeared, I can't remember the last time I saw one. Disease I've been told.
Strangely, Turkeys are everywhere now. Big groups of them walking across front yards, in parks, on golf courses, etc. They're no longer shy as they once were.
Disappearing pheasants???? Extroverted turkeys everywhere???? Yes, there must be a metaphor in there. Maybe an allegory!
mab,
ReplyDeleteDisappearing pheasants???? Extroverted turkeys everywhere???? Yes, there must be a metaphor in there.
Disappearing peasants?
Extroverted Sears investors?
No matter how hard I try, I just can't make it work, lol.
Gallows humor. Sigh.